Business

This panel will explore the trend of private-equity firms and hedge funds favoring out-of-court workouts (with or without a pre-packaged or pre-arranged bankruptcy case) rather than traditional chapter 11 cases for achieving their restructuring goals. The panel will also debate whether the Chapter 11 Reform Commission’s recommendations adequately address such issues. Cases to be discussed include Tribune Co. fraudulent conveyance litigation, Sun Capital, ICL Holding and Sabine Oil & Gas Corp., et al.

This panel will explore how to navigate the myriad issues caused by bad-faith chapter 11 filings and will discuss current case law and trends, including how and when a case should be dismissed, whether a business entity can be formed by real estate investors solely to file a chapter 11 bankruptcy, venue-shopping and a host of other issues.

Jeffrey N. Pomerantz, Moderator ABI Vice President-Education Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP; Los Angeles Resolved: Curbing pension rights in a chapter 9 case is constitutional. Con: Babette A. Ceccotti Cohen, Weiss & Simon LLP; New York Resolved: Committee member fees are not payable as part of a Chapter 11 plan. Pro: Nan Roberts Eitel Executive Office for U.S. Trustees; Washington, D.C. Con: Dennis F. Dunne Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP; New York Resolved: A chapter 13 debtor may employ § 363 to effect a free-and-clear short sale of his/her principal residence notwithstanding § 1322(b)(2) and the secured creditor’s objection. Pro: Hon. Eugene R. Wedoff U.S. Bankruptcy Court (N.D. Ill.); Chicago Con: Hon. Mary Grace Diehl U.S. Bankruptcy Court (N.D. Ga.); Atlanta

Commission Recommendations on Resolving Court Splits: Coming Soon to a Judicial Opinion Near You ABI's Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11 identified more than 30 splits in case law on important issues. Such a split of authority results in delay, increased litigation costs and above all, uncertainty -- imposing a kind of "ambiguity tax" on the system, as one witness put it in testimony before the Commission. The recommendations contained in the Commission's final report, in many cases, can be implemented by judicial opinion at the bankruptcy court or court of appeals level, without need for action by Congress. This program featuring some of the most experienced and thoughtful judges on the bench today, will assess the Commission recommendations, and identify some that might be effected soon.

This is the second of three webinars stemming from ABI's recently published book Fraud and Forensics: Piercing Through the Deception in a Commercial Fraud Case. Each webinar takes an in-depth look at areas of specialty, challenge and reward for forensic accountants and the professionals who work with them in commercial fraud cases. The third webinar will be: FRAUD AND FORENSICS: THE LAWYER AND FORENSIC ACCOUNTANT WORKING TOGETHER - JANUARY TBD This webinar will focus on the role of the forensic accountant as an expert in a commercial fraud case. Featuring two authors of the recently published book Fraud and Forensics: Piercing Through the Deception in a Commercial Fraud Case, the presentation will offer tips for both the forensic accountant and the lawyer for writing an effective expert report. Listen also to a retired bankruptcy judge explain what the trier of fact wants to hear in expert testimony and how to deliver persuasive testimony.

It's become increasingly popular for businesses, developers and project sponsors to take advantage of specialized tax credit programs at the federal and state levels designed to incentivize investment in affordable housing, low-income communities and historic preservation. Bankruptcy and workout professionals should have a basic understanding of these tax credit programs and the unique issues that can arise in workouts and bankruptcies involving projects financed through the use of tax credits. This webinar will cover: 1)Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC); 2)New Market Tax Credit (NMTC); 3)Historic Tax Credit (HTC) programs; 4)And will explore some of the unique issues and challenges that arise in workouts and bankruptcies involving projects financed through such programs. ABI will seek 1.5 hours of general CLE credit in 60-minute-hour states and 1.75 hours of credit in 50-minute-hour states. CLE-Approved States: ABI’s live webinars and teleconferences ordinarily receive CLE credit in AL, CA, DE, GA, IL, MN, NE, NH, NJ, NY (approved jurisdiction policy), PA, TN and TX. ABI will obtain approval in additional states. ABI does not seek direct accreditation of live webinars in KS and OH. Credit hours granted are subject to approval from each state, which may not be determined prior to the program.

This panel will discuss how lawyers and FAs can work together in creating clear client expectations by defining for the client both the lawyer’s and FA’s work scope. Additionally discussed will be the fee structure involved in the retention of FAs both as company advisors and expert witnesses. Finally, this panel will explain in detail what can be done to make our mutual clients happy with both the lawyers and FAs in the obtained results.

This panel will explore key chapter 11 plan confirmation issues by way of a live demonstration of a confirmation hearing. The demonstration will address the most commonly litigated legal issues with respect to plan confirmation, the evidence required to satisfy those requirements, and in particular, how to present and cross-examine experts in connection with feasibility. How would you rule?

In the past few months, we have seen once-prominent Brazilian companies face financial distress as a result of governmental mistakes, political unease, global decline in oil and gas prices and the downturn in the local credit markets. Most importantly, the Petrobras bribery and corruption scandal has had wide-ranging effects on Brazilian companies, from the criminal prosecution of corporate executives to open-ended prohibitions on future contracts with Petrobras and, in some instances, fines millions of reais. Fabio Vassel and Luis DeLucio will discuss how the current Brazilian economic and political landscape is likely to impact Brazilian companies, lenders and investors in the years to come.