2015 VALCON

A "basics" valuation session, demonstrating the use of basic models in actual bankruptcy cases as well as litigation, and showing how basic models are in many ways superior to more complicated models sometimes used by academics and specialized practitioners.

Valuation models are applied to the stages of restructuring, pre-bankruptcy, DIP and cash collateral, automatic stay, post-petition interest and fees, avoidance actions, plan confirmation, fee enhancements and more.

An update on key valuation case law, with a detailed discussion of how valuation models were implemented, examples of strategic and tactical decision making and a few war stories from hands-on experienced practitioners.

An update on the sometimes-exciting academic research now being conducted on corporate restructurings and bankruptcy. Topics include advances in our understanding of the benefits and costs of bankruptcy, trends in the accuracy of confirmation values, private-equity firms and financial distress, and the impact of distressed-debt trading.

An integral part of any solvency opinion is the valuation of items such as contingent liabilities including pending litigation, guarantees and other claims that may impact the solvency opinion. The valuation of these items is not always obvious and in some cases is at odds with GAAP. The approach to valuing these items is a blending of corporate and bankruptcy law, accounting standards, economic analysis and valuation theory. The panel examines these issues along with the instructive case law in the area, and discusses the care that is required when mixing such elements with the facts and circumstances of the matter at hand.

How are an expert's qualifications and the relevance and reliability of the expert's opinions assessed by courts? What do attorneys expect from experts and what do experts expect from attorneys? A panel of attorneys and valuation experts discuss the criteria for expert qualification, the methodological components of reliability and offer guidance on avoiding pitfalls and bad opinions when working with experts. The panel also provides recent statistics on Daubert challenges.