No CLE

As generative AI becomes part of the bankruptcy and restructuring toolbox, professionals face exciting opportunities — and serious obligations. This interactive panel will dive into real-world uses of AI tools, best practices for effective prompting, and the ethical rules you really don’t want to break. The panelists will include live demonstrations and audience Q&A, and discuss how courts and clients are responding to this fast-changing landscape.

Fee applications, preferences and clawbacks, oh my! Getting paid before and after bankruptcy has its pitfalls. This session will help you navigate potential problems to ensure you get paid while staying on the right side of the Ethics Board.

This panel will discuss post-Purdue case developments, including what constitutes “consent” and the role of opt-out releases (Spirit and other recent cases), third-party stays and injunctions, solicitations (Red River Talc), and the role of financial distress in chapter 11 and whether it is too restrictive (LTL). The panelists also will provide an update on where we stand regarding prepacks, nonvoting classes when confirming subchapter V plans (SushiZushi), out-of-court solutions and liability-management exercises.

Resolved: The doctrine of in pari delicto should bar a trustee from recovering solely for the benefit of creditors.Resolved: The above transaction is an avoidable fraudulent conveyance, and the original lenders may recover more than via a general unsecured claim.A debtor engaged in an LME transaction in which the debtor received substantial liquidity by subordinating a debt secured by a first lien on the debtor’s principal assets to a new, more senior first lien. The debtor received desperately needed liquidity, but the subordination substantially impaired the recoveries received by the original first-lien lenders. A subsequent bankruptcy was filed within 18 months. Unsecured creditor recoveries will be 2%. The court determined that the subordination agreement violated the terms of the original loan agreements.

This panel, presented from the perspectives of a lender, attorney and investor, discusses how guarantees have changed over time, including their value, regulatory needs and more.

Mentorship is a cornerstone of professional development and plays a critical role in shaping the future of the bankruptcy bar. This conversational panel will explore how intentional, well-structured mentorships can foster talent, promote inclusion, and build a strong foundation for the next generation of bankruptcy professionals. The panelists will share practical strategies for cultivating meaningful mentor/mentee relationships in both formal and informal settings, including within law firms and financial institutions. Special attention will be paid to the unique opportunities judicial clerkships provide in mentoring early-career attorneys, and how experienced professionals can actively guide aspiring lawyers toward careers in bankruptcy law. The discussion also will highlight the benefits of reverse mentorship, wherein junior professionals offer fresh perspectives and insights that help senior professionals and leaders adapt to emerging trends, technologies and cultural shifts. Attendees can expect an engaging, experience-driven conversation with actionable takeaways.

The health care industry is facing growing financial stress, driving a surge in both chapter 11 filings and out-of-court restructurings. This panel will explore the evolving landscape of health care distress, highlighting the creative solutions being used outside of traditional bankruptcy, such as receiverships, distressed M&A and liability-management transactions. The panelists will examine the influx of private capital into the sector, regulatory and compliance pressures, and how declining reimbursement rates and litigation are accelerating financial challenges. The discussion will also provide practical insights into navigating fiduciary duties, valuation standards, and the broader implications of restructuring in both for-profit and nonprofit health care environments.

From managing the damage from scams on the elderly to filing for infant or incompetent debtors, this panel reviews issues that arise in these types of cases, and provides practical suggestions for how to best assist these vulnerable populations.