2017 Midwest Regional Bankruptcy Seminar

This session will feature a discussion regarding the various bear traps and pitfalls of dealing with nonbankruptcy-related claims in the bankruptcy context. Issues will include how to avoid the bankruptcy court from dismissing your claim, the reasons that you would be estopped from challenging a claim, and when you should ask for relief to return to state court.

This panel features leading professionals in the chapter 11 practice area who were directly involved in the Jevic chapter 11 case, as well as a distinguished retired bankruptcy judge. This session will cover the underlying Jevic chapter 11 case, the Supreme Court’s opinion in Jevic and its impact on chapter 11 practice, and strategic alternatives in light of the decision.

This panel will present a detailed look at filing foreclosures, state law defenses and post-judgment foreclosure matters, and when to file bankruptcy in the process.

Join Hon. Eugene R. Wedoff (ret.), ABI President and member of the ABI Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy, for a discussion of the Commission’s recommendations for improving the consumer bankruptcy system within the existing structure. Attendees will have the opportunity to offer ideas and feedback on key issues, in advance of the Commission’s December 2018 release of its recommendations. To learn more about the ABI Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy, visit consumercommission.abi.org.

While financial and economic issues generally dictate whether a restructuring is likely to be successful, the success of a restructuring often will be meaningfully impacted, either positively or negatively, by more intangible factors that are at play. This presentation will examine the ways in which restructuring professionals, rather than the company’s balance sheet and industry outlook, may materially affect the restructuring landscape, including how such professionals approach financial and operational distress, prepare the restructuring game plan, communicate with the client and its stakeholders, and generally manage the restructuring process. Restructuring professionals’ adherence to applicable ethical obligations and professionalism best practices are critical to this process. Learn the essential “dos” and “don’ts” and other “rules of the road” for professionals in restructurings.

This expert panel will discuss different approaches to business development, including lawyer advertising, law firm websites, social media, beauty contests and wining and dining, and factors that may influence the effectiveness of various approaches. Examples will be used to illustrate business-development methods and explain how the Model Rules of Professional Conduct apply to the methods being discussed.