A letter from the President of CFBLA
Welcome new CFBLA Board of Directors
A Message from the Court
Thank You 2026 Annual Sponsors!
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A Letter from the President of CFBLA
My name is Lori Patton, and I have the privilege of serving as President of the Central Florida Bankruptcy Law Association for 2026. I have been an attorney since 1999 and have practiced consumer bankruptcy in Orlando since 2004. I joined the Chapter 7 Trustee panel in 2010, while continuing to file consumer cases.
Whether you are a long-time member of CFBLA or are just getting to know our organization, I hope you will consider becoming part of our community this year. CFBLA plays a large role in what makes bankruptcy practice in the Orlando Division truly enjoyable. Our Chapter 13 Trustee, Laurie K. Weatherford, once sagely said to me, “It’s hard to be mean to someone you break bread with,” and she was absolutely right. CFBLA exists to create those opportunities—bringing together practitioners, the judiciary, and colleagues through education, collaboration, and connection.
In 2026, we plan to offer CLE lunches almost every month of the year, along with happy hours and our annual general and consumer-specific seminars combined into a two-day program at the end of June. We will also host our Second Annual Mini-Golf Scramble at PopStroke in November and our Annual Holiday Party in December. These events are designed to welcome attorneys at all stages of practice and to make it easy to get involved, build relationships, and stay engaged.
We are also proud to encourage and support volunteer involvement through the Court’s Pro Se Clinic, where self-represented debtors and creditors have the opportunity to discuss their issues with a bankruptcy attorney via Zoom. Participation in the Clinic is open to members who wish to give back, and each October, during Pro Bono Week, we recognize these volunteers with the presentation of the Kevin E. Mangum Memorial Pro Bono Excellence Award. More details will be coming soon.
If you are already a member, I encourage you to renew and stay active. If you are not yet a member, I invite you to join us and see firsthand what makes CFBLA such a valuable part of practicing bankruptcy law in our community. Everything we do is made possible by the support and involvement of the bar that practices in our courts. We also welcome feedback from members and prospective members alike—if there is something you would like to see from the Association, please let us know.
We also rely on sponsorships to keep dues and event costs affordable. Sponsors may include vendors, law firms, or individuals, and multiple levels of sponsorship are available. No contribution is too small. In particular, we are currently seeking sponsors for the upcoming State of the District Happy Hour on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. at Akerman. Please reach out to Noreen for more information if you are interested.
I look forward to a great year ahead and hope to see you—perhaps for the first time—at one of our events in 2026!
Warm regards,
Lori Patton
President, Central Florida Bankruptcy Law Association
CFBLA 2026 Board of Directors
With the arrival of the new year comes the transition to a new Board. The 2026 CFBLA Board of Directors extends its heartfelt gratitude to Jennifer Morando for her exceptional service as President, and to Frank Wolff, William Simonitsch, Stuart Ferderer, and Andrew Ballentine for their dedication and service over the past three years. We also offer special thanks to Camille Sebreth for stepping in to serve a one-year term.
We are pleased to welcome Sahil Vijay Patel, Seth Greenhill, Ana de Villiers, and Scott Bomkamp to the 2026 Board of Directors, along with Andrew Ballentine, who has been re-elected to another three-year term.
Our officers for 2026 are:
President - Lori Patton
Vice President – Lauren Reynolds
Treasurer – K. Hunter Goff
Secretary – Melissa Sydow
We look forward to an exciting and productive year ahead under their leadership.
A Message from the Court
Restriction on Electronic Devices Effective February 2, 2026
Consistent with the District Court’s policy, starting February 2, 2026:
Members of the public are prohibited from bringing electronic devices (phones, tablets, laptops, smart watches, AI glasses) into the Courthouse.
Attorneys may bring electronic devices only upon presentation of a valid Florida Bar identification card or a pro hac vice order.
Further details on the policy can be found in General Order 6:13-MC-94-ORL-22 posted on the Court’s website.
SeniorSmarts
Judge Lori V. Vaughan is the Vice Chair of the Financial Literacy Task Force for the Florida Bar, Business Law Section (FLTF). This year, FLTF has launched a new initiative focused on financial literacy for seniors. The program (kind of) replaces the CARE program they were doing in the past, except with our new demographic there is a focus on avoiding financial scams. FLTF is seeking volunteers in the Central Florida area to give presentations to different groups. A PowerPoint presentation and script are already prepared—volunteers simply need to present the material. There is a particular need for Spanish-speaking volunteers.
Presentations are currently scheduled for March 25 in Windermere and June 24 in southeast Orlando
Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Jeanne Kraft at Jeanne_kraft@flmb.uscourts.gov. Jeanne will compile a list of volunteers for Judge Vaughan. Thank you.