Join us to celebrate the federal trial bench and to hear from Magistrate Judge Gina Simms, of the US District Court for the District of Maryland, as she describes her path first in public service, including a judicial clerkship, and some seventeen years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia and Maryland and as an Associate Independent Counsel tasked with investigating a former Cabinet secretary – and then in private practice for six years, where she continued to work on criminal and civil compliance and enforcement matters.    Judge Simms shares her thoughts on how to have a good day in her courtroom, and what missteps to avoid. 

Bench Talk: Episode 1: A Conversation with Magistrate Judge Gina Simms

Join us to celebrate the federal trial bench and to hear from Chief Magistrate Judge Willie Epps, Jr., of the US District Court for the Western District of Missouri, as he describes his path from Natchez, Mississippi, to public service as a Judge Advocate and Captain in the US AirForce JAG Corps, and then as Assistant Special Counsel-US Department of Justice in the Waco Investigation – and then to solo practice, big firm practice, and head of litigation for a leading financial services firm. Judge Epps offers his insights on how each of these positions contribute to who he is a judge today, and shares practical tips on how to have a good day in his courtroom. 

Bench Talk: Episode 2: A Conversation with Chief Magistrate Judge Willie Epps, Jr.

Host Gary J. Ross talks with Chris Harvey, Managing Partner at Harvey Esquire and a prolific LinkedIn contributor, about three bipartisan bills pending in Congress that could reshape the VC ecosystem: the Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act (HR 3339), which would create an exam-based path to accredited investor status; the Improving Capital Allocation for Newcomers Act (HR 4431), which would raise Section 3(c)(1) fund limits to 500 investors and $50 million; and the Venture Capital Advisor Flexibility Act (HR 4429), which would increase the allowable percentage of secondaries and fund-of-funds investments for exempt reporting advisers.

VC Law: Episode 41: Pending VC-Friendly Legislation with Chris Harvey

This session will set up the basis of why and when to mediate, including the benefits of mediation, figuring out whether mediation is right for your dispute, selecting the right mediator and determining the right time to mediate.

Guests in this episode are Kate Gonzalez, Senior Legal Counsel at Airbus and Chris McDonald, ADR Office of Chris McDonald.

The Advocate's Toolbox: Episode 1: What Is Mediation and When Should I Use It?

This first episode focuses on the first days after the shocking discovery that the Madoff multi-billion-dollar investment enterprise was a complete fraud.  Unlike most Ponzi schemes, there were actually no investments at all in what on paper appeared to be a massive investment fund.   Our guest, attorney David Sheehan of Baker & Hostetler LLP, is retained along with Irving Picard to begin the process of an orderly liquidation of the Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC.  The enormity of the case is unveiled as David and his team learn that $64 billion in supposed investments have in fact never existed despite years of reports to investors that the funds were returning up to 17% profits annually.  

Bad Boys of Bankruptcy: The Madoff Files: The Scheme Is Uncovered: “We Are Gonna Need a Bigger Boat”

In episode two we hear about the extraordinary coordination of the Baker Hostetler team with federal, state and international investigators, including those from the FBI, the SEC, the United States attorney and other law enforcement agencies.  Attorneys David Sheehan and Camille Bent are back to discuss how the criminal investigation proceeded hand in hand with the complex work of collecting assets to return a dividend to the thousands of investors that lost billions to the Madoff scheme.  In addition to Madoff, several people associated were charged, convicted and sentenced to prison for their roles in this massive fake investment business.

Bad Boys of Bankruptcy: The Madoff Files: The Clean Up Begins: Coordination Like Never Before

Join us to celebrate the federal trial bench and to hear from Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga, of the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas, a true career public servant, as she describes her path from a federal judicial clerkship to Texas’s Rio Grande Legal Aid, to service as an Texas Assistant Attorney General and Assistant United States Attorney in the Laredo Division, where she now serves as a judge.  Judge Song Quiroga shares her positive outlook on the value of making a difference every day in your work, and the importance of keeping an open mind to new opportunities to do so.

Bench Talk: Episode 3: A Conversation with Judge Song Quiroga

Join us to celebrate the federal trial bench and to hear from Bankruptcy Judge Elizabeth Gunn, of the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia, one of the first COVID-era judges to take the bankruptcy bench, taking the oath of office from her living room as the sole bankruptcy judge in the District of Columbia and DC Circuit.  An active member of several local, regional, and national bar associations, Judge Gunn may be best known to some as the moderator of the ABA’s popular podcast series “Bad Boys of Bankruptcy,” and previously worked in private practice and as an Assistant Attorney General in Virginia’s Division of Child Support Enforcement.  Judge Gunn shares her thoughts and offers practical insights on balancing her many roles and responsibilities – and her hobby of running marathons!

Bench Talk: Episode 4: A Conversation with Judge Gunn

In episode three we turn to the cutting-edge legal issues legal issues of law that were raised in the Madoff case.  Because it presented circumstances unlike any that had come before it, the Madoff case required the legal team to develop a new legal playbook. In this episode David Sheehan and Camille Bent of the Baker Hostetler team offer a tutorial on the new precedents established in the case that will provide a game plan for those that are charged with managing recovery after massive Ponzi schemes and will benefit victims of such cases. The most significant of these legal victories is court acceptance of the use of a net equity approach to fairly determine the claim amounts of investors in what has become known as a “net winners/net losers” game plan.

Bad Boys of Bankruptcy: The Madoff Files: The Legal Issues: “We Need A New Playbook”

Preparing for the mediation session is key. This session will cover how to evaluate your case and determine an appropriate settlement range, how to consider and evaluate risks, and more.

New tracks tagged #ToTheExtentThat