Janet Northrup of Hughes Watters Askanase to Speak on Subprime Mortgage Issues and Consumer Bankruptcy at April Events

Janet S. Northrup, of counsel to Hughes Watters Askanase L.L.P. (HWA), will serve as a panelist for the American Bar Association (ABA) Business Law Section spring meeting in Dallas on April 11 and for an American Bankruptcy Institute Web-based seminar in Houston on April 30.

Northrup, who is based in Houston, was chosen to be a panelist for these programs because of her extensive legal experience. With more than 25 years as a licensed and practicing attorney, Northrup has earned a solid reputation as an accomplished presenter and exceptional Chapter 7 Trustee and debtor’s attorney.

The April 11 ABA presentation entitled “The Subprime Mortgage Mess and Its Potential Effect on Communities and Community Development” is co-sponsored by the Committee on Bankruptcy Law and the Committee on Consumer Financial Services. Northrup will speak on a variety of topics involving the current subprime mortgage situation, including the mortgage lending process, causes of the mortgage meltdown and the long-term outlook. Other panelists joining Northrup are Cassandra Jones Harvard, a professor at University of Baltimore Law School; Roy Nash, executive director of NeighborWorks Waco; and Lesley French, clerk of Financial Institutions Committee at Texas House of Representatives.

“With the current state of the housing market, the American Bar Association is offering a presentation at a very appropriate time to spotlight the subprime mortgage situation, its residual effects on communities and community development, and what it all means to attorneys,” said Northrup. “I’m honored to be recommended for the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Web-based seminar by the U.S. Trustees Office and to be serving as a panelist with these gifted individuals. This online seminar will enable attorneys from across the country to participate and gain a better understanding of the bankruptcy expertise that HWA offers.”

ABI’s “Consumer Bankruptcy in Practice” web-based series on April 30 includes a roundtable discussion on the current developments in consumer bankruptcy. Northrup will address credit counseling, debtor education and debtor audits from a Houston perspective along with The Hon. Marvin A. Isgur, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of Texas; David G. Peake, a Chapter 13 Trustee for the Southern District of Texas; and Ramona Elliott, deputy general counsel for the Executive Office of the U.S. Trustee.

Northrup, who joined HWA last year, is recognized as one of the top consumer bankruptcy experts in Texas and has been named a Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly magazine. She is certified in consumer bankruptcy law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has been a Chapter 7 Trustee for the Southern District of Texas since 1986. For a full biographical profile on Northrup, please visit www.hwa.com.

The spring meeting of ABA Business Law Section includes more than 80 Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs that will address breaking issues and new developments in all aspects of the global practice of business law. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.abanet.org/buslaw/home.shtml.

ABI’s web-based seminar series addresses challenges currently facing consumer bankruptcy attorneys. In addition to Houston, the other cities to present this seminar include Atlanta, Nashville, Denver, Los Angeles and Seattle. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.abiworld.org/CBIP/cbip-houston/index.html.

About Hughes Watters Askanase

For more than 30 years, Hughes Watters Askanase L.L.P. has helped business organizations, financial institutions and individuals succeed with their business endeavors. The firm’s attorneys play a strategic role and support clients through every stage of existence and operation, from formation to liquidation. The practice focuses on the six interrelated areas which provide the greatest opportunities and most challenging obstacles: business bankruptcy, business planning and strategy, default servicing, real estate and finance, consumer financial services, and commercial litigation. For more information on Hughes Watters Askanase L.L.P., please visit www.hwa.com.