Date line: July, 2008
I’ve spent the last three days at the annual meeting of the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees in San Francisco.
Strewn through the convention site are banners thanking those who have contributed money to put on the gathering of Chapter 13 trustees. Those three sponsors at this event are exclusively big creditors and the lawfirms who represent them
Who’s involved in Chapter 13
The parties in interest in a Chapter 13 form a triangle: trustee, debtor, creditors. The trustee has obligations to both of the other parties.
Debtors come in onesies and twosies.
Creditors tend to be national businesse, ergo big money players.
There is no organization of bankruptcy debtors; there is an organization of debtor’s attorneys, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.
By the nature of the practices of its members, NACBA is not a big money player. It doesn’t sponsor gatherings of its usual opponents.
At the gatherings of debtor’s lawyers, the usual sponsors are those who want to sell something to the attendees. It’s not the opposing parties.
Influence at work?
I don’t think that Chapter 13 trustees can be “bought” by free breakfast and afternoon snacks. But just like influence of lobbyist money on politicians, this feels uncomfortable to me as a debtor’s lawyer.
Image Copyright:Pete Bax
