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Sumner A. Bourne
Sumner A. Bourne
Sumner A. Bourne is a Partner at Rafool & Bourne, P.C., in Peoria, where he concentrates his practice in bankruptcy. He is a bankruptcy trustee for the Central and Southern Districts of Illinois. Mr. Bourne received his BS from the University of Illinois and his JD magna cum laude from the Boston University School of Law.
Rebecca S. Brown
Rebecca S. Brown
Rebecca S. Brown is a career law clerk with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Illinois in East St. Louis, where she concentrates her practice in bankruptcy. She is a member of the Bankruptcy Association of Southern Illinois. Ms. Brown received her BA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and her JD from the Southern Illinois University School of Law.
Darron M. Burke
Darron M. Burke
Darron M. Burke is a Partner at Barrick, Switzer, Long, Balsley & Van Evera, LLP, in Rockford, where he concentrates his practice in bankruptcy, municipal law, and civil litigation. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and has served on the Board of Directors of the Winnebago County Bar Association. He has been recognized as an Emerging Lawyer by Leading Lawyers from 2019 to 2021. Mr. Burke received his BA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his JD from New England Law | Boston.
Laura Koeneman Grandy
Laura Koeneman Grandy
Laura Koeneman Grandy is a Recalled U.S. Bankruptcy Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Illinois, where she served as Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge from 2010 to 2024. She is a member of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, a bankruptcy judge representative to the Judicial Conference of the Seventh Circuit, and a member of the Bankruptcy Judges Advisory Group to the Administrative Offices of the U.S. Courts. Judge Grandy received her BS from Eastern Illinois University and her JD from the Saint Louis University School of Law.
Cindy M. Johnson
Cindy M. Johnson
Cindy M. Johnson is a Managing Member at Johnson Legal Group, LLC, in Chicago, where she focuses on creditors’ rights in bankruptcy and postjudgment enforcement. She is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, the Illinois Creditors Bar Association, and the Commercial Banking, Collections, and Bankruptcy Section Council of the Illinois State Bar Association and was appointed to the panel of Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustees for the Northern District of Illinois in 2014. Ms. Johnson received her BA with honors from the University of Chicago and her JD from the Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Raffy A. “Rae” Kaplan
Raffy A. “Rae” Kaplan
Raffy A. “Rae” Kaplan is the Owner of Kaplan Law Firm in Chicago, where she focuses on bankruptcy and student loan law. She is a member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and the American Bankruptcy Institute and a frequent guest on WGN Radio and WLS Radio. Ms. Kaplan received her B.A. from Boston University and her J.D. from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
David P. Leibowitz
David P. Leibowitz
David P. Leibowitz is a Managing Member of Law Office of David P. Leibowitz, LLC — Lakelaw in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on bankruptcy. He is a recipient of the Excellence in Pro Bono Service Award from the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois (2006); the Liberty Bell Award from the Circuit Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit (2010); and the Annual Service Award from the American Bankruptcy Institute for his work with its Consumer Bankruptcy Extravaganza (2023). Mr. Leibowitz received his BA from Northwestern University and his JD cum laude from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Ronald R. Peterson
Ronald R. Peterson
Ronald R. Peterson is Of Counsel to Jenner & Block LLP, in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial, insolvency, and bankruptcy law. A Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, he focuses primarily on representing debtors, trustees, creditors, committees, landlords, and secured lenders in Chapter 11 cases. In addition to his insolvency litigation practice, Mr. Peterson counsels clients on a variety of transactional issues, including corporate restructurings. Mr. Peterson has received numerous awards and recognitions. Among these are the Best Lawyers in America (1995 – 2022); Chambers USA (Illinois, 2003 – 2020); the Commercial Law League of America’s Lawrence P. King Award for Excellence in the Field of Bankruptcy (2014); Illinois Super Lawyers for Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (2005 –2016), Bankruptcy: Business (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020), and Top 100 Illinois Super Lawyers (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020); Lawdragon Magazine’s 3000 Leading Lawyers in America (2010) and 500 “Leading Dealmakers” (2007); and Leading Lawyers Network’s Top 100 Leading Business Lawyers in Illinois (2006) and Bankruptcy & Workout Law: Commercial (2004 – 2019). He is a highly regarded speaker and author. Mr. Peterson is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, the Commercial Law League of America, and the American Bar Association. Mr. Peterson earned his A.B. cum laude from Ripon College and his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.
Landon S. Raiford
Landon S. Raiford
Landon S. Raiford is a Partner at Jenner & Block LLP, in Chicago, where he focuses on bankruptcy and restructuring. He received J.D. cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School.
Melissa M. Root
Melissa M. Root
Melissa M. Root is a Managing Partner at Jenner & Block LLP in Chicago, where she focuses on restructuring and bankruptcy litigation. She is a board member of the Chicago Chapter of the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law and a Past Cochair of the American Bar Association Section of Litigation’s Woman Advocate Committee and the American Bar Association Section of Litigation’s Bankruptcy & Insolvency Committee. Ms. Root received her B.A.magna cum laude from Bowling Green State University and her J.D. cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School.
Catherine L. Steege
Catherine L. Steege
Catherine L. Steege is a Partner at Jenner & Block LLP in Chicago, where she concentrates her practice in bankruptcy and restructuring and bankruptcy litigation. She is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and a Conferee of the National Bankruptcy Conference. Ms. Steege received her BSJ from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and her JD from the DePaul University College of Law.
Justin R. Storer
Justin R. Storer
Justin R. Storer is a Partner at the Law Office of William J. Factor, Ltd., in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on bankruptcy. He is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Illinois State Bar Association. Mr. Storer earned his BS from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and his JD from the DePaul University College of Law.

Sumner A. Bourne

Rebecca S. Brown

Darron M. Burke

Laura Koeneman Grandy

Cindy M. Johnson

Raffy A. “Rae” Kaplan

David P. Leibowitz

Ronald R. Peterson

Landon S. Raiford

Melissa M. Root

Catherine L. Steege

Justin R. Storer

Consumer Bankruptcy Practice (ARCHIVED 2022 EDITION)