Colorado State Approved Sessions

It is not uncommon for issues to arise in consumer cases after they are filed regarding pre-petition and post-petition tax liabilities. To make sure that a client understands the possible outcome of these issues and is not surprised when they crop up after the bankruptcy petition is filed, it is imperative that debtor’s counsel alert and counsel the debtor about these potential issues before the petition is filed. What tax clams are nondischargeable? What constitutes a tax return for purposes of § 523? What is a tax transcript, how can one get one from the IRS, and how does one interpret what it says? This session will also focus on understanding the implications of unfiled returns and substitute returns, especially the current split among the circuits regarding late-filed returns and their consequences for determining dischargeability, distinguishing the treatment for secured, priority and general unsecured claims in chapters 7 and 13, interest on secured or nondischargeable tax claims, and advising the client as to whether chapter 7 or 13 is the best course of action to deal with the debtor’s tax liabilities.

The chapter 13 debtor’s plan is expiring, and the trustee issues a notice of final cure payment and completion of plan payments. Your client tells you it’s wrong and says there are uncured pre-petition and post-petition defaults, escrow shortages and unpaid attorney fees. What do you do? This session will cover understanding Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 3002.1 and Local Bankruptcy Rule 2015-3 (E.D. Mich.); reviewing all notices of payment changes, fees and expenses; comparing records with the trustee and debtor, and obtaining discovery; the proper procedure to file and prosecute responses disagreeing with notice of final cure payment; case law regarding remedies under Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 3002.1(i) for failure to comply with the rule’s requirements; and implementing steps to comply with the discharge order.

This annual favorite will cover all recent bankruptcy law decisions and current consumer bankruptcy law issues, and is a must-attend for professionals to stay current on consumer bankruptcy law issues.

The panel will discuss myriad issues (including ethical issues) that have arisen, and will likely arise in the future, as the current trend of third party litigation funding begins to be a more common funding vehicle in bankruptcy cases.

“So, a lawyer, a judge, and two ABI Presidents walk into a bar….” This panel on professionalism will be designed as a roundtable discussion on professional conduct within the world of bankruptcy. The panelists will discuss ABI’s Principles of Civility and engage the audience in a thoughtful discussion about managing professional relationships with clients, opposing counsel/parties, and the court.

This panel will address various ethical and substantive issues that can arise when representing consumer debtors.

With low energy commodity prices the new reality, E&P companies are being forced to restructure their balance sheets — both in and out of court. This panel will discuss legal issues that are crucial to advising a client in E&P restructurings and how those issues may shape your strategy, including oil and gas leases as absolute conveyances and the protection of royalty-holders; ORRIs, NPIs and production payments; plugging and abandonment liability; M&M liens; borrowing bases under RBL credit facilities; and joint operating agreements.

The existence of multiple bondholders can impose uncertainty and gamesmanship in a contest for economic gain from distressed corporate situations. The paper that they hold rarely tells the whole story; bondholders may have competing investments, undisclosed hedges and varying purchase price discounts that make it impossible to determine their true position. This panel will explore issues related to bondholder-led restructurings and takeovers, including the operation of ad hoc committees, the role of indenture trustees, conflicts, disclosures, subordination and deal structures.

This panel will discuss current issues in the stand-alone asset sale process and propose ways that this process can be improved to address the competing interests of the constituencies in a bankruptcy case.