The Federal Reentry Court Program chose to honor the Consumer Bankruptcy Assistance Project (CBAP), of which Member Leslie Beth Baskin is a part, with a Certificate of Appreciation at its most recent graduation ceremony. Ms. Baskin was an active participant in this Reentry Court Program.

This was done as part of a Federal Reentry Court program for Philadelphia residents on supervised release. Every two weeks, up to 20 participants appear before a federal magistrate judge to report on their progress. The participants are also intensively supervised by the U.S. Probation Officer assigned to Reentry court. The Court and Federal Probation Office assist with education, training, employment, and other needs and impose graduated sanctions when necessary. After participants successfully complete 52 weeks of the program, they are eligible for a reduction of their supervised release period up to one year.

The graduation ceremony was held last week in the ceremonial courtroom at the federal courthouse and included the participants, their families, the reentry team, and the sentencing judges. For successfully completing the program, the judges then officially signed the order to reduce the participant’s supervision by one year.

CBAP volunteers regularly meet with the participants and provide individualized financial education. Topics that arose this past summer included building credit, budgeting, and whether or not to take out a car loan.

The Reentry Team has continuously expressed their appreciation for CBAP and Ms. Baskin’s recognition at the graduation is an example of the excellence both in and out of the office that SGRV attorneys strive to attain.

Ms. Baskin has handled a wide array of commercial, transactional, and bankruptcy-related matters including several high-profile cases in the region. She has also represented a diverse group of clients, including banks, real estate enterprises, healthcare providers, small businesses, and individuals experiencing financial problems. Ms. Baskin also served as a Chapter 7 Trustee on the Panel of Interim Trustees for the US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Ms. Baskin is currently on the Board of Directors of the Consumer Bankruptcy Assistance Project (CBAP) and was its Chair for two years. She was Chair of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Conference. Her peers have elected her as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer for many years and also won the 2005 Award for Outstanding Volunteer for CBAP. She is also one of the founding members of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC) and was its chair for a two-year term. She is currently serving as secretary.