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NACTT Trustees Urge Uniform Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence in Consumer Bankruptcy Practices

The National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees (NACTT) is calling for uniform guidelines for utilizing Artificial Intelligence in Consumer Bankruptcy.

The association recently examined Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Access to Justice during its annual Bankruptcy Roundtable in Boston in July 2024.

“As technology, including Artificial Intelligence, is being developed and adopted at a stunningly rapid speed, the judiciary is challenged with protecting all parties involved in bankruptcy. Debtors, creditors, attorneys, judges and trustees across the United States need to function with uniform guidance in order to continue the equitable administration of bankruptcy across the country,” said Lon Jenkins, NACTT president.

The consensus among the Bankruptcy Roundtable panelists was that there are many inherent risks to the debtor, legal counsel, creditors and even technology providers when using artificial intelligence in consumer bankruptcy.

Specifically, the panelists raised concerns about privacy issues in consumer bankruptcy and a need for uniform guidelines for the use of the evolving technology.

Officials said the full scope of the risks associated with its use is still unknown.

Particularly at risk, the officials said, are pro se debtors who use generative AI tools to prepare legal documents which are often incorrect.

Use of AI to produce court documents increases the risk for a potential breach of confidentiality by allowing access to personal information such as mortgage histories and financial schedules, the officials said.

During its roundtable, the NACTT panel discussed discrepancies arising between jurisdictions.

The panelists cited the standing order recently signed by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina that requires filers to certify that AI was not used.

The order states that “no artificial intelligence was employed in doing the research for the preparation of this document, with the exception of such artificial intelligence embedded in the standard on-line legal research sources Westlaw, Lexis, FastCase, and Bloomberg."

The panelists discussed that the order makes no distinctions between the different types of AI available making the certification difficult.

Founded in 1965, the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees is a membership association comprised of more than 1,000 trustees, attorneys, certified public accountants, and other individuals interested in insolvency related issues.

According to the NACTT’s website, the organization’s executive director is Courtney LC Waldrup of Columbia, South Carolina.

SC Launch Inc. Announces Third Investment in Bubble Paper

South Carolina Research Authority’s investment affiliate, SC Launch Inc., has invested $250,000 in Bubble Paper as part of a $10 million Series A funding round.

The Greenville-based company is revolutionizing the packaging industry with its higher-performing, eco-friendly replacement for the plastic shipping solutions of yesterday. 

Bubble Paper became an SCRA Member Company in 2018 and received a $25,000 Project Development Fund Grant. It received a $50,000 Acceleration Grant in 2019 and later became an SC Launch Inc. Portfolio Company when it received its first investment of $300,000.

It received a second investment of $300,000 in 2022.

SCRA Senior Investment Manager Rob Moser said, “Bubble Paper is a trailblazer in the environmental packaging industry. They offer packaging materials that provide the same protection and temperature control as current plastic and Styrofoam alternatives at a comparable cost."

Moser added, "With the increasing number of regions, including several locations in South Carolina, banning plastic foam insulation for food and product shipping, Bubble Paper is uniquely positioned to leverage this movement and drive significant change.”

“We were fortunate to start working with the SCRA and SC Launch Inc. teams early on. They understood our mission and partnered with us to create a friendly and mutually beneficial investment partnership. These early investments were key in helping us innovate and scale our production capability, allowing us to focus on growth and efficiency,” said Bubble Paper Founder Benjamin Moore.

Moore added, “Our products are sustainable from the moment they are manufactured to the time of disposal.”

“Each year, our team nominates startups to become our Company of the Year, and Bubble Paper was this year’s winner. This third investment is a testament to Bubble Paper’s momentum,” said SC Launch Inc.’s Executive Director Matt Bell.

Founder Benjamin Moore elaborated on Bubble Paper’s success and how his company began in a recent Greenville Business Magazine feature.

Established in 2006, SC Launch Inc. is the investment affiliate of the South Carolina Research Authority.

The independent, nonprofit corporation provides convertible loans and investment funding to qualifying SCRA Member Companies.

The returns on this funding provide additional coaching and grants to next-generation technology startups.

Chartered in 1983 by the state of South Carolina as a public, nonprofit corporation, South Carolina Research Authority fuels the state’s innovation economy through the impact of its comprehensive services to technology-based startups, academia, and industry.

Southern Conference Partners with TrailRunner Sports for Future Media Rights, Basketball Championship Site Planning

The Spartanburg, South Carolina-based Southern Conference (SoCon) announced July 24, 2024, an expanded partnership with TrailRunner Sports to lead both advisory and negotiation services for its future media rights process, and to provide guidance on prospective site plans for the Ingles SoCon Basketball Championships.

The announcement was made at the Southern Conference Football Media Day by Commissioner Michael Cross.

Southern Conference events and content currently are distributed by ESPN, CBS Sports, and Nexstar.

With the aim of enhancing and augmenting both its broadcast and digital media presence, the SoCon will collaborate with TrailRunner Sports to navigate the process of securing its next media rights agreements.

All three media deals are coterminous and expire in the summer of 2026.

TrailRunner Sports will also advise on the future site selection process for the Ingles SoCon Basketball Championships.

The current agreement with the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission to host the men's and women's basketball tournaments at the Harrah's Cherokee Center-Asheville expires after the 2026 events.

The TrailRunner Sports team will be led by Jamie Zaninovich and Maddie Kraft, who combined, offer deep experience in media rights strategy and negotiations, as well as event management, and activation.

TrailRunner Sports is a new division of TrailRunner International, and a joint venture with Legends, as announced by both companies in December of last year.

The Southern Conference is a collegiate athletic conference comprising 10 member institutions in the southeastern United States. 

TrailRunner Sports is based in Dallas/Fort Worth with offices in New York; Nashville; Abu Dhabi; Dubai; London; Shanghai; and Truckee, California. 

Congressional Medal of Honor Society Appoints Chad Graham as New Executive Director

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society announced the appointment of Chad Graham as executive director.

Chartered by Congress in 1958, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Medal of Honor, inspiring America to live the values the Medal represents, and supporting recipients of the Medal as they connect with communities across America.

The Society was chartered by Congress in 1958 and its membership consists exclusively of those individuals who have received the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military award for valor.

Through the Society's outreach, education and history initiatives, Medal of Honor recipients continue their service across the nation.

Officials said Graham has driven impactful results and meaningful change in the nonprofit sector.

Most recently, he was president and CEO of the Woody Williams Foundation, which under his leadership expanded its mission to honor and serve Gold Star Families in over 200 communities across the United States.

“With his extensive experience and passion for our mission he will lead our organization to new heights and make a profound impact on our nation," said Medal of Honor Recipient Britt Slabinski, president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

Said Graham: "Being a part of this mission is a tremendous honor. I am eager to work alongside Society membership and our dedicated staff to honor the sacrifice and inspire the future."

Graham holds a master's degree in business communication with a nonprofit administration specialization from Spalding University and a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary social sciences.

He participates in many volunteer activities and is active in the equine and music industries.

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society's headquarters is in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

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