34th Annual Bankruptcy Conference

The Iowa Chapter of the Federal Bar Association held its 34th Annual Bankruptcy Conference this past October 29th and 30th in Des Moines, Iowa. For the second year in a row, the conference was co-sponsored with the Bankruptcy Section of the Federal Bar Association. The conference included 13 presentations with over 26 speakers and was attended by more than 120 people, covering debtor and creditor, and business and consumer bankruptcy law topics. The IAFBA’s Annual Judicial Reception and Dinner was attended by over 65 people, with judges from the U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts from both the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa. Chief Magistrate Judge Celeste Bremer presented the Keynote Speech of the evening, with a talk about gender diversity on the federal bench in the 8th Circuit and the work of the Infinity Project in support of more woman being appointed to the bench.


Photo from Left: Senior District Judge James E. Gritzner, Recalled Magistrate Judge Ross A. Walters, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Lee M. Jackwig, Retired U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Richard Stageman, U.S. Bankruptcy Chief Judge Anita L. Shodeen (IA Southern), U.S. Bankruptcy Chief Judge Charles L. Nail (South Dakota), U.S. Bankruptcy Chief Judge Thad Collins (IA Northern), and FBA Iowa Chapter President Jeffrey D. Goetz, Esq.

Chief Magistrate Judge Celeste Bremer during her Keynote Speech

FBA Iowa Chapter President Jeffrey D. Goetz, Esq.

Judicial Reception and Dinner


Iowa Chapter Judicial Reception and Dinner Thursday, October 30th. Pictured with the chapter president are six Iowa Chapter members who have belonged to the Federal Bar Association for 25 years or longer: Hon. Lee M. Jackwig, Jack Dane, Gary Norton, Hon. Anita L. Shodeen, Julie Johnson-McLean, Chuck Smith and Jeff Goetz, Iowa Chapter President. These tenured members were recognized for their dedication to the Association.