William T. Neary
United States Trustee
Dallas, Texas
William T. Neary has served as the United States Trustee for Region 6 since 1986. This region encompasses the Northern and Eastern Federal Judicial Districts of Texas with offices located in Dallas and Tyler. In addition to his duties in Texas, he served from 2006 - 2010 as the United States Trustee for Region 11 (Wisconsin and the Northern District of Illinois). Bill has also served as the United States Trustee for Region 14 (the District of Arizona) in 1990-91, Region 16 (the Central District of California) in 1997-98, Region 19 (the Districts of Colorado, Wyoming and Utah) in 1999-2000, and Region 17 (the Northern and Eastern Districts of California and the District of Nevada) from 2002-2005. He was twice chosen to serve as Chairman of the Advisory Committee of United States Trustees. Bill is a 1979 graduate of Vanderbilt University and received his law degree from Southern Methodist University in 1982. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the College of the State Bar of Texas and the Dallas Bar Association and serves as a Master of the John C. Ford American Inn of Court.
Alan C. Hochheiser
Partner
Weltman Weinberg & Reis
Brooklyn Heights, Ohio
Alan Hochheiser is the Managing Partner of the Bankruptcy Unit of WWR and practices in both the Consumer and Commercial Bankruptcy Groups. He is also involved in the firm's Real Estate Default Group. Based in the Brooklyn Heights office, Alan's responsibilities include managing the attorneys and employees in his unit, creating new bankruptcy programs for clients and marketing. Alan received a B.A. cum laude from the State University of New York at Albany in 1985 and a J.D. from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1988. A member of the Ohio State and Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Associations, Alan is licensed in Ohio and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court (Northern District of Ohio, Western District of Pennsylvania) and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Alan is currently a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute (Consumer Committee member), Commercial Law League of America, National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees (Creditors Auxiliary member), National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees (Associate Member), Fannie Mae Retained Attorney Network, Northern Ohio Credit Association and Phi Delta Phi. He is a frequent lecturer and has been published in CUES Credit Union Management. His community involvement includes volunteering with the ARMDI (Vice President), Fairmount Temple (Board Member and past Brotherhood President) and the Montifiore-Fairmount Temple Mitzvah Corp.
Jason Edwards
Divisional Manager
U.S. Bankruptcy Court
Dallas, Texas
Jason Edwards is the Dallas Divisional Manager for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. He has held this position since January 2005. Prior to this appointment, he was a Management Analyst with the Clerk’s Office. Mr. Edwards joined the court family in 2002 after working several years as a Training Manager in the CitiFinancial Mortgage Bankruptcy Department. He was previously employed at the Dallas Chapter 13 Trustee’s Office as Public Services Supervisor. He is a graduate of the Federal Court Leadership Program and the developer of the Leading People training program. Mr. Edwards received his Bachelor of Arts in Government and Politics from the University of Texas at Dallas.
Lisa Holmes
Divisional Manager
U.S. Bankruptcy Court
Fort Worth, Texas
Lisa Holmes came to the Northern District in 2002 from Associates Insurance, part of Traveler’s insurance and a subsidiary of Citigroup, where she was Vice-President of Operations. Ms. Holmes was a member of the team that led the company through a full system conversion to a paperless environment and automated processing. Her experience with this conversion enhanced her ability to plan and implement the conversion into CM/ECF for the Northern District.
Overall, Ms. Holmes has over 25 years of experience in leadership and operations. Her primary focus has been customer service and processing in the consumer lending and insurance industry. She holds a Bachelor degree in Marketing from Missouri State University and a Master of Business Administration from Baker College.
Eric Dillow
CM/ECF Education Specialist
U.S. Bankruptcy Court
Dallas, Texas
Eric Dillow is the CM/ECF Education Specialist for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. He has held this position since 2009. Prior to this appointment, he was a CM/ECF Help Desk Analyst with the Clerk’s Office. Mr. Dillow joined the court family in 2007 after working several years as a Case Administrator and Trainer at the American Arbitration Association. He is a graduate of the Leading People training program and is active in the U.S. Court’s Automation Trainers Community of Practice. Mr. Dillow studied Journalism at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
Howard Borg
Assistant U.S. Attorney
Department of Justice
Fort Worth, Texas
Howard is an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. For the last 7 years he has served as the Bankruptcy Specialist of the Civil Division, appearing on behalf of federal agencies in Bankruptcy courts in Fort Worth, Dallas, Lubbock, Abilene, San Angelo, Wichita Falls, and Amarillo.
Following graduation from SMU School of Law, Howard began his legal career as a state criminal prosecutor, trying murders, rapes, robberies, and other felonies. He then made the transition to civil law, practicing primarily in insurance defense. He then received his appointment to the U.S. Attorney’s Office where he has been for the last 25 years. He is a member of the John C. Ford Inn of Court, the Tarrant County Bankruptcy Bar Association, and the Department of Justice Civil Division Bankruptcy Working Group. He serves as an instructor for bankruptcy courses at the DOJ National Advocacy Center.
