Mr. H. Kent Aguillard
H. Kent Aguillard
H. KENT AGUILLARD lives in rural Evangeline Parish with his office in Eunice, Louisiana. His clientele is diverse and spread across various parts of the country. Kent believes your reputation and character are your best bio and only provides brief ones if one is required. He has been practicing law for 43 years after being a law clerk for a court of appeal. Although he specializes in bankruptcy, Kent provides some routine legal services in the local rural community. He graduated from LSU Law School in 1979. He and Denise, his wife of 49 years, have four children and ten grandchildren. He deeply loves He is a member of Gideons International and travels extensively as part of that organizations function. Kent enjoys family, friend, football, the outdoors, hunting, and fishing. He only keeps or kills what his family will eat. Kent is blessed with many friends and enjoys mentoring young lawyers. He considers himself an ordinary man who is greatly blessed and highly favored by God. One of the tenets he lives by is “There is no right way to do the wrong thing.”

Ms. Erin K Arnold
Senior Associate
Kelly Hart & Pitre
Erin K. Arnold is a senior associate in Kelly Hart & Pitre's Bankruptcy & Business Reorganization section. She focuses her practice on bankruptcy and business reorganization, including the representation of both individual and business clients in various debtor/creditor matters. In addition to her practice at Kelly Hart, Ms. Arnold is a the co-director of the Pretrial Civil Litigation Intersession Program at Tulane Law School.

Prior to joining Kelly Hart, Ms. Arnold served for almost 15 years as the career law clerk to the Honorable Jerry A. Brown, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Ms. Greta M Brouphy
Heller, Draper & Horn, LLC
Greta M. Brouphy works primarily in the bankruptcy practice group of the firm and is an appointed chapter 11 subchapter v trustee by the United States, Region 5 Districts of Louisiana and Mississippi and a Panel 7 Trustee. Specifically, Ms. Brouphy specializes in negotiating unsecured creditors, secured creditors and debtors through chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. Ms. Brouphy has experience in representing a broad range of debtors including large, complex companies and small companies in bankruptcy. Her experience includes representation of debtors, liquidating trustees, bondholders, unsecured creditors’ committees and plan agents in commercial bankruptcy and workout business cases in chapter 11 and chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings, as well as representing secured lenders in chapter 13 and chapter 7 proceedings. Ms. Brouphy also represents individual debtors in chapter 11 proceedings. Clients have included vessels builders, oil and gas companies, grocery stores, apartment complexes, property developers, hotels, and distributors. In addition to representing clients in corporate bankruptcy proceedings, Ms. Brouphy also assisted in the representation of an unsecured creditors committee in a chapter 9 (distressed municipality) bankruptcy proceeding through approval of a debt adjustment plan, and representation of the chapter 9 plan’s trustee.

Mr. Frederick L. Bunol
The Derbes Law Firm, LLC
Frederick L. Bunol is a member of The Derbes Law Firm, LLC in Metairie, Louisiana.
He graduated with a B.S. in Finance from LSU in 2000 and obtained his J.D. from Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert School of Law in 2004
He began his legal career at the Derbes Law Firm in 2004. During these years of practice, he has had the opportunity to handle both extensive transactions and diverse litigation, especially commercial litigation. With the breadth of his litigation experience, he is comfortable whether litigating in Louisiana, Federal, or Bankruptcy Court.
In his bankruptcy practice, Mr. Bunol represents businesses and individuals that are Debtors in Chapter 11 and Chapter 7. In addition, he frequently represents Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustees, creditors, landlords, tenants, and other parties-in-interest in Bankruptcy Court. Mr. Bunol has assisted many types of businesses in bankruptcy, including, oilfield service companies, marine (tugboat companies and offshore supply boat companies), hospitality (restaurants and their equipment distributors), and apartment complexes.

