Practice includes: (1) financial reorganization, commercial transactions and complex litigation; (2) neutral representation as trustee, examiner and special master; and (3) alternative dispute resolution, including arbitration and mediation. Experience includes 18 years as a United States Bankruptcy Judge and 10 years in judicial administration and dispute resolution.

• United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Texas, 1987-2005, cases included: First RepublicBank Corp.; Zale Jewelry Corp.; National Gypsum Company, Inc.; Asbestos Claims Management Corp.; Southmark Corp.; General Wireless, Inc.; Jayhawk Acceptance Corp.; LJM2 Co-Investment, L.P.; Vartec Telecom, Inc.; Excel Communications, Inc.; Avado Brands, Inc. (Don Pablos Restaurants); Neostar, Inc. (Babbages).
• Mediation cases (appointed as mediator by order of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit): Mcorp, Inc.; Cajun Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.

Activities and Affiliations

• Honorable John C. Ford American Inns of Court.
• Dallas Bar Association.
• State Bar of Texas.

Education and Experience

• Tulane University, New Orleans, LA. (B.A., with honors in political science, 1971. Phi Beta Kappa.)
• University of Wisconsin- Madison School of Law, Madison, WI. (J.D., 1974. Editor, Wisconsin Law Review)
• Judicial Resources Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States, 1991-1997.
• Court Compensation Study Committee of the Judicial Resources Committee, 2005.
• Wisconsin Judicial Council, Reporter, Appellate Rules Committee.
• With Judges and Clerk of Court, drafted and implemented initial internal operating procedures, Wisconsin Court of Appeals, 1978.
• Shareholder, Stutzman, Bromberg, Esserman & Plifka, 2005-present.

Prior Experience

• United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Texas, 1987-2005; Chief Judge, 2002-2005.
• Director, Staff Attorneys Office, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, New Orleans, LA., 1984-1987.
• Chief Staff Attorney, Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, Madison, WI., 1978-1984.
• Commissioner, Supreme Court of Wisconsin, Madison, WI., 1977-1978.
• Private practice of law, Madison, WI., 1974-1978.

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