Arkansas State Approved Sessions

With courthouses shutting their doors due to COVID-19, trials across the country have been put in an indefinite holding pattern. Certain state and federal courts, bar organizations and private groups have begun pilot-testing courtroom innovations, procedural reforms and presentation technologies to convert jury and bench trials into an online format. This session will address the bench's and bar’s current conversation on if, how and when to conduct trials online. Particular emphasis will be paid to testimonial, documentary and legal decision-making issues germane to bankruptcy trials.

Ensuring Conflicts are Transparent in 2020 Hidden conflicts of interest in bankruptcy are a stain on the integrity of the bankruptcy system. What should be done to better police the clear standards of disinterestedness and sanction misconduct? Intersection of Bankruptcy and Social Issues Bankruptcy has been largely been viewed as a solution to solely economic and financial concerns. Historically, scholarship related to bankruptcy’s intersection with social issues has focused on the social problems that may result from bankruptcy or the social issues of which bankruptcy may be a symptom. Over the last several years, however, bankruptcy has been a common thread in some of the largest social movements of our generation. This discussion centers around the intersection of bankruptcy and some of today's social issues, including the “#MeToo” movement, the Catholic Church and Boy Scouts of America abuse scandals, and the racial justice demonstrations regarding housing and policing. The ways in which bankruptcy practitioners and the bench have been asked to craft solutions to address social ills will be explored within the framework of the Bankruptcy Code, as well as the ways in which bankruptcy will continue to play a part in addressing social issues. Lasting Impacts of COVID-19 on Law Firm Operations and Legal Service Delivery No business or industry has escaped the impacts of COVID-19. In this session, seasoned bankruptcy attorney and law firm Chairman Robert Sartin will discuss how the modern global pandemic has changed the future of law firm operations. He’ll also examine the challenges of leading in a fluid and unprecedented environment, and review what many firm leaders are predicting as the new landscape of practicing law and delivering legal services.

The NYIC sponsored this October 22, 2020, session as part of the Insolvency 2020 Summit. The panelists provide an overview of subchapter V and its key provisions, discussing the various perspectives in subchapter V, cash collateral and DIP financing in subchapter V, and general trends in subchapter V cases.

Come join our experienced panelists as they share practical applications of mindfulness that you can use every day at work and home. Areas include being less reactive in challenging situations, listening more effectively and gathering more useful data, more skillfully entertaining uncertainty, and feeling less stressed in general. You'll learn basic mindfulness and relaxation exercises and tips for incorporating them into your day.

The record-setting 11-year national economic expansion has now been displaced by the worst pandemic in a generation. In this session, moderated by Bankruptcy Judge Michelle Harner (D. Md.), Professors Abbye Atkinson (UC Berkeley School of Law) and Roger Tutterow (Kennesaw State University) consider how pandemic-related economic challenges are impacting household spending, corporate performance, and the ability of both consumers and corporate entities to service existing debt obligations. The discussion will also engage with issues such as reductions in labor force participation, the Federal Reserve’s commitment to low short-term interest rates, trends in access to credit and forbearance of debt, the role of debt in smoothing household consumption, and the socioeconomic implications of these shifts. You will not want to miss this lively discussion concerning the perfect storm we are now experiencing.

A panel of experts in agriculture bankruptcy insolvency matters will discuss the unique issues and legal strategies facing professionals in these cases, such as problems facing family operations, the nature and benefits of chapter 12 proceedings, plan strategies in chapter 11 and 12 cases, and traps for the unwary in dealing with the different constituencies in a farm case. As these cases become more prevalent, well-prepared practitioners will need a working knowledge of the issues confronting the agricultural sector. This panel will give you expert insights into the tools you need to manage these types of cases.

Finally, you think you have the case of your dreams. How do you manage to navigate employment before the bankruptcy court? How do you ensure that you get paid and that neither you nor your client do anything to jeopardize your fees or your reputation? Join this discussion with an esteemed panel and numerous bankruptcy judges in breakout rooms as we discuss the often-confusing ethical issues that present themselves in employment.

This session will review the unique issues involved with early and quick § 363 sales in chapter 11 cases, including financing the case, how to get the sale approved, and what happens to the case after the sale closes.