In Memory of Contributing Editors Jerry Smith, Neal Batson, and John Pearson

Norton Institutes mourns the loss of   Jerry Smith, Neal Batson, and John Pearson, three of its more significant contributors through the many years of seminars sponsored by Norton Institutes.  

Gerald K. Smith died on October 3, 2025 at the age of 89.   He started his law practice in Phoenix, Az, where he join Lewis & Roca. He served as Deputy Director of the Commission on the Bankruptcy Laws of the United States in 1972, which produced the first draft submitted to Congress of the current Bankruptcy Code.  The Supreme Court appointed him to the Advisory Committee on the Rules of Bankruptcy of the Judicial Conference of the United States, where he served until 1999. In this capacity he was one of the nation’s leaders in the development of the Bankruptcy Code and became a principal contributor of the Norton Bankruptcy Law and Practice from 1985 to 1993, and further was a Co-editor of the Norton Bankruptcy Law Advisor from 1985 to 1998.  He was a founding member and director of the American Bankruptcy Institute and played a central role in forming the American College of Bankruptcy, later receiving its prestigious Distinguished Service Award in 2000.  He was a frequent speaker at Norton Institutes at Jackson Hole, Wyoming and as an Adjunct Professor at Arizona State University School of Law.  He was honored as a “Legend of the Law” by the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges in 2006.  

Neal Batson died on September 1, 2025 at the age of 84.  He was a partner at Alston & Bird LLP in Atlanta, Georgia.  He concentrated on commercial litigation, bankruptcy, workouts and business reorganizations through his many years of practice in Atlanta.  He was a member of the first class of the American College of Bankruptcy and later served as President, Director and Chair of the Board of that College.  He was also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and President of the Atlanta Bar Association, President of the Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute, and an Officer and Director of the American Bankruptcy Institute. He was a member of the American Law Institute, the National Bankruptcy Conference, the American Arbitration Association and the Advisory Committee on the Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure of the Judicial Conference of the United States. He taught at the Federal Judicial Center Workshop for Bankruptcy Judges and was both an Adjunct and Acting Professor at the Emory University School of Law.  He served on the Advisory Committee on the Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure of the Judicial Conference of the United States, during 1993 – 1999, and contributed to Norton Bankruptcy Law and Practice and the Norton Bankruptcy Law Advisor.  He participated on numerous occasions at the Norton Institutes conducted in Park City, Utah and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  His participation in these seminars was always entertaining and he will be greatly missed.

John K. Pearson died on November 2, 2025 at the age of 80.  He served as an Assistant United States Trustee in the Department of Justice in Wichita, Kansas from 1979 to 1982, and from 1986 to 2000 served as the Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Kansas.  As a Bankruptcy Judge, he also served on the 10th Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel from 1995 to 2000.  He was a professor at Presidents College School of Law in Wichita, Kansas, and was one of the Co-managing Editors of the Bankruptcy Law Advisor.  He was one of the first members of the American Bankruptcy Institute, where he served as on its Board of Directors, 1989-98; Executive Committee, 1989-1994; Secretary, 1991-1995, and was Chair of the ABI Committee on Bankruptcy Rules. After he became a judge, he joined the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges serving on its Board of Directors from 1991 to 1994. He was a contributor for the Norton Bankruptcy Law and Practice and wrote numerous articles for the Norton Advisor and the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Journal.  His dry wit will be greatly missed.