2016 Rocky Mountain Bankruptcy Conference

Professional fee issues are always important, both to those who represent estates and those who do not (but sometimes object to the fees of those who do). This panel will discuss the implications of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Baker Botts v. ASARCO, in which the Court answered an intriguing question some bankruptcy lawyers did not realize had been asked: whether counsel for an estate party may recover fees incurred in defending a fee application. The panel will also address continuing issues related to professional fees, including U.S. Trustee Fee Guidelines, big case fee guidelines, and the approval of national billing rates in jurisdictions where local rates are much lower.

This program will look at the actions of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015, including cases in which the Supreme Court recently granted petitions for certiorari, as well as the dark afterglow of Law v. Siegel. We shall address Stern claims, the definition of “consent,” and what will happen to Dewsnup.

Trending issues, circuit splits and noteworthy topics in bankruptcy courts will be the focus of this discussion. The panel will cover topics of interest in business, with no specific emphasis and in no particular order. Attendees are encouraged to participate with questions and issues drawn from their own experiences.