Mr. William G. Cherbonnier Jr.
Managing Attorney
The Caluda Group, LLC
Federal and state trial court practice with emphasis on lawsuit avoidance if possible and aggressive consumer representation and defense when settlement efforts fail; arbitration proceedings; consumer debt reorganization under Chapter 13 and consumer bankruptcy under Chapter 7, but only as a last resort.
Bill Cherbonnier provides experienced and skillful legal service to clients throughout Jefferson Parish with a practice focused on business and consumer law, debt relief, bankruptcy and probate issues.

After graduating from Tulane Law School, he began legal practice in 1973. He represents consumers in the defense, negotiation and settlement of claims or lawsuits initiated by creditors.

If you are dealing with harassment from bill collectors or facing foreclosure, William G. Cherbonnier will explore all avenues to resolve the crisis. When settlement is not possible, he will clearly explain your options to restructure or eliminate debt via bankruptcy. He has earned the respect of his peers for his thorough legal knowledge and aggressive representation of his clients. Former clients consistently praise his honesty, integrity, compassion and his ability to achieve outstanding results. If you are dealing with difficult financial challenges, contact Bill Cherbonnier today.

Ms. Vanessa Brown Claiborne CPA/ABV, ASA, AEP, CEPA
President & CEO
Chaffe & Associates, Inc.
http://www.chaffe-associates.com
Vanessa Brown Claiborne has been with Chaffe & Associates, Inc. since 1987 and was promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer in 2009. She also serves as the Managing Director for the Valuation Advisory group. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Accredited in Business Valuations (ABV) by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and has received her designation as an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) by the American Society of Appraisers. She holds Securities Licenses 79, 24, 27, and 63. Ms. Claiborne is Accredited in Estate Planning by the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor by the Exit Planning Institute.



Ms. Claiborne specializes in business valuation services primarily for estate and gift taxes, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), GAAP fair value reporting, financial reporting, corporate planning, exit planning, and shareholder transactions and restructuring. She also provides litigation support for intellectual property disputes, patent infringements, buy-sell agreements, minority shareholder dissension lawsuits, equity buyout disputes, property settlements, and various other legal issues.

Ms. Katherine Clark
Lugenbuhl, Wheaton, Peck, Rankin & Hubbard
Kate is an attorney at Lugenbuhl, Wheaton, Peck, Rankin & Hubbard. Kate represents stakeholders in bankruptcy cases and commercial disputes. She also has a background in transactional work, assisting business owners with corporate formation, governance, and, when necessary, the sale or dissolution of businesses.

In addition to representing stakeholders in bankruptcy and commercial litigation, Kate works with post-confirmation trustees and handles appeals at both the state and federal levels. She gained valuable experience as a federal judicial law clerk for U.S. District Judge Callie V.S. Granade (S.D. Ala.) and U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Meredith Grabill (E.D.LA.-B.) as well as during her five years as an attorney in the Mediation and Judicial Support Office at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Judge Michael A Crawford
Judge
United States Bankruptcy Court MDLA
Michael A. Crawford was sworn in as Chief Bankruptcy Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Louisiana on October 3, 2022. Judge Crawford was previously a member of Taylor Porter law firm in Baton Rouge for over 22 years serving as the chair of its banking, real estate and bankruptcy practice group for several years. He has lectured extensively on bankruptcy-related topics and completed the St. John’s University/American Bankruptcy Institute bankruptcy mediation course in 2014. Judge Crawford received his undergraduate degree in business/finance in 1984 from Louisiana State University. Later, while working full time in the family business in Ruston, he earned his MBA from Louisiana Tech University in 1988. He attended the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at LSU and earned his Juris Doctorate in 1993. Following graduation, he served a one year judicial clerkship with the Honorable Gerald H. Schiff (Ret.), United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana. Judge Crawford grew up in Winnfield, Louisiana. He currently resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He and his wife have two children.

Douglas S. Draper
Heller, Draper & Horn, L.L.C.
Douglas S. Draper practices primarily in the creditor and debtor rights area. His practice involves an equal mix of litigation and business negotiation. The creditor and debtor rights work involves representation of bondholders, creditors’ committees and debtors in large commercial and business cases. He has represented clients in successful reorganizations of hotels, grocery chains, apartment complexes, office buildings, oil companies, shipyards, clothing stores, an oil refinery, and fast food franchises. He has developed an expertise in the bankruptcy aspects of environmental issues and plugging and abandonment of oil and gas wells. Chambers USA described Douglas Draper as combining “a very engaging personality” with “the ability to give you the bottom line and the only logical solution in even the most complex of bankruptcies.”

