Practice and Procedure

The workshop features Chief Bankruptcy Judges Dennis R. Dow (W.D. Mo.), C. Ray Mullins (N.D. Ga.), Brendan Linehan Shannon (