The views expressed by Mr. Borg do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, the Internal Revenue Service, or any other federal agency or department.
David B. Coffin
David Coffin PLLC
Grapevine, Texas
David B. Coffin is the sole and founding member of the DFW law firm of David Coffin PLLC. His practice is focused solely on IRS controversy and disputes for individuals and businesses throughout Texas.
Before opening his firm in November of 2010, David practiced as a Trial Attorney for more than 11 years with the Department of Justice Tax Division, where he represented the IRS in bankruptcy and federal district courts throughout Texas. His cases included several complex legal and factual corporate tax shelter cases, see, e.g., TransCapital Leasing Associates 1990,II L.P. v. United States, 97 A.F.T.R.2d 2006,1916, 2006 WL 97723 (W. D. Texas March 31, 2006), aff’d without published opinion, 246 Fed. Appx. 266, 100 A.F.T.R.2d 2007,5778 (5th Cir. August 23, 2007); and Enbridge Energy Co., Inc. v. United States, 553 F.Supp.2d 716 (S.D. Tex. 2008), aff’d without published opinion, 354 Fed. Appx. 15, 104 A.F.T.R.2d 2009,7289 (5th Cir. November 10, 2009).
David also handled a wide range of cases dealing with the enforcement of federal tax liens including claims of fraudulent conveyances, nominee holders and jeopardy levies, and cases involving the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty assessment. See, e.g, In re Wren Alexander Investments, LLC, 2011 WL 748131 (Bankr. W.D. Tex. 2011); United States v. Evans, 513 F. Supp. 2d 825 (W.D. Tex. 2007), Parr v. United States, 203 F. Supp. 2d 726, 2002 (S.D. Tex. 2002), United States v. Burnett, 2010 WL 3941906 (S.D. Tex. 2010), Pircher v. United States, 2008 WL 5245409, (W.D. Tex. 2008) and In re Chabrand, 301 B.R. 468 (Bankr. S.D. Tex. 2003).
David earned his BBA in accounting and his law degree from the University of Oklahoma. He is licensed to practice law and is a certified public accountant in Oklahoma and Texas. David and his wife, Sonja have 3 children and reside in Grapevine, Texas.
Gary A. Armstrong
Armstrong Kellett and Bartholow
Dallas, Texas
Gary A. Armstrong practices in the areas of consumer bankruptcy and consumer credit litigation. He spent the first 10 years of his practice representing consumer creditors, focusing on compliance with state and federal lending laws such as the Truth-in-Lending Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and state consumer lending, retail installment sales laws, disclosure and collection laws, and usury laws in Texas and throughout the United States. In 2001 he established Armstrong Law Firm and began representing consumer clients in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases and in litigation involving state and federal consumer credit laws. In 2009, he formed Armstrong Kellett Bartholow P.C., where he is currently a shareholder. Gary is a 1991 graduate, magna cum laude, of Tulane Law School and holds a Master of Business Administration from Tulane University. He has received further training at Max Gardner’s Bankruptcy Boot Camp, Peter Barry’s FDCPA Boot Camp, and through his memberships and participation in the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and the National Association of Consumer Advocates.
Honorable Dennis Michael Lynn
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Hon. Dennis Michael Lynn has served as a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Texas since 2001. He received his B.A. from Lawrence University in 1965 and his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1972. Judge Lynn is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Texas; the United States Supreme Court; the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit; the United States District Courts for the Northern and Western Districts of Texas and the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He is a contributing author to several volumes and editions of Collier on Bankruptcy. Author of numerous articles, Judge Lynn is a frequent speaker at seminars/institutes sponsored by the State Bar of Texas, the State Bar of New Mexico, the American Bar Association, the University of Texas, and Southern Methodist University.
Honorable Russell F. Nelms
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
On November 22, 2004, Russell F. Nelms was appointed to fill a newly-created position as United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division. Judge Nelms took the bench after working for twenty years in the bankruptcy and litigation sections of Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal, L.L.P. in Dallas, Texas. From 1978 to 1984, Judge Nelms served as a prosecutor and defense counsel in courts martial while assigned to Fort Sill, Oklahoma and Fort Clayton, Panama. Judge Nelms graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in history in 1975. He received his law degree from Texas Tech School of Law in 1978.
