United States Trustee Program (USTP)

U.S. Trustee Program Prevails on Motion to Dismiss Nine Related Cases for Lack of Good Faith The United States Trustee Program (USTP) recently obtained dismissal of nine related bankruptcy cases involving a chain of fitness businesses that lacked a good-faith basis for seeking bankruptcy relief. On October 2, the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas entered an order dismissing the cases of Blush Bootcamp LLC and eight affiliates based on a motion filed by the USTP’s office in Wichita, Kansas. The debtors and their owners engaged in a tangled web of transfers both before and after bankruptcy, using some of the companies’ income to cover others’ debts and commingling funds across multiple accounts without regard to corporate formalities. Some of the companies had stopped operating, leaving no business to rehabilitate. Some entities lacked insurance to protect their assets, and none had workers’ compensation coverage. And the owners—a married couple—each drew a monthly salary of $12,500 out of the bankrupt companies even though they also operated two cash-positive entities that did not file for bankruptcy. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g-SkUAip

Lisa L. Lambert has been appointed by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland as the U.S. Trustee for the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas (Region 6) effective today. Lambert replaces Kevin M. Epstein, who filled the Region 6 role in an interim capacity and who continues to serve as the U.S. Trustee for the Southern and Western Districts of Texas (Region 7). Lambert joined the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) in 1998 as a trial attorney in the field office in Tyler, Texas. She has since served the USTP in a variety of capacities. After three years in three of the USTP’s New York offices, Lambert returned to Texas in 2009 as a trial attorney in the Dallas field office, and she has served as the Assistant U.S. Trustee in charge of that office since 2012. In addition to her extensive service to the USTP, Lambert has held several leadership positions in the Federal Bar Association’s bankruptcy section, and she coached oral advocacy and briefing skills to Texas Tech University law students competing in the Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition for more than a decade. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gXYH3JN9

Find out why the United States Trustee Program is a great place to work! On Thursday, November 21 at 12:00 - 1:00 pm EST, join the USTP’s Diversity and Inclusion Working Group for an information session on USTP internships and entry-level attorney opportunities. To attend, please register in advance here: https://lnkd.in/gbSwibR3

Adam G. Brief Appointed as Acting U.S. Trustee for Northern Illinois and Wisconsin Adam G. Brief has been appointed by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland as the Acting U.S. Trustee for Northern Illinois and Wisconsin (Region 11) effective Sept. 28, the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees announced today. Brief replaces Patrick S. Layng, who is retiring after 36 years of dedicated service to the Justice Department, including the last 14 years as the U.S. Trustee in Region 11. Under 28 U.S.C. § 585(a), the Attorney General may fill U.S. Trustee vacancies by appointing an Acting U.S. Trustee. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gpmvatYQ

Two Acting U.S. Trustees Appointed for Region Encompassing Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington and for Region Encompassing Colorado, Utah and Wyoming https://lnkd.in/g8zr7AGC

The Justice Department celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month! #HispanicHeritageMonth #MesDeLaHerenciaHispana https://lnkd.in/eKxYm9EX

The United States Department of Justice is holding an in-person and virtual Recruitment Roundtable! When: Wednesday, September 25, 2024 - 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. EST. Where: Virtually or at the Auditorium of the National Museum of the American Indian, Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, One Bowling Green, New York, NY 10004 Join Panelists from the United States Trustee Program, Antitrust Division, and the United States Attorneys’ Office to hear about exciting careers in the Department of Justice. Register for the event: https://lnkd.in/gGHzhCdE

U.S. Trustee Program Obtains $105,000 Judgment and Permanent Injunction Against Bankruptcy Petition Preparers After Debtor Loses Home to Foreclosure The Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) recently obtained a judgment of nearly $105,000 and a permanent injunction against bankruptcy petition preparers whose unfair and deceptive conduct caused a consumer to lose his home of over 20 years to foreclosure. On July 2, the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas entered a stipulated judgment against CA Enterprises, doing business as Premier Services and Premier Legal Services, and the company’s chief executive, Jescar Denno. Under the stipulated judgment, Premier and Denno paid the debtor almost $95,000 – including $84,032 in actual damages, $6,800 in statutory damages and $3,400 in returned fees – and paid the U.S. Trustee statutory fines of $10,500. Premier and Denno also consented to a permanent injunction in the district prohibiting them from, among other things, acting as bankruptcy petition preparers, soliciting and advertising bankruptcy assistance and providing legal advice. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gtDXtXjG

U.S. Trustee Program Director, Tara Twomey, poses with the 2024 Executive Office summer interns in Washington, DC. ? The USTP is preparing to say farewell to our outstanding cohort of summer interns. The Program hosted thirty-six legal and non-legal interns in its offices throughout the country. USTP interns became familiar with the intricacies of bankruptcy law while providing legal, financial, and administrative support to the Program. We greatly appreciate the valuable contributions all of our interns have made to the Program and look forward to hosting future young professionals. ? The Program is accepting applications for the below Spring 2025 internship positions through August 30th: Program Analyst Volunteer Internship https://lnkd.in/gFxN7R-v Graphic Illustrator Internship https://lnkd.in/gmAwRFYV Auditor/Analyst Internship https://lnkd.in/gg7awmnq Paralegal Volunteer Internship https://lnkd.in/gUU2K79K Legal Careers | Law Student Volunteer, Spring 2025 https://lnkd.in/ggQutV5n ?

Find out why the USTP is a great place to work!?On April 11th, join the USTP’s Diversity and Inclusion Working Group for an information session on USTP internships and entry-level #attorney opportunities:?https://lnkd.in/ewUHEquk