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Student Loans In and Out of Bankruptcy: A deeper dive
Presented by Lisa Thompson, Andrea Wimmer and Kenn Neeley

Zoom Webcast
February 12, 2021
12:00pm to 2:00pm
(Note this is longer than our typical one hour program)

Student loan debt is the second highest debt in the U.S. and a significant number of borrowers are in default. Bankruptcy practitioners will be dealing with student loan borrowers in bankruptcy and it is important to know how to handle this particular debt so your client does not end up owing more (in accruing interest) after filing for bankruptcy so your client can actually obtain a “fresh start” with the appropriate repayment plan or with discharge of a student loan. 

This presentation will focus on how to evaluate and navigate through bankruptcy cases involving student loans.  It will include an update on case law regarding the dischargeability of federal student loans in Chapter 7 bankruptcy, followed by discussion of how bankruptcy attorneys can aid their Chapter 13 clients to get meaningful relief by accessing non-bankruptcy workouts for federal student loans. 

The presentation will include an overview of income based repayment programs available for federal student loans and a primer on student loan forgiveness programs. Finally, the panel will discuss the dischargeability of private student loans, including a review of whether a debt is considered non-dischargeable under 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(8).

(See below for materials and Zoom links).

ANDREA WIMMER
Andrea practiced exclusively as debtors’ counsel in consumer Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy cases for more than 10 years before joining Upsolve, first as a contributing writer and editor and ultimately joining the team full time in August 2019. While in private practice, Andrea handled all bankruptcy matters from inception to case closure while also acting as managing attorney for her firm, Marco | Wimmer PLLC.

Andrea has been a speaker at, among other events, ABI’s Southwest Bankruptcy Conference, Norton’s Bankruptcy Institute and the Arizona State Bar Convention. In 2017, she was selected as one of ABI's 40 under 40 honorees.

Andrea is a member of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judge’s NextGen Class of 2016, recipient of ACBC's 2016 Special Appreciation Award, 2014 Member of the Year Award, and a Special Appreciation Award, as well as a Distinguished Service Award from the Arizona Bankruptcy American Inn of Court, where she served on the board from 2013 - 2018. She has published in NACBA’s Consumer Bankruptcy Journal and the State Bar of Arizona Bankruptcy Section Journal, and currently serves as treasurer of the Arizona Consumer Bankruptcy Counsel. She has also been a volunteer attorney with the Arizona Bankruptcy Court’s Self-Help Center.

LISA THOMPSON
Lisa C. Thompson is certified to practice law in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Washington, D.C. She graduated from the University of Arizona, College of Law with her Juris Doctor in 1995 and in 1997 with her LL.M. (Master of Laws) in international trade law.

Lisa is the author of Arizona Legal Forms – Debtor-Creditor (Second and Third Editions), Arizona Legal Forms – Limited Liability Companies and Partnerships (Third and Fourth Editions) and the Nevada Business Law Deskbook. She is also the co-author of the Arizona Business Law Deskbook series (Volumes 9, 9A, 10 and 10A). Lisa’s Arizona publications are updated annually.

She has owned her own law firm since 1997 and focuses her practice on consumer bankruptcy, business reorganization both in and out of bankruptcy and general business and student loan law in the State of Arizona.

Lisa C. Thompson, Esq.
Thompson Law Group, P.C.
2321 E. Speedway Blvd.
Tucson, Arizona 85719
(520) 882-5633
www.thompsonlawgroup.com
lisa@thompsonlawgroup.com

KENNETH L. NEELEY
Kenneth L. Neeley is a passionate entrepreneur and the owner of the Neeley Law Firm, PLC – a bankruptcy and debt resolution firm located in Chandler.

He loves all things techie or creative (or preferably both). His clients appreciate how well he can explain debt relief options in plain language. Yet, for some reason he has a much harder time explaining himself to his wife in plain language. Fortunately, she still seems to understand somehow. He has five amazing kiddos, ages 9 to 20.

Professionally, he is most proud of his awesome staff and his two published appellate wins for consumer debtors: In re. Gray, 523 B.R. 170 (9th Cir. BAP 2014) and In re. Neidorf, 534 B.R. 369 (9th Cir. BAP 2015).

Materials

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84286961825?pwd=eHV4Zk8wd2pHOW5WdFBVZDRHSnZaZz09
Meeting ID: 842 8696 1825
Passcode: 275405
Dial by phone (346) 248-7799