Emily Shanks of Gray Reed Selected as One of ABI's 2024 '40 Under 40'

Alexandria, Va.- ABI announces that Emily Shanks of Gray Reed (Dallas) has been selected as one of ABI's "40 Under 40," ABI's award program that recognizes 40 of the top insolvency industry professionals under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony on Dec. 13 during ABI's 2024 Winter Leadership Conference at The Phoenician Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Shanks is an associate in the Bankruptcy section at Gray Reed in Dallas, and she has represented debtors, secured creditors and unsecured creditors in a wide range of corporate restructurings in various industries. She has also frequently represented secured lenders through in- and out-of-court workouts, and she has worked on a variety of bankruptcy-related litigation. Shanks also has experience in general commercial litigation, representing clients in both federal and state court matters.

Shanks has participated in numerous public speaking engagements, including a panel presentation at the 2024 Texas Women in Bankruptcy Conference, where she shared her insights on recent Fifth Circuit bankruptcy cases, and she was a debater for a "Great Debates" panel at the 2023 State Bar of Texas Bankruptcy Bench Bar Conference on whether the Supreme Court "got it right" in the Bartenwerfer v. Buckley case. In addition, Shanks was selected for and participated in the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges' 2023 NextGen class, and in 2020, she participated in the John C. Ford Inn of Court Dallas area chapter 11 restructuring course, where she tied as "Runner Up" for the "Rookie of the Year" Award. She also has served as the vice chair of the State Bar of Texas Bankruptcy Section's Young Lawyers Committee (YLC), for which she assisted with its "Starting Out Right Program," put on by the YLC each year to teach young bankruptcy lawyers in the community, and she recently transitioned into the role of YLC chair, where she serves on the State Bar of Texas Bankruptcy Law Section Council and oversees YLC liaisons. Additionally, Shanks is co-chair of Events for the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of the International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC), and she serves as a member of the Pipeline Programs Subcommittee for the State Bar of Texas Bankruptcy Law Section DEI Committee. Emily also is member of the John C. Ford Bankruptcy Inn of Court.

For the past two years Shanks has been an active member of the Junior League of Dallas and volunteers with the Boys & Girls Club Dallas Collegiate Steps Program, through which she volunteers two to three Mondays each month during the school year to teach ninth- through twelfth-grade students at the Boys and Girls Club how to plan and prepare for college. Additionally, each year she receives one or two mentees whom she individually mentors through the entire college application process.

"We are honored to celebrate the exceptional leaders within the 2024 class as they continue to make a significant impact both in their practice and in their communities," said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. "As bankruptcy practice continues to evolve, this diverse collection of honorees will propel ABI and the insolvency community forward."

The "40 Under 40" winners are distinguished by professional achievements and service and were selected by a group of experienced professionals from ABI's current leadership. Now in its eighth year, the goal of ABI's "40 Under 40" award program is not simply to create a one-time ceremony, but to fully engage those selected as future leaders in the insolvency profession and to build on the initiative each year.

Click here to view the full list of the 2024 "40 Under 40" honorees.

###

ABI is the largest multi-disciplinary, nonpartisan organization dedicated to research and education on matters related to insolvency. ABI was founded in 1982 to provide Congress and the public with unbiased analysis of bankruptcy issues. The ABI membership includes nearly 10,000 attorneys, accountants, bankers, judges, professors, lenders, turnaround specialists and other bankruptcy professionals, providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information. For additional information on ABI, visit www.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.