Honorable Cornelius Blackshear Presidential Fellowship Program

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BANKRUPTCY JUDGES

Foundation Annual Professional Development Grants

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Funding Amount

Up to $2,000 per fellow (up to 50% of eligible expenses)

Deadline

May 30, 2026

51 days left

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

Honorable Cornelius Blackshear Presidential Fellowship Program

Funder: National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ)

Overview:
The NCBJ Blackshear Presidential Fellowship Program provides annual stipends to up-and-coming attorneys to attend the NCBJ annual meeting. The program honors the Honorable Cornelius Blackshear, a distinguished bankruptcy judge known for his scholarship and development of bankruptcy jurisprudence.

Award Details:

Amount: Up to $2,000 per fellow (up to 50% of eligible expenses)

Number of Awards: Up to 5 fellows per year

Award Includes: Financial stipend and a proclamation recognizing the fellowship

Eligibility:

Up-and-coming attorneys (early-career legal professionals)

No specific geographic restrictions mentioned

Program History & Impact:

Established in 2005

Over 70 Blackshear Presidential Fellows have been selected since inception

Three fellows have become bankruptcy judges:

- Hon. Charles Walker (M.D. Tenn.)
- Hon. Tiiara Patton (N.D. Ohio)
- Hon. Magdalena Reyes Bordeaux (C.D. Ca.)

Eight Blackshear Alumni have participated in NCBJ's NextGen Program

Twelve Blackshear Alumni named 40 Under 40 by the American Bankruptcy Institute (including three who are both NextGen and 40 Under 40 Alumni)

Application Period:

Applications accepted May 1 - May 30, 2025 at 5 pm EST only

Early or late applications will not be accepted

Contact Information:

Email: team@ncbj.org

Phone: 518-694-9827

Applications submitted to: Judge Kathy Surratt-States at Kathy_Surratt-States@moeb.uscourts.gov

How to Apply

1. Obtain Application Materials
- Download the Blackshear Fellowship Criteria and Application form from the NCBJ website
- Review the Blackshear Fellowship Proclamation for program background

2. Submission Timeline
- Applications accepted May 1 - May 30, 2025 only
- Deadline: May 30, 2025 at 5 pm EST
- Early or late applications will NOT be accepted

3. Required Documents
- Completed application form
- Supporting documents (as specified in the application materials)

4. Submission Method
- Email application and supporting documents to:
- Judge Kathy Surratt-States
- Email: Kathy_Surratt-States@moeb.uscourts.gov
- All materials must be submitted via email

5. Selection Process
- Up to 5 fellows selected annually
- Selected based on application materials and criteria
- Recipients notified with proclamation and stipend

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