Alabama State Approved Sessions

Roben Farzad is an acclaimed journalist, broadcaster and author known for his sharp insights into the intersection of business and culture. As the host of the popular public radio program "Full Disclosure," he dives into the forces shaping industries, innovation and society.

Join this accomplished panel of subchapter V trustees, financial advisors and one inquisitive judge as they discuss emerging trends related to the fair-and-equitable standard, including post-confirmation expenses (anticipated and otherwise), fluctuations in income, and other variables in the context of nonconsensual plans. This session emphasizes the critical role of financial advisers and subchapter V trustees with respect to a debtor's projected disposable income, as well as the creative financial alternatives that can be considered to fairly account for post-confirmation uncertainties.

This panel focuses on the critical role of strategic communications during large, high-profile bankruptcy cases. Using real-world examples, experts discuss the challenges of managing media narratives, stakeholder concerns and public perception in high-stakes scenarios. Topics include media relations, crisis communication strategies, and the importance of proactive storytelling to ensure a successful restructuring.

Join this powerhouse panel for a lively discussion regarding the true meaning of “vesting” and the implications and issues it brings to both consumer and commercial cases. The panelists debate the various interpretations of vesting and dive into a theoretical discussion of vesting across the Bankruptcy Code chapters. Through the use of hypotheticals, the moderators guide the panel’s discussion through areas of vesting that you might not have ever considered important, but you should. You can’t afford to miss this discussion.

As the retail and real estate markets continue to evolve post-pandemic, is the long-anticipated recovery taking shape, or are new challenges on the horizon? This panel of seasoned experts explores the latest trends, risks and opportunities in distressed retail and commercial real estate. From shifting consumer behaviors to the ongoing transformation of office space demand, the panelists provide practical guidance and strategic insights for investors, landlords and debtor tenants navigating today’s complex market.

This panel explores investors' perspectives on acquiring distressed commercial real estate in today's volatile market. The panelists delve into such key challenges as interest rate fluctuations, limited debt availability, economic uncertainty, oversupply and rising material costs. Gain insights from industry experts actively transacting in the current market, and discover their outlooks on the future of distressed real estate.

This panel discusses topics related to various fiduciary roles, such as state and federal equity receivers, independent directors, and trustees in real estate receivership and bankruptcy cases, and looks at different enforcement mechanisms and practices from the viewpoints of both fiduciary and lender.

This panel provides an overview of commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) financing and the role of special servicers in a distressed context. The panelists also provide recent insights into the CMBS market and practitioner trends from the panelists’ viewpoints.

This session explores the issues and implications of managing bankruptcy cases when key assumptions and expectations fail to materialize, and the exit path is no longer available. What happens then? For instances where there is limited liquidity and the case is facing possible dismissal, administrative insolvency and/or conversion to chapter 7, the panelists run through key pitfalls and provide guidance on how to effectively manage bankruptcy cases through these challenges by referencing several recent and high-profile health care cases to illustrate the harsh reality of these issues playing out today.