Don't Just Go Through the Motions: Effective Motions Practice in Bankruptcy Court and Trial Advocacy Tips

Hon. Michael G. Williamson is Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Middle District of Florida in Tampa, initially appointed as bankruptcy judge in March 2000 and as chief judge on Oct. 1, 2015. He is also an adjunct professor at Stetson University College of Law, where he teaches bankruptcy law, and he co-authored West’s Bankruptcy Law Manual.

Judge Williamson served as a chapter 7 panel trustee from 1977-79 and represented numerous chapter 11 corporate debtors, creditors’ committees and trustees in bankruptcy cases throughout Florida for 20 years afterward. He is a past chair of the Committee on Creditors’ Rights for the Section of Litigation of the American Bar Association, past chair of the Business Law Section of the Florida Bar and its Bankruptcy/UCC Committee, and a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy.

Judge Williamson received his undergraduate undergraduate degree from Duke University in 1973 and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1976.

Ashley serves on the firm’s Management Committee and chairs both the Business Bankruptcy and Creditor’s Rights Practice Group and the Outside General Counsel Services Practice Group. She is an effective, results-driven advocate for her clients. Her background of 30 years in business bankruptcies, distressed debt workouts, problem loan recovery, and real estate title and commercial litigation provides her with a solid foundation of general business, accounting and legal skills. In addition, her combination of experience in private practice, as in-house counsel and from federal judicial clerkships offers clients relevant insight. These skills and experience make Ashley the ideal resource for our business clients who seek general legal counsel on a variety of issues.

Whether assisting a business or financial institution with a distressed debt situation, or guiding a financially sound business client as acting Outside General Counsel, Ashley helps clients reach their business goals by offering pragmatic and efficient solutions.

Jimmy Parrish practices in the Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Creditors' Rights team and has extensive experience in a broad range of insolvency and business bankruptcy matters. Jimmy is board certified in business bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification and has represented corporate debtors, committees, trustees, secured lenders and other creditors in virtually every industry, including agriculture, airline, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, communications, real estate and hospitality.