Georgia State Approved Sessions

As financial pressures continue to mount in the health care industry, long-term-care facilities are facing unique operational and legal challenges that can quickly lead to distress or insolvency. This panel will explore the complexities of health care bankruptcies, including regulatory hurdles, patient care obligations, and strategies for restructuring or conducting orderly wind-downs. The panelists will discuss key considerations for debtors, creditors and trustees — such as Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement issues, facility licensing and resident transition plans — while offering practical insights on navigating these sensitive cases with both compliance and compassion in mind.

Hosted by the Emerging Industries & Technology and Financial Advisors & Investment Banking Committees. This panel will explore the intricate landscape of recent crypto-related bankruptcies through a multi-faceted lens. The panelists will examine the fast-paced world of on-chain tracing and flow-of-funds analysis, the unique valuation challenges posed by highly volatile digital assets, and the shifting regulatory environment impacting insolvency proceedings. Illustrative case studies from prominent bankruptcies will ground the discussion, offering practical insights into how legal, financial and technical teams are adapting to these emerging challenges.

Agricultural businesses face unique challenges in today’s evolving economic and legal landscape. This panel will explore the key issues shaping agricultural bankruptcies, including the root causes of financial distress for farmers and agricultural enterprises, the role of chapter 12 as a vital restructuring tool, and the range of out-of-court alternatives available to distressed debtors. The panelists also will discuss emerging case law, legislative developments and practical strategies that influence the outcomes of agricultural bankruptcy proceedings, and will provide a comparative analysis of chapter 12, chapter 11 and subchapter V by examining their respective benefits, limitations and procedural considerations for agricultural cases.

ABI’s Vice President-Research Grants will interview Prof. Emeritus Lois Lupica about the structure, progress and preliminary findings of her ABI Endowment-funded Financial Distress Research Project, which examined the tools and other forms of assistance consumer debtors have been using to improve their financial well-being, and determined which ones have proven to be the most successful.

Hosted by the Consumer Bankruptcy and Secured Credit Committees. This panel will explore common (and uncommon) examples of UCC liens in consumer cases. The panelists will discuss goods covered by Article 9, perfection issues, valuations and chapter 7 redemption issues, and will highlight key cases that are shaping the UCC landscape.

Hosted by the Bankruptcy Litigation and Commercial Fraud Committees. This interactive session will take a practical approach to exploring best practices in bankruptcy litigation, with a particular emphasis on fraud-related claims. Using hypothetical fact patterns, the panelists will guide attendees through key phases of contested litigation — from the initial investigation and assessment of potential claims to courtroom strategy and trial execution. Topics will include evaluating causes of action and defenses, drafting effective complaints, managing motion practice and employing persuasive techniques in the courtroom, including opening statements, witness examinations and evidence presentation. Whether dealing with traditional bankruptcy disputes or complex fraud allegations, attendees will gain valuable insights into prosecuting and defending litigation in the bankruptcy context.

Hosted by the Business Reorganization and Asset Sales Committees. This panel will examine the strategic use of LMEs in the context of asset sales within restructuring frameworks, such as the role of LMEs in facilitating sales, structuring them as conditions to closing, funding LMEs through sale proceeds, or utilizing asset sales as an exit strategy from LMEs or restructuring plans. The panelists will share their insights on the current trends and practical considerations that are shaping these increasingly sophisticated transactions.

Hosted by the Mediation and Ethics & Professional Compensation Committees.This session will examine the complex ethical challenges that arise when mediation and negotiation processes intersect with distressed scenarios, including conflicts between confidentiality requirements and disclosure obligations, navigating fiduciary duties in collaborative settlement discussions (particularly out-of-court RSAs), and managing professional responsibility issues in multi-party bankruptcy mediations. The panelists will provide practical guidance for attorneys, trustees, advisors and mediators on how to balance the informal and confidential nature of mediation with the heightened ethical and fiduciary standards required in insolvency contexts. Attendees will gain valuable insights into best practices for maintaining ethical compliance while effectively utilizing mediation/negotiation as a tool for resolving disputes and facilitating insolvency issues.

Hosted by the Legislation and Health Care Committees. Congressional budget decisions and executive actions are increasingly shaping the bankruptcy landscape for health care companies. This panel will examine how proposed Medicaid cuts, pharmaceutical reforms and the sweeping 2025 megabill are affecting financial distress, restructuring strategies and creditor dynamics in the sector. The panelists will explore the legal and operational implications of these legislative shifts, and how stakeholders are adapting in a rapidly evolving policy environment.

Section 362 of the Bankruptcy Code is one of the most frequently litigated — and often misunderstood — provisions in bankruptcy practice. This session will take a deep dive into the automatic stay, exploring its scope, application and termination. The panelists will analyze key distinctions among the subsections of § 362 and how they interact with other provisions of the Code. Attendees will gain practical insights into effective strategies for obtaining relief from stay, including grounds for relief beyond lack of adequate protection, and will learn how to navigate the procedural and evidentiary requirements for efficiently and cost-effectively securing or confirming relief from the stay.