by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
As the nation waits and looks for a positive sign from its economy, the Jacksonville Bar Association (JBA) invited someone who sits at the crossroads of the business world to speak at its January luncheon.
U.S. Bankruptcy Chief Judge Paul Glenn talked about the signs he has noticed while sitting on the bench of Bankruptcy Court in the Middle District of Florida.
“Watching the newspapers, there have been stories about tourism being down, retail down and pink slips abounding. Where is the bottom?,” said Glenn. “I don’t think we know where the bottom is yet. In the bankruptcy world, we are in for some pretty interesting times.”
Glenn’s district includes more than half of the counties in Florida and 10 million of the State’s 18 million residents. That district has seen bankruptcy filings increase each year rom 700 in 2006 to 4,300 by the end of 2008.
“We are in a very complex financial time,” said Glenn. “I heard economists, professors, board members of the Federal Reserve Board, government officials, businessmen, lawyers and many descriptions and many opinions on how we got there and where we are going. But I think very few people understand the entire picture.”
356-2466