California State Approved Sessions

Uncle Sam said “Take the money...everything will be OK”. Now, the IRS, SBA and Congress are changing the rules, creating new hurdles for distressed businesses. This panel dives into recent legislation in CARES II and the evolving legal and regulatory landscape governing access to, and repayment of, PPP and EIDL loans.

Arguably no other industry has been impacted by the pandemic as much as the hospitality and leisure space. Hotels and conference centers face historic vacancy rates while AirBNB’s IPO raises $86 Billion. This panel discusses the unique challenges facing hotel and hospitality owners, operators, investors and brands seeking to ride out the current storm.

A look at the economic impact of COVID and the road ahead, including which industries will continue to struggle and may be casualties, which seem immune to the pandemic’s effects, and which were initially sick but appear to be on the road to recovery.

You’re leaving your firm, but what do you need to know before you go? This panel will discuss what to do and what not to do to make sure you meet your ethical obligations to your clients and your old firm, while avoiding problems for you and your new firm.

This panel takes a look at PPP forgiveness issues, the PPP’s effects on M&A transactions and bankruptcy cases, and what comes next.

This panel will discuss financing orders, milestones and other case management through the DIP facility. What should be allowed for case management by secured creditors via DIP-financing and/or cash-collateral orders, including the case milestones? What terms are and should be acceptable in first-day cash-collateral and DIP-financing orders (Aegean) — too much control, or simply adequate protection? What does it take for a third party to prime? This session will also focus on structural priming, including by taking liens on unencumbered foreign assets (Hexion), using DIP financing as a tool to protect pre-petition debt, the use of roll-ups, the ratio of new money to roll-up that is necessary/“market”, justifying a zero-new-money roll-up (EP Energy), providing a secured term loan pre-bankruptcy and using the proceeds as cash collateral, and rolling up pre-filing emergency loans (Westmoreland).

This roundtable will introduce new judges, provide updates from the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York (and surrounding areas) about court rules and practices, and discuss topics of general interest to the bar.

Are there limits to “free and clear” (GM)? This panel will discuss sales free and clear of leasehold interests, restrictive covenants and override royalties; conflicts between §§ 365 and 363(f) (lease- or license-stripping); assets free and clear of successorship in CBAs; selling free and clear of environmental liabilities (La Paloma, Exide); loan-to-own strategies; and the treatment of breakup fees (C&K Market, EFH).

This panel will focus on different strategies sponsors are using to retain control (or at least put a stake through) the bankruptcy process. What are the risks to sponsors/litigation issues? The panelists will also discuss fiduciary duties, managing conflicts and retaining separate counsel, the interplay between corporate governance and aggressive sponsor action (e.g., selling or spinning/stripping-off assets), sponsor affiliates purchasing debt in the portfolio company’s capital structure, and 10b-5 compliance, as well as negotiating/litigating with a difficult board. This session also includes a discussion of issues that arise when dealing with a challenging board of directors, especially those where some or all directors have been appointed by a controlling shareholder.

What do attorneys and other professionals need to know when preparing chapter 11 liquidation plans? This panel will discuss selecting a trust, LLC, plan administrator or other vehicle; ensuring that affirmative claims are preserved post-confirmation; searching for unencumbered assets; negotiating carve-outs; establishing a value/tax basis in litigation claims and other assets transferred to a trust or LLC; key plan provisions such as preserving 2004 discovery rights, creditor oversight, continuing court oversight, required reporting and retention/transfer of attorney/client privilege; trading of interests; provisions for closing the case; and structured dismissals following asset sales as an alternative to a liquidating plan.