2019 Southwest Bankruptcy Conference

This panel will feature a roundtable discussion with bankruptcy judges from the Ninth Circuit and across the country, who will share their thoughts and perspectives — and take questions from the audience — on topics of current interest in both business and consumer cases.

The relaxation of marijuana statutes in many states may present financial opportunities for investors, with high rates of return and better-paying job opportunities for individuals. As with any emerging industry, consolidation and competition will create winners and losers. Whether investors, landlords, trade vendors and employees involved in the cannabis industry can restructure their debts in bankruptcy court, or even participate in a bankruptcy plan, depends on the extent of their connection to the cannabis industry. This panel will explore recent case law on the subject matter and alternative business-restructuring options when bankruptcy is not available, such as receiverships and assignments for the benefit of creditors. The panel will also address relevant consumer bankruptcy issues, including whether an individual employed in the cannabis industry may utilize chapter 13 to formulate and complete a plan.

This lively roundtable discussion will focus on adherence to local rules for purposes of malpractice prevention, civility among litigants’ counsel, professional responsibility, and related ethical considerations for practitioners by undertaking a multi-jurisdictional exploration of some of the most well regarded and most reviled local bankruptcy and district court rules, providing attendees with an opportunity to measure particular rules’ efficacy, practical effects and unintended consequences.

This panel will address best practices and evidentiary issues regarding the testimony of experts. The issues will be presented in a mock-examination format with audience participation.

This panel will address up to 15 thorny evidentiary issues that commonly arise in consumer cases. The issues will be presented to a bankruptcy judge by two expert litigators in a variety of pre-trial and trial scenarios.

This panel will provide an evidence overview and primer to cover the surface issues and underlying basic evidence considerations practitioners should contemplate for their practices.

This panel will discuss the use of third-party litigation financing in bankruptcy and in litigation and liquidation trust matters, and will address such issues as the different causes of actions and general characteristics of litigation considered, uses for funds and the general structure of financing, ethical issues concerning the funder relationship, and examples of successful uses of litigation financing — as well as things that can go wrong and how to avoid them.

This panel will discuss several leading bankruptcy cases making the headlines, and some of the issues, decisions and challenges unique to those cases.