Business

Every reorganized debtor’s chapter 11 confirmation order has a § 1129(a)(11) finding that confirmation is not likely to be followed by the liquidation or further need of financial reorganization of the reorganized debtor. Nevertheless, it is common to see chapter 22s and chapter 33s in bankruptcy courts. This panel of leading financial advisors and industry experts are on the front lines of successful and not-so-successful restructurings. They will also discuss the myriad reasons that chapter 22s and chapter 33s occur and the lessons learned from those cases.

As the financial health of many of our municipalities continues to deteriorate, this very timely discussion, with experts experienced in the largest cases, will provide the pros and cons of a chapter 9 filing.

This session will cover a variety of topics related to litigating claims in bankruptcy. It will explore both strategic considerations behind and the mechanics of asserting and contesting claims. Starting with the necessity and wisdom, or lack thereof, of filing proofs of claim, the program will go on to discuss the need for and sufficiency of supporting documentation, the mechanics of objecting to claims, the initial and shifting burdens of proof when a claim is contested, and the best practices in litigating contested claims from both the claimant and the estate representatives’ perspectives. The program will also cover issues regarding limitations on a bankruptcy court’s authority to adjudicate claims, estimation of claims and/or temporary allowance of claims, and late-filed claims, including the overlay of other nonbankruptcy statutes on such claims, most notably the recent case law relating to the impact of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act on late or expired claims.

Are lenders finding strategies to avoid the Code’s landlord protections? This panel will explore whether a debtor’s obligation to timely perform is being honored, rejection/assumption rules modified in DIP orders, use of nunc pro tunc rejection to minimize claims, and other issues in today’s retail cases.

Although a creditors’ committee represents the interests of all general unsecured creditors, committee members often have competing interests. This panel discussion will explore the types of conflicts and intercreditor issues that can arise, the impact of those issues on the ability of the committee to perform its duties, and how disputes among committee members are resolved.

This panel will discuss the recent filings in the oil, gas and energy sectors and provide an overview of what practitioners and professionals should know and understand about this changing and developing sector.

This panel will discuss strategies for negotiating and confirming chapter 11 plans, from support agreements and competing plans to the proper use of releases and injunctions.

The Final Report of the Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11 is the culmination of nearly three years of testimony, advisory reports and deliberations. This panel, consisting of several members of the Commission, will present key findings as submitted to Congress.

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