Texas State Approved Sessions

Our Host will challenge the “deans” of bankruptcy and our esteemed contestants with riveting bankruptcy trivia.

The pandemic changed the world of bankruptcy judges and bankruptcy practitioners. This panel will provide critical information to help you make sure you have the tools necessary to participate in this race to change.

Leading experts on Subchapter V bankruptcy will address key issues and strategies.

If you're looking for black and ethnic minority bankers in senior positions at banks, you'll have to look carefully. And you may not even know that minority banks exist. This panel will include a thought-provoking discussion around diversity and inclusion initiatives based on their personal and professional experience. The goal of the panel is to encourage an open dialogue and educate our attendees on the benefits and challenges of diversity and practical suggestions for achieving a more diverse workplace.

This will be a lively discussion of the latest cases involving student loan dischargeability and issues related to litigating in this area, including what constitutes “undue hardship”, the Brunner Test, consideration of income-based repayment programs and other related topics.

A complex web of divergent actors pose consistent threats to data handled by the judiciary and the legal profession. This salon will focus on basic principles of cybersecurity and best practices for maintaining resiliency. No IT experience required – this session is intended to help empower all participants in managing risk and contributing to the collective defense against this bane of our 21st Century existence.

Three bankruptcy judges present difficult issues they have faced and ask you to step into their shoes; to discuss the issues in small groups discussions; and to decide what you might have done in their shoes. What you learn from your colleagues and what the judges then reveal will be interesting, educational, and revealing.

A Discussion Surrounding the Current Developments in Make-Whole Litigation - Where It’s Going and Issues on the Horizon.

While some of us choose to live in denial, the Federal Rules of Evidence are not optional, as they represent one of the foundational pillars of any successful insolvency practice. This program will explore some of the more complex evidentiary issues confronted by insolvency professionals. The program is designed to provide an interactive format through discussion, debate, polling, and ultimately, observations from the Oracle of Evidence herself.

Many debtors cannot afford to pay Ch. 7 fees in full in advance of filing. This leads to perverse outcomes for debtors, including the common filing of Ch. 13 cases solely to obtain a stay while paying counsel’s fees over time or not filing a needed bankruptcy. Courts across the country are adopting local rules allowing prepetition agreements to render services post-petition for payments to be made post-petition. Many courts do not allow this. What is appropriate?