California State Approved Sessions

A professor of finance at the Stern School of Business at New York University, Aswath Damodaran will share his research interests in valuation, portfolio management and applied corporate finance. Prof. Damodaran will take you through several top themes of valuation, the biggest stories of the market in 2021 (so far), the price of risk and so much more.

It's no secret that large-chain entertainment companies such as theaters and theme parks have been suffering through the pandemic. This panel will discuss restructuring options, hurdles and prospects for a broad array of these entities. The panelists will also discuss and debate the dynamics related to the fact that company projections and capital markets have priced in substantial recoveries for these entities in the second half of 2021.

While COVID-19 has led to a substantial increase in the number of bankruptcy filings, its impact on valuation issues in the context of chapter 11 cases is less clear. Employing their differing perspectives, the panelists will explore how the uncertainty created by COVID-19 has affected the analysis of issues like plan feasibility, cost of capital, the pricing of risk, and the application of valuation methodologies in chapter 11 proceedings, with a particular emphasis on retail cases.

Chesapeake Energy, an exploration and production company, filed for chapter 11 on June 28, 2020, in the Southern District of Texas and emerged from bankruptcy on Feb. 9, 2021. This session’s panelists, all of whom were involved in the bankruptcy court hearings, will contrast (in a non-advocating fashion) the different valuation methodologies used by the debtors’ and UCC’s valuation experts with the primary legal arguments raised by the debtors’ and UCC’s legal teams.

Join us for a robust discussion concerning Ethics in Healthcare Insolvencies, where the panel will explore a myriad of issues, including: ethical implications in the context of valuing healthcare companies or providers in the age of COVID-19 (where we were, where we are, where we may be going); the concomitant impact on valuation of healthcare companies or providers vis-à-vis increasing the minimum wage and providing the required level of care; capital allocation between patients’ medical needs and fiscal responsibility and management as healthcare companies or providers face restructuring or liquidity issues; steps directors and officers of healthcare companies or providers should consider when they are insolvent (e.g., deciding whether to restructure or file bankruptcy; to whom do the fiduciary duties flow (e.g., to creditors, still to patients, etc.); duty to transfer patients of closing healthcare business and restrictions on transfers; termination of provider agreements or assumption and assignment; and lender issues.

The panelists will revisit real estate and real estate-based business workouts, bankruptcies and restructurings during the peak of the pandemic and extrapolate the lessons learned as guidance for debtors, tenants, landlords and investors moving forward as we begin the recovery period. The panelists also will focus on important pandemic bankruptcy cases and key rulings on leases and workout strategies, and will assess issues surrounding asset valuations and projections.

Up-tier exchanges, covenant-stripping and removal of collateral from secured lenders' reach have been in vogue for some time, going back to the Marblegate district court opinion and its reversal on appeal. The immense number of capital-chasing deals that have occurred since have continued this trend, and that obviously affects valuation, especially in litigated cases. This panel will explore the key issues involved, and how valuation plays a role in how disputes are resolved.

The Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 went into effect a mere few weeks before a worldwide pandemic unfolded, setting into motion unforeseen challenges and learning curves for the entire bankruptcy court system. This session consists of two mock presentations that will demonstrate the application of technology in the pre-trial practice and trial presentation of a subchapter V virtual trial. Included in these presentations will be virtual depositions and document preparation and organization, as well as the nontechnical challenges these cases can face, such as feasibility, projected-income issues, best practices assuming a nonconsensual plan, and cramdown. During the mock presentations, a team of technology experts will interject real-time, practical tips on the risks, benefits and potential ethical pitfalls of technology use in virtual trials, and much more. Mock Trial Schedule: 1:00-2:30 p.m. — Pre-Trial: Preparation, Organization, Depositions, Direct Examination (with tech experts offering best practices throughout) 2:30-2:50 p.m. — Short Break - Breakout rooms available for networking! 2:50-4:15 p.m. — Mock Trial: Cross-Examination, Cramdown (with tech experts offering best practices throughout)

This panel will focus on the impact of government funding and other recovery programs on valuation in health care, life sciences and other industries. The panelists also will discuss how traditional methods of valuation are being challenged by the current situation, and the programs that have emerged to address the resulting distress.

This panel will focus on the impact of government funding and other recovery programs on valuation in health care, life sciences and other industries. The panelists also will discuss how traditional methods of valuation are being challenged by the current situation, and the programs that have emerged to address the resulting distress.