President's Message

Welcome to the California Bankruptcy Forum

It is my honor, as 2023-24 President of the California Bankruptcy Forum (CBF), to welcome you to our organization.

Founded in 1988, CBF is the preeminent volunteer organization for insolvency professionals in California, with nearly 1,000 members in seven regional chapters, known as fora, throughout California. Our membership includes bankruptcy and insolvency attorneys as well as financial advisors, brokers, trustees, accountants, turnaround specialists and other professionals who work in the insolvency arena.

Today, as economic conditions drive an increase in insolvency activity, CBF has a critical role to play in supporting both new and seasoned practitioners in their efforts to serve their clients and ensure that the system remains fair, efficient and effective. For this reason, CBF is committed to clarifying and improving practices and procedures in California bankruptcy courts, providing professional education, and acting as a venue for dialogue between insolvency professionals and bankruptcy judges.

One way we work to accomplish this goal is through the publication of scholarly articles in the California Bankruptcy Journal, which is distributed two to four times a year. Available on Westlaw, the Journal has been cited in more than 70 published opinions, including those of the U.S. Supreme Court. All CBF members receive complimentary subscriptions to the Journal.

Of course, CBF’s largest single undertaking is our annual May conference. In an age of remote court appearances and video conferencing, this annual event and those conducted by our regional fora provide essential opportunities for face-to-face interaction and the exchange of ideas. Our 36th Annual Conference, to be held in May 2024 at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara, will include engaging and informative educational programs and plenty of opportunities to unplug and connect with colleagues and friends in a relaxed and comfortable setting. The program will include presentations and panels covering a broad range of issues affecting practitioners who work with both businesses and consumers as well as special programming geared toward our Young Insolvency Professionals.

CBF also oversees the activities of the seven regional fora in California, each of which serves the critical role of furthering the mission of CBF at the community level by sponsoring local educational and professional programs around the state. Representing Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, the Central Valley, Los Angeles, Orange County, the Inland Empire, and San Diego, each local forum has its own board of directors, which sends three representatives to the statewide CBF Board. When you join a local forum and gain access to a wealth of educational and social programs, you automatically become a member of CBF.

Additionally, for the last decade, CBF has worked to promote pro bono bankruptcy services throughout California via its financial support of nonprofit organizations that work with unrepresented bankruptcy filers and litigants. Each year, we have reserved a portion of the proceeds from conference registrations and voluntary contributions for an initiative that improves and enhances the services provided to pro se filers. This highly rewarding work helps to ensure access to bankruptcy services for all Californians. 

Finally, I look forward to hearing from you. Whether you have thoughts on improving CBF or simply want to get more involved in our organization, please get in touch with me or any other board member. 

There’s no telling what the coming year will hold for the bankruptcy and insolvency community, but you can count on one thing: CBF will be there at every step along the way to advocate for and serve our members. I hope you will join me, the board and your fellow members in Santa Barbara in May 2024 for our annual conference!

Michael A. Sweet, 2023-2024 President