We are working feverishly on the Tenth Annual Calvin Ashland Awards Dinner set for November 14, 2013 (or at least Catherine Christiansen is and we are watching in awe and giving her our moral support). This year we are going to honor Jeff Golden as the Trustee of the Year. He deserves it, that’s for sure. It’s our first time honoring a Chapter 7 Trustee and your Board did not have a lot of trouble choosing him for the honor. Judge Ted Albert will introduce him. We hope to see you there.

We are also going to honor Jim King, the erstwhile “Kingobk,” with our Founder’s Award for Lifetime Achievement at the dinner. That was a unanimous vote for sure. There could not possibly be a person who deserves the moniker of “consumer bankruptcy lawyer extraordinaire” more than Jim. He will be honored for his lifetime achievements and for being the general good guy that he is. He sent me a birthday card a week or two ago hand-addressed to “Little Jonny Hayes.” Jim’s wife Mari and his children and grandchildren (great-grandchildren?), various sons-in-law and family members in-waiting will be there to help us all cheer. I’m buying the first bottle of wine for his table. Thanks to all of you who attended the Fifth Annual Earle Hagen Memorial Golf Tournament on September 30, 2013 at the Porter Valley Club in Northridge. It was a big success again. Jeff and Dave Hagen and of course Jim King and Maggie Bordeaux really deserve kudos for the huge efforts they made and the obvious resulting success. Last year the tournament resulted in a donation to the Debtor’s Assistance Project of some $30,000. Our long-time member Mark Jesse won the first poker tournament and was rewarded with a trophy.

Our last program of the year will be held on Saturday morning October 19, 2013 at Southwestern Law School. Judge Neil Bason called me and asked if he could use our program to “unveil” his new chapter 11 forms, an honor I immediately accepted. He and Peter Lively and Brad Smith will give us a basic rundown of the chapter 11 world here in the Central District. Judge Bason has very detailed requirements for his initial Chapter 11 Status Conference Report which he will review as well.

We are planning eight Saturday morning programs again for next year. Your board and officers will stay the same with the exception that Jeff Hagen will take over the Treasurer’s duties for the year. Jeff is already doing that work for the Inn of the Court and volunteered to take on this organization as well. If you are interested in getting involved let me know. We have various committees which could use some new blood and new ideas are always welcome. We are not going to raise the membership fee for the fourth year in a row. It is however a calendar year membership irrespective of when you joined or paid. The programs as always are free to members and get you two hours of MCLE each. What a deal eh?

A final note (or “last add” as Jim Healy used to say), the Supreme Court has accepted cert in two bankruptcy cases, one an appeal from an Order made by our own Judge Tom Donovan known as Law v. Siegel and a follow up case to Stern v. Marshall known as In re Bellingham Ins. Neither case has been set for oral argument but we are thinking about organizing a trip to watch the supremes in action. Let me know if you are interested.

Say hi if you see me around. Thanks. Jon Hayes.