Jim Sandy Appointed Chair of ABA Debt Collection and Bankruptcy Subcommittee

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP is pleased to announce that partner James (Jim) Sandy has been appointed to serve as Chair of the American Bar Association’s (ABA’s) Debt Collection Practices and Bankruptcy Subcommittee, for a two-year term effective today. Senior counsel Marisa Roman also serves on the subcommittee leadership team as the Young Lawyers Liaison.

About Jim

As co-partner-in-charge of Hinshaw's Cleveland office, Jim oversees the day-to-day operations of the office, leads a team of attorneys and professional staff, and helps drive the firm's strategic growth in the region. An accomplished litigator, he has handled more than 100 appellate matters and represents banks, mortgage servicers, fintech companies, debt collection agencies, and auto finance companies in trial courts, arbitration proceedings, and appeals.

Jim previously served as vice chair of the ABA's Debt Collection Practices and Bankruptcy Subcommittee from 2023 to 2026. In addition to his ABA involvement, he serves on the Akron Bar Association Grievance Subcommittee, is an editor of an ABA Business Law publication, and volunteers with Community Legal Aid and as a volunteer board member and coach for the West Akron Baseball League.

About Marisa

Marisa joined the firm in early 2026 as an experienced litigator with a practice spanning a broad range of complex disputes. Her experience includes commercial and contract litigation, bankruptcy and creditors' rights matters, product liability, lender liability, insurance defense, professional and management liability claims, and construction litigation. Representing clients nationwide, she regularly appears in federal and state courts throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine.

In addition to her ABA involvement, Marisa is a member of the Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island Bar Associations.

About the Debt Collection Practices and Bankruptcy Subcommittee

The Debt Collection Practices and Bankruptcy Subcommittee focuses on two key areas: consumer debt collection practices and bankruptcy issues affecting consumer financial services. The subcommittee monitors developments under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and state laws governing debt collection, including creditor liability for debt-collection activities, requirements surrounding debt-related communications, and evolving standards for determining whether consumer communications are misleading.