  We present an update on our ongoing study on the nature of the bulk
transition observed at strong coupling in the SU(3) gauge theory with N_f = 12
flavors in the fundamental representation. We show evidence that there is a
first order chiral symmetry breaking bulk transition separating a region at
weak coupling where chiral symmetry is restored from a region at strong
coupling where chiral symmetry is broken. We also discuss hints of a separate
partial restoration of U_A(1) at weaker coupling. The results are in agreement
with restoration of conformality in non abelian gauge theories as the number of
flavors is increased.
