District of Columbia State Approved Sessions

This panel will focus on the continuing role of creditors’ committees in the current chapter 11 environment. As the fulcrum of security moves up the balance sheet, the utility of committees has been coming under attack. Although historically committees have consisted primarily of trade creditors, they now regularly include bondholders, indenture trustees, the PBGC and unions. Learn about the challenges for professionals representing committees and the way committee members evaluate how to fulfill their fiduciary duties.

This panel will discuss the historic significance of the General Motors bankruptcy case with an in-depth discussion about the issuance of public units in a major bankruptcy. The session will also include the challenges addressed by the team and the value of a freely traded unit.

ABI Past-Presidents Panel on Current Developments in the News

A panel of judges will discuss best practices in oral and written advocacy.

The Judicial Conference Advisory Committees on Bankruptcy and Civil Rules have proposed amendments to their respective rules. This panel will discuss the proposed rule changes and the impact they will have on bankruptcy case administration.

Industry leaders will address hot topics arising in Municipal Bankruptcies including eligibility and confirmation issues, challenges facing financial advisors to Chapter 9 debtors, the latest and greatest on the extent of Bankruptcy Court power under sections 903 and 904, special revenues and appellate procedural hurdles. The panel will also discuss the future of Chapter 9.

Organized labor has been at the forefront of many significant chapter 11 cases over the past several years. This panel will address a variety of topics (CBAs, WARN Act, Legacy Costs) that are critical to restructuring cases involving labor unions.

Section 363 transactions have a dominating presence in today’s chapter 11 practice. This panel will focus on the nuts and bolts of the asset-purchase agreement and related ancillary documents, including sale procedures orders, sale orders and other sale-related pleadings.

Two litigants will argue before a judge panel whether an intellectual property license is executory and assignable. And if it is not assignable, and for business reasons the debtor decides to reject the license agreement, what amounts to rejection of that license agreement and what rights, if any, the licensee has if a rejection occurs.