November 21, 2005
Chief Judge Duberstein passed away on Friday, November 18 at
approximately 10 p.m. of apparent cardiac arrest, while at his home
with his wife, Anne.
Judge Conrad B. Duberstein was the Chief Judge of the United
States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York. He
was the only bankruptcy judge in the country who was invited to
witness the signing by President George W. Bush of the Bankruptcy
Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, the most
sweeping reform of U.S. bankruptcy law in over a quarter of a
century.
On February 10, 2005, the Judges of the Eastern District of New
York dedicated and named the bankruptcy court in the newly
renovated General Post Office Building in downtown Brooklyn the
Judge Conrad B. Duberstein Bankruptcy Courtrooms and Chambers.
Judge Duberstein was born in New York on October 22, 1915,
graduated from evening high school, the evening sessions of
Brooklyn College, and the evening session at St. John's Law School
while working in Brooklyn during the day. He was admitted to the
Bar of the State of New York on March 9, 1942 and practiced
bankruptcy law until his entry into the United States Armed Forces
in 1943. During service as an infantryman in the 91 st Infantry
Division in Italy, he was wounded in action, received the Purple
Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, three Battle Stars, and the Combat
Infantry Badge. After recuperating from his wounds, he had an
audience with Pope Pius XII at the invitation of then Archbishop
Spellman, and upon returning to his outfit, he became an Italian
interpreter in court martial cases where knowledge of the language
was necessary. Upon return from service in 1946, he continued to
specialize in bankruptcy law until his appointment in 1981 as a
bankruptcy judge, and later appointment as Chief Bankruptcy
Judge in 1984. Although his term as a bankruptcy judge
expired in 1995, he has been recalled annually as the Chief
Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of New York.
Judge Duberstein has lectured on bankruptcy in various law
schools, bar associations, bankruptcy seminars, and educational
programs throughout the country, and has written several articles
on the subject. He is a Member of the Military Order of the Purple
Heart and is the Judge Advocate General of the Order for the State
of New York, a member of the Disabled American Veterans, the
American Legion and the Jewish War Veterans. He was awarded an
Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by St. John's University in 1991,
which also presented him with its Medal of Honor, the highest award
given to an alumnus. At his inspiration, the Law School
offers the only LL.M. in Bankruptcy in the country and has
established the first bankruptcy moot court competition in the
country, known as the Judge Conrad B. Duberstein National
Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition, the only competition in the
nation to be devoted specifically to bankruptcy law. In 1992,
the Brooklyn Bar Association presented him with its Annual Award
for Outstanding Achievement in the Science of Jurisprudence and
Public Service.
For more information on the Judge Conrad B. Duberstein National
Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition, please visit www.stjohns.edu/law/bankruptcy.