Judge Small Announces Retirement
Article Date: Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Official word regarding the retirement of Judge A. Thomas Small of Raleigh was issued today by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. His retirement date is Sept. 1.
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Judge Small, who serves as a vice president on the North Carolina Bar Association Board of Governors, announced his intentions to retire several months ago. A 1969 graduate of the Wake Forest University School of Law, Judge Small has served more than 25 years on the Bankruptcy Court, including seven years as chief judge from 1992-99.
The press release regarding Judge Small’s retirement follows in its entirety.
For Release: August 5, 2009
Bankruptcy Judge A. Thomas Small announces retirement
United States Bankruptcy Judge A. Thomas Small will retire on September 1, 2009, after more than 26 years as judge of the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Judge Small served as Chief Judge from 1992 to 1999 and from 2006 to 2007.
During his tenure as bankruptcy judge he presided over thousands of consumer cases as well as large corporate cases such as Roses Stores, Midway Airlines, SpectraSite, First Corp., International Heritage, Anderson Homes and St. Lawrence Homes.
He was president of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, and was a board member of the Federal Judicial Center, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and the American College of Bankruptcy.
Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist appointed Judge Small to chair the Federal Bankruptcy Rules Committee, and to be the first Bankruptcy Judge Representative to the Judicial Conference of the United States.
Judge Small is a member the Editorial Board of the leading bankruptcy treatise, Collier on Bankruptcy, and was recently elected Vice-President of the North Carolina Bar Association.
Judge Small, along with the late Bankruptcy Judge Thomas M. Moore, was one of the primary authors of Chapter 12 of the Bankruptcy Code, which saved thousands of family farms from foreclosure during the farm crisis in the late 1980s. He also is the architect of the chapter 11 fast track for small businesses in chapter 11, which has been adopted by many bankruptcy courts across the country.
Chief Bankruptcy Judge Randy D. Doub said that Judge Small’s experience, influence and knowledge have made him one of the top Bankruptcy Judges in the nation. “We will greatly miss his service but wish him well in retirement.”
Bankruptcy Judge J. Rich Leonard, who served with Judge Small for seventeen years on the Eastern District Bankruptcy bench said, “Judge Small’s contributions to the bankruptcy system have had many positive effects and will continue to do so for years to come. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a colleague with Judge Small.”
Judge Small is a graduate of Duke University and the Wake Forest University School of Law. Prior to serving as bankruptcy judge, Judge Small was employed for 13 years with First Union (now Wachovia/Wells Fargo) National Bank and was Vice-President and Associate General Counsel with the bank's Legal Division.
Judge Small's successor will be named by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Small and his wife, Judy Jo plan to travel and enjoy their grandchildren during retirement.
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Press Release issued by the United States Bankruptcy Court-Eastern District of North Carolina. For questions, contact Sharon Angel at 252-291-6413. For interviews or questions for Judge Small, you may contact his chambers at 919-856-4603.