Understanding Bankruptcy

Trustee Qualifications

The minimum acceptable collection of experience, knowledge, and/or licensing required to be eligible for attaining a certain position or duties.

The USTP has set a certain guidelines for a person to qualify as a trustee. Here is a full list of minimum required qualifications:

• Possess integrity and good moral character;
• Be physically and mentally able to satisfactorily perform a trustee's duties;
• Be courteous and accessible to all parties with reasonable inquiries or comments about a case for which such individual is serving as trustee;
• Be free of prejudices against any individual, entity, or group of individuals which would interfere with unbiased performance of a trustee's duties;
• Not be related by affinity or consanguinity within the degree of first cousin to any employee of the Executive Office or to any employee of the Office of the United States Trustee for the district in which he/she is applying;
• Be either:
  • a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a state or of the District of Columbia;
  • a certified public accountant;
  • a college graduate with a bachelor’s degree from a full four year course of study (or the equivalent) of an accredited college or university (accredited as described in Part II, Section III of Handbook X118 promulgated by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management), with a major in a business-related field of study or at least 20 semester hours of business-related courses, or hold a master’s degree or doctorate degree in a business-related field of study from a college or university of the type described above; or
  • a senior law student or candidate for a master’s degree in business administration recommended by the relevant law school or business school dean and working under the direct supervision of:
    • A member of a law school faculty;
    • A member of the panel of private trustees; or
    • A member of a program established by the local bar association to provide clinical experience as deemed acceptable by the United States Trustee.
• Be willing to provide reports as required by the United States Trustee; and
• Have submitted an application under oath, in the form prescribed by the Director of Executive Office for United States Trustees, to the United States Trustee for the district in which appointment is to be made.