Honorable Stacey G. C. Jernigan
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Texas
Dallas, Texas
Judge Stacey Jernigan was appointed on May 12, 2006, as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Texas. She graduated magna cum laude from Southern Methodist University in 1986 and received her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1989. Judge Jernigan practiced law for seventeen years at the international law firm of Haynes and Boone, LLP, making partner in 1997. While at the firm, she represented primarily debtors, committees, and purchasers in large, complex Chapter 11 cases and out-of-court workouts. Judge Jernigan has been an active speaker and writer on bankruptcy topics and, among other memberships, is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. She is also a board member and bankruptcy course instructor for the John C. Ford American Inn of Court. She was selected by D Magazine as one of Dallas’ “Best Lawyers Under 40” in 2002, has been named as a
“Texas Super Lawyer” several times in Texas Monthly Law & Politics, and was named in 2005 by Chambers USA America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as one of the leading lawyers in the bankruptcy field in Texas. Judge Jernigan’s hobbies include Texas high school football, cycling, and traveling.
Gerrit M. Pronske
Pronske and Patel, P.C.
Dallas, Texas
Gerrit M. Pronske received his B.A. in history with high honors from Texas Tech University and his J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law. Mr. Pronske was a law clerk to the Honorable Robert C. McGuire, retired United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, from 1983 to 1984 prior to working in private practice. Since 1986, he has been the editor of Texas Bankruptcy Decisions, a case reporter which summarizes and reports all of the bankruptcy decisions of the Texas bankruptcy and federal district courts as well as decisions of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Pronske is a frequent seminar speaker and author on the subject of “Recent Developments in Bankruptcy” and is the author of Pronske’s Texas Bankruptcy, Annotated 2002 (first edition) published by Texas Lawyer. He is a member of the Dallas Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, the Dallas Bankruptcy Bar Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and the John C. Ford American Inn of Court.
Areya Holder
Holder Law, P.C.
Dallas, Texas
Areya Holder received her bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of North Texas in 1993 and her J.D. from the Texas Wesleyan School of Law in 1997. She is licensed to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and in the Northern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas. Areya is a member of the Dallas Bar Association, the John C. Ford American Inn of Court, the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, and the State Bar of Texas. She worked as a staff attorney for the Dallas Chapter 13 Trustee from November 1998 to April 2005. Areya is currently serving as a Chapter 7 panel trustee in the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division, and represents both business and consumer debtors and creditors.
George Barnes
Grisham & Barnes
Fort Worth, Texas
George Barnes is a partner in the law firm of Grisham & Barnes, with a practice limited to consumer bankruptcy and family law. In a prior life, he served as an Assistant Attorney General in charge of Special Litigation for the Child Support Division, Texas Attorney General’s Office. Prior to employment with the Attorney General’s office, he owned a wholesale/manufacturing firm in South Texas and had a private practice specializing in business law. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1979 with a joint MBA/JD degree.
Tom Powers
Standing Chapter 13 Trustee
Dallas, Texas
Tom Powers was appointed Standing Chapter 13 Trustee for Dallas in October 1996. He received his B.S. in Mathematics in 1972 from Texas Tech University and his J.D. from Texas Tech School of Law in 1975. He is associated with the law firm of Harris, Finley, & Bogle, P.C., in Fort Worth. Tom is certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in the field of consumer and business bankruptcy law. He is past president of the Tarrant County Bankruptcy Bar and previously served as a Chapter 7 panel trustee. He is a master in the John C. Ford American Inn of Court.
Tim Truman
Standing Chapter 13 Trustee
Fort Worth, Texas
Tim Truman was appointed Standing Chapter 13 Trustee for Fort Worth in October 1979. He was also the Standing Chapter 13 Trustee for Dallas from January 1980 until September 1990. He was admitted to the State Bar in 1967 and is admitted to practice before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He received his B.B.A. in accounting from the University of North Texas and his J.D. from the University of Texas in Austin. Tim is past president of the Fort Worth Tarrant County Young Lawyers, the Tarrant County Bar Association, the Tarrant County Bankruptcy Bar, and the National Association of Chapter Thirteen Trustees. He has presented programs to numerous creditor groups on bankruptcy as well as spoken to groups of attorneys and judges on the subject of Chapter 13 as part of programs sponsored by the State Bar of Texas, the University of Texas, the Federal Judicial Center, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and local debtor bars. He is a master emeritus in the John C. Ford American Inn of Court.
Alice Whitten
Standing Chapter 13 Trustee
Fort Worth, Texas
Alice Whitten was appointed to be a Chapter 13 Trustee for Fort Worth in October 2009. Alice graduated in 1992 from the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Business with a B.S. degree in finance with accounting and political science minors. She also graduated with honors from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio in 1995. Alice was previously associated with several Texas firms, including Cantey & Hanger, LLP and Forshey & Prostok, LLP. In July 2001, she joined Fort Worth based AmeriCredit Financial Services, Inc., where she held the role of Senior Vice President – Special Accounts and Senior Vice President – Associate General Counsel. Alice is a master in the John C. Ford American Inn of Court and currently serves as the Chairperson of the Non-Mortgage Liaison Committee for the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees.
