Utah State Approved Sessions

Join us for a special session honoring our retiring regional judges as they reflect on their careers, share insights into the evolution of bankruptcy law, and offer valuable perspectives gained from years on the bench. This candid conversation celebrates their service and provides attendees with a unique opportunity to learn from their experiences and legacy.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning have the potential to reshape the landscape of corporate restructurings and valuations by influencing the creation, protection, efficiencies and valuations of various asset classes. While AI presents opportunities for businesses to innovate, grow and protect their assets more effectively, it also brings new challenges and uncertainties that require careful consideration and adaptation. This panel discussion will address how AI might be used in corporate restructuring and valuation, and the potential benefits and risks.

This panel will examine the factors considered by debtors and their advisors when determining where to file a large chapter 11 business case, and the occasional efforts to have the case transferred to a venue that is arguably more convenient to creditors, employees and/or shareholders. The panel will also discuss the pending legislation known as the Bankruptcy Venue Reform Act of 2018 (S. 2282) — as well as the arguments both supporting and opposing its passage.

This panel will focus on what the numbers mean, who cares about them and why they care — and why you should care, too.

All types of hospitals — from acute care to highly specialized — are experiencing financial challenges. This is especially true for rural and nonprofit hospitals, which often rely heavily on slower and lower payments from Medicare and Medicaid. Often the best (or only) solution for a distressed hospital is a sale to a larger hospital operator or system. This panel will examine the unique challenges facing buyers and sellers in connection with such distressed hospital sales.

The restaurant industry, particularly the fast food and fast casual sectors, is under pressure from rising food and labor costs, the changing dining habits of millennials, and decreased foot traffic at retail shopping centers. This panel will examine those trends and explore potential strategies to maximize enterprise value, both in and out of bankruptcy court.

The only D&O insurance policy issues that get much attention — in the restructuring world, at least — are (1) the insured-vs.-insured exclusion and (2) obtaining stay relief to access policy proceeds. The panel will tell the “rest of the story” by addressing important — but often overlooked — coverage issues and offering practical advice for purchasing D&O insurance policies (on behalf of distressed entities) and monetizing such policies (on behalf of fiduciaries).

This panel will discuss current litigation/case law on discharge injunction violations and remedies, including sanctions.

This panel will discuss the challenges facing colleges and universities, and the financial advisor’s role in assisting stakeholders in addressing these challenges. The panelists will discuss the dynamics associated with turning around a college or university and how that process differs from the kinds of turnarounds that most professionals are familiar with.

Limited liability companies are outpacing corporations as the preferred business form, but they are a newly popular type of entity. This panel will track LLC law as it rapidly evolves to deal with the unique issues LLCs present. How does the Bankruptcy Code interact with state law in handling these issues, including member- and manager-managed LLCs, single-member LLCs, LLCs as assets of an estate, charging liens, restrictions on attachment or transfer of membership interests, and forced insolvencies? Please join us as we examine the clues to unravel the case of this curious entity.