A history of BBLA
Business & Bankruptcy Law Association (“BBLA”) was formed by a group of Texas Tech School of Law students in the spring of 2005 and originally named Corporate Restructuring & Bankruptcy Law Society (“CRBLS”). The objective of CRBLS under the leadership of founding President, Camisha Simmons, was to provide students with practical knowledge of corporate restructuring and bankruptcy law.
To achieve this goal, CRBLS, along with the West Texas Bankruptcy Bar Association, cosponsored moot court teams that represented Texas Tech School of Law at the Annual Judge Conrad B. Duberstein National Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition in New York, New York. Ms. Simmons
was instrumental in providing CRBLS members with this opportunity and
sought networking opportunities with members of local Bankruptcy Bar Associations and Texas Tech Law Alumni. CRBLS held meetings and special events that featured distinguished judges and practicing attorneys who spoke on issues narrowly focused on bankruptcy and corporate restructuring.
In fall 2006, a change of leadership brought about a name change when President Daniel Ruiz renamed CRBLS
Corporate & Bankruptcy Law Society (“CBLS”). This name change was in response to
a majority of the memberships expressed interest in increased organizational exposure to topics related to corporate law. At the end of his term, Mr. Ruiz was instrumental in endorsing new 
leadership that would further embrace a shift in focus on corporate law, in addition to bankruptcy law, and overlapping topics. A final name change of
Business & Bankruptcy Law Association (“BBLA”) memorializes the two primary interests of the members.
Under the leadership of President Shatorree Bates, the 2007-2008 term is sure to be an educational and rewarding year for active BBLA members. Ms. Bates has a substantial background and related experience in business ownership, management, and the corporate (retail) industry. In working with Faculty Advisors and other BBLA leaders, focusing on business and bankruptcy matters strike a perfect balance on the BBLA scale.
BBLA’s objective is to provide members with the opportunity to build their résumé by relaying opportunities for practical experience, to build their network by providing knowledgeable speakers in the industry, and to broaden their exposure by providing research reports and encouraging their involvement in BBLA activities that make it possible to reach the foregoing goals.
To ensure that BBLA members stay abreast on the business and bankruptcy industry, Ms. Bates implemented a Research Advisory Committee dedicated to providing members with national and global updates via emails, committee reports, oral presentations, and panel presentations. Chairpersons appointed to this committee and Faculty Advisors are committed to facilitating educational and research opportunities for the benefit of all BBLA members.
BBLA continues to cosponsor moot court teams to participate in the annual Duberstein National Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition in New York. Ms. Bates, with the approval of moot court coach Jarod Gonzalez, has provided BBLA members with an additional opportunity to participate in the State Bar of Texas Administrative & Public Law Section’s annual Mack Kidd Administrative Law Moot Court Competition in Austin, Texas. While the bankruptcy competition provides practical experience for bankruptcy litigation, the administrative law competition provides litigation experience in state regulation of publicly licensed business professionals.
By taking advantage of BBLA sponsored activities, research reports, and competitions, BBLA members empower themselves with legal knowledge, practical experience, and networking opportunities to position themselves to gain meaningful insight and increase their access to employment in any business, corporation, or bankruptcy law related career.