Mr. Bradley L. Drell
Director
Gold, Weems, Bruser, Sues & Rundell, APLC
http://www.goldweems.com
BRADLEY L. DRELL is a director and shareholder of the law firm of Gold, Weems, Bruser, Sues & Rundell, A PLC, in Alexandria, LA, and serves as chair of the firm's Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights section. His practice focuses on representing Debtors in Possession and other parties in interest in Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 cases, commercial litigation, construction law, and in handling non-routine legal matters in state and federal courts. In addition to his Louisiana federal and state bar admissions, he is also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts of the Southern, Eastern, and Northern Districts of Texas, and the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second, Fourth, Fifth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Federal Circuits, and the Supreme Court of the United States. For ten years he was an adjunct lecturer of business law at Louisiana College, Pineville, LA, and has previously been a speaker on bankruptcy, ethics, and professionalism for continuing legal education presentations. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of the South, Sewanee, TN, and graduated from LSU Law Center in 1996. He clerked for the Honorable Henley A. Hunter, Judge, United States Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Louisiana, from 1996 to 1997. He is past President of the Crossroads American Inn of Court and the Alexandria Bar Association. He is board certified in Business Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification and the Louisiana State Bar Association, and is past chair of the Bankruptcy Law Advisory Commission of the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization. He is listed in Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers, and has received national awards for his work in Chapter 11 from the Turnaround Management Association, the Global M&A Network, and M&A Advisor. Brad is a Certified Bourbon Steward of the Stave & Thief Society of Kentucky and writes about whiskey at whiskeyjar.blog.

Mr. Robert J. Feinstein
Managing Partner
Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP
Robert Feinstein is the managing partner of the New York office of Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP, the nation’s leading corporate restructuring boutique. He represents creditors' committees, equity committees, debtors, and acquirers in business reorganizations and related litigation. He also represents debtors, foreign representatives, and other case constituencies in cross-border insolvencies. Recent engagements include lead counsel to the official creditors’ committees appointed in the chapter 11 cases of Red Lobster Management, Inc., Conn’s Inc., Bed Bath and Beyond, 99 Cents Only Stores, Careismatics, Cineworld, Party City, J Crew, Ascena (Ann Taylor/LOFT/Lane Bryant), Payless ShoeSource, The Weinstein Company, Barney’s Inc., Aeropostale and Jevic Holding Corp. (appearing on behalf of the creditors’ committee in the United States Supreme Court). On the debtor side, he has represented Digital Domain Media Group, former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, and Penthouse Magazine publisher General Media, Inc. in their chapter 11 cases. He is an Adjunct Professor in the St. Johns University LL.M. in Bankruptcy Program and frequently writes and lectures on bankruptcy topics. He is ranked among Bankruptcy/Restructuring attorneys by Chambers USA and is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, a member of the International Insolvency Institute and served as an officer of the Insolvency Section of the International Bar Association.

Judge Meredith S. Grabill
United States Bankruptcy Judge
US Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
The Honorable Meredith S. Grabill currently serves in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Prior to taking the bench in September 2019, she practiced primarily in the areas of bankruptcy, commercial, and oil-and-gas litigation in New York and Louisiana. In her practice, she served on bankruptcy teams representing publicly traded, closely held, and individual chapter 11 debtors; official unsecured creditors’ committees; and corporate creditors. Outside of bankruptcy court, she has represented large and multinational corporations in antitrust proceedings, labor and contract disputes, and insurance and reinsurance disputes.
Judge Grabill served as a judicial clerk to The Honorable Edith Brown Clement in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, The Honorable Martin L.C. Feldman in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and The Honorable Martin Glenn in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. She earned her J.D. from Tulane Law School, where she served as Editor in Chief of the Tulane Law Review, and received a B.A. from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.