Lippes Mathias LLP is pleased to announce that Michael R. Bakst, a partner in the firm’s West Palm Beach office and member of the financial restructuring & insolvency practice team, will serve as a moderator at the 50th annual Alexander L. Paskay Memorial Bankruptcy Seminar. The event, hosted by the American Bankruptcy Institute and Stetson University College of Law, is scheduled for February 25–26 at the Hotel Flor Tampa Downtown. 

Bakst will moderate a session titled “AI Without the Angst: Practical Tools for Bankruptcy Professionals.” The interactive program is designed to move beyond general concerns regarding artificial intelligence and focus on how bankruptcy attorneys and judges can utilize the technology as a practical tool. Panelists will demonstrate real-world applications of AI, including covenant analysis, motion drafting, case preparation, and fee applications. The session will also address how to craft effective prompts and the differences between public and private AI systems, providing attendees with actionable strategies to work more efficiently while maintaining ethical standards and accuracy. 

The Alexander L. Paskay Memorial Bankruptcy Seminar is a continuing legal education program that honors the achievements of the late Bankruptcy Judge Alexander L. Paskay. The 2026 seminar features a faculty of regional and national speakers and bankruptcy judges, offering programming on both business and consumer bankruptcy issues. 

About Michael R. Bakst 

Michael R. Bakst is a member of Lippes Mathias’ financial reorganization, restructuring & insolvency practice team, where he represents creditors, bankruptcy trustees, and receivers, as well as litigants within complex bankruptcy matters, commercial litigation, receiverships, and assignments for the benefit of creditors. Bakst currently serves as a panel United States Bankruptcy Trustee for the Southern District of Florida and previously served as an examiner appointed through the offices of the United States Trustee. He is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education programs for bankruptcy and commercial litigation practitioners, as well as for trustees in bankruptcy on a regional level. 

About Lippes Mathias LLP 

Lippes Mathias is a full-service law firm with 230 attorneys serving clients regionally, nationally, and internationally. With offices in Buffalo, Clarence, Albany, Long Island, New York, Rochester, Syracuse, and Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Greater Toronto Area; Chicago, Ill.; Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, and West Palm Beach, Fla.; Cleveland, Ohio; San Antonio, Texas; Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Washington, D.C., the firm represents publicly and privately owned companies, private equity and venture capital firms, independent sponsors, family offices, real estate developers, financial institutions, municipalities, governmental entities, and individuals. 

Ranked No. 204 on The National Law Journal’s NLJ 500 list of the largest law firms in the United States by attorney headcount, Lippes Mathias is proud to be recognized year after year by The Best Lawyers in America®, U.S. News – Best Lawyers®, Super Lawyers, and Chambers USA. For more information, visit www.lippes.com.