Cathy loves to challenge anyone who takes an illogical or unsupported position.  “Ask the local Chapter 13 trustees!”  Sunahara, 326 BR 768, on form plans, mandatory term length or 100% payment, is her most recent success;  In Chang, 2007 Bankr. Lexis 3568, the court held that mortgage payments on a house to be surrendered were proper deductions from CMI.  Cathy also won a case against the State of California and City and County of San Francisco for violation of 525 in a Chapter 13 case over parking tickets.

Cathy is the author of Bankruptcy in Brief, a web-based resource on bankruptcy law. See www.moranlaw.net   She also blogs on bankruptcy at www.bankruptcylawnetwork.com  “As a former newspaper editor, I am endlessly excited about the communication possibilities that the Internet provides.”

Cathy has been a member of NACBA since 1994 and a speaker at the last three conventions plus the Las Vegas Workshop.  She started the Office Management and Technology committee with an email to the listserv asking if anyone wanted to gather informally at the upcoming convention to discuss these issues.  Over a 100 people showed up at 7 AM in response!  On top of it all, she is the Northern California state chair and a member of the 2008 Convention committee.

Cathy is a “newly energized empty nester:”   She and her husband of 32 years “rattle around our house in Menlo Park, free from the influence of our sons, now 24 and 21.”  When unshackled from her computer, Cathy is an enthusiastic cook and gardener.

Like many others, Cathy has benefited from the NACBA’s listserv:  “The most priceless thing that I've gotten from NACBA is the listserv where small firm practitioners can exchange ideas and encourage each other in zealous representation of our clients.” And she would like to take up John Orcutt's challenge “that we mentor lawyers newly come to this practice and generously share what we know so that bankruptcy law continues to grow as a respect field of endeavor.”