Consumer Bankruptcy

ABI Editor-at-Large Bill Rochelle, author of Rochelle’s Daily Wire, will lead a discussion with a panel of judges regarding recent significant cases involving subchapter V case law, simultaneous representation, and the need for financial distress before filing.

This panel will discuss the forthcoming SCOTUS opinion in Purdue and other seminal cases of the year.

This panel will discuss current ethical issues confronting attorneys who practice predominantly in the consumer bankruptcy arena, including attorney compensation and fees, potential conflicts of interest, limited representation/engagements, and counsel’s duty to investigate/"reasonable inquiry."

This panel will provide guidance and shortcuts on finding, recalling and complying with a variety of bankruptcy rules that are easily overlooked or misunderstood. What critical deadlines must you know? When can you not get an extension of time? Under what circumstances can you limit notice or service?

This panel will examine a host of real estate issues, including the intersection of reverse mortgages and bankruptcy, and the rights of heirs when a borrower files for bankruptcy; the distribution of equity in post-petition real estate sales, and how to determine who is entitled to the proceeds; whether, since Toth, the prime rate is the best measure of risk when applying the Till rate for total debt claims in bankruptcy; the classification of conduit payments, and whether direct mortgage payments should be considered part of bankruptcy plan payments; and effective strategies for addressing and resolving mortgage issues to guarantee that debtors achieve a fresh start post-bankruptcy.

This panel will discuss the factors that attorneys who represent debtors should consider in deciding whether to file chapter 7, chapter 13 or subchapter V cases for their individual clients.

In recent years, chapter 11 proceedings have garnered increasing attention from the media and the public in general. With congressional hearings on mass-tort bankruptcies, Texas-Two Steps and venue reform, politicians have sought soundbites about bankruptcy law to drive media coverage. Additionally, high-profile events tied to bankruptcy filings, like the collapse of FTX and other cryptocurrency firms, have drawn the attention of many who otherwise ignore the goings on of bankruptcy courts. This panel will discuss these current public perceptions (and misperceptions) of bankruptcy proceedings and how they affect the day-to-day practices of lawyers and judges.

This panel will introduce attendees to subchapter V of chapter 11, and its streamlined process for small business reorganizations. The panelists will cover the expectations, roles and responsibilities of the key participants in the subchapter V case, including the bankruptcy judge, debtors, creditors, the U.S. Trustee and the subchapter V trustee. The panelists also will compare and contrast subchapter V with a regular chapter 11 case in such key areas as eligibility of the debtor for subchapter V, first-day motions, cash-collateral usage, adequate protection, the role of the subchapter V trustee, plan formulation, consensual vs. cramdown plans, and the reorganized debtor’s responsibilities post-confirmation.

This panel will explore the basics of credit reporting, what to do when errors occur, and how to obtain a potential resolution. As part of this dialogue, the panelists will discuss relevant aspects of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the discharge injunction, and jurisdictional issues that may impact litigation of these disputes.

This panel will help you analyze the strategic twists and turns of taking bankruptcy appeals. When can you appeal? When should you? And if you have a choice of appellate courts (district court, BAP, court of appeals), how do you decide which to select? The panelists will share from their collective experience on both sides of the bench, including best practices — and perhaps a horror story or two.