Illinois State Approved Sessions

This session provides a practical roadmap for preparing and trying issues in consumer bankruptcy cases, with a particular focus on common consumer trial issues such as asset valuation and exemption disputes. Moderated by Judge Vaughan, the panel brings together judicial and practitioner perspectives to guide attendees through the critical stages of trial readiness, including pretrial preparation, discovery strategy, subpoena practice, evidentiary considerations, and effective trial presentation. In addition, the session addresses the financial considerations facing consumer practitioners, including strategies for structuring fees, obtaining court approval, and effectively getting paid for litigating consumer matters. The session emphasizes practical tips, best practices, and common pitfalls encountered in consumer trials. 

This panel will explore current pressures on health care operators, financing structures and real estate transactions. The panelists will cover entity structures, lending approaches and key trends defining today's health care market.Learning Objectives:Attendees will learn to:Identify current financial pressures on health care operators and their impact on real estate transaction structures and lending approaches.Analyze entity structuring options and financing mechanisms commonly used in health care real estate transactions.Evaluate emerging trends in health care operator distress and their implications for lenders, investors and restructuring professionals.

This webinar will explore the practical defense strategies defendants are using to quietly end or narrow adversary proceedings in bankruptcy court by leveraging pleading standards, procedural sequencing and judicial preferences — often before discovery begins.

This panel addresses pressing issues related to the use of AI in the courtroom and the use of AI by the bankruptcy courts. The panelists focus on ethical issues related to the obligation of candor to the court, use of evidence, discovery and privilege issues, and the how the existing rules do or do not adequately address the current and expected AI landscape.Learning ObjectivesAttendees will recognize the ethical obligations of candor to the court when AI tools are used in preparing filings, evidence, or arguments.Attendees will examine emerging evidentiary, discovery, and privilege issues arising from the use of AI by litigants and the courts.Attendees will assess the adequacy of existing rules and standards in addressing current and anticipated uses of AI in bankruptcy practice.

In just 30 minutes, we’ll cut through the noise and focus on the signals that matter most in health care restructuring today. This free webinar will recap health care bankruptcy trends in 2025 and cover key policy, payor, cost, capital market and macro perspectives to provide a clear snapshot of where financial pressure is building — and what that means for health care organizations, lenders and advisors in 2026 and beyond. Designed as a rapid, executive-level briefing, this session is ideal for anyone who wants to stay current on the industry's high points without committing to a deep dive.

Artificial intelligence has rapidly evolved from a source of concern to an essential tool for legal practice. This interactive session moves beyond warnings to focus on how bankruptcy attorneys and judges can harness AI’s power today. Through real-world examples and live demonstrations, panelists will explore practical applications—from covenant analysis and motion drafting to case preparation and fee applications.Learn how to craft effective AI prompts, understand the differences between public and private AI systems, and discover tools that transform routine legal tasks. Whether representing clients or presiding over cases, attendees will gain actionable strategies to work more efficiently while maintaining accuracy and ethical standards.

As more older adults seek bankruptcy relief, consumer cases increasingly involve issues beyond debt alone, including cognitive decline, exploitation, family interference and concerns about legal capacity. This panel will explore the real-world legal and human challenges that arise in elder consumer cases, and will offer practical guidance for recognizing and addressing these issues in bankruptcy practice.Learning Objectives:Attendees will understand the legal and practical issues that commonly arise when representing or working with elder debtors in bankruptcy.Attendees will recognize signs of diminished capacity, exploitation, and family conflict that may affect case administration and client representation.Attendees will learn strategies for handling these cases with greater awareness, professionalism, and sensitivity. 

Join Tim Sloan for an insightful keynote examining the current state of the U.S. commercial real estate market. He will break down the forces shaping today’s environment and highlight emerging trends affecting assets across major sectors. The session will also explore the new opportunities these conditions create for lenders and investors, offering practical perspectives for navigating a rapidly evolving landscape.Learning Objectives:Attendees will learn to:Be able to identify and explain the key economic and market forces currently shaping the U.S. commercial real estate landscape across major asset classes.Gain the ability to evaluate emerging trends in commercial real estate and assess their potential impacts on lenders, investors and market performance.Learn to apply practical strategies for navigating evolving market conditions and recognize new opportunities created by shifts in the commercial real estate environment.

This panel will analyze evolving approaches to the characterization of digital assets, focusing on the treatment of crypto in the GENIUS Act and the implications for priority, setoff, and customer vs. estate property rights. The panelists will discuss key recent decisions, including In re Prime Core and Celsius, addressing what constitutes property of the estate, the contours of constructive trusts and tracing, and the allocation of rights among customers, lenders and estate fiduciaries. The panel also will examine the legal status of stablecoins, including whether any super-priority liens can prime lawyers’ retaining or charging liens, and will assess the latest FTX decisions on sanctions, OFAC, and the permissibility of transfers to creditors in restricted jurisdictions such as China and Russia. Collectively, the panelists will present a practical framework for advising clients and litigating crypto-related insolvency issues across jurisdictions.

Please join ABI’s International Committee for the next installment in its webinar series on cross-border insolvency topics. This session will focus on key issues and strategies surrounding asset recovery in the Caribbean. Leading practitioners from the Cayman Islands, BVI, Bermuda and the Bahamas will discuss the legal, financial and logistical challenges of recovering assets across jurisdictions, and will share practical insights and tools for navigating those complexities. The panelists also will address industry-specific considerations that arise in insurance and cryptocurrency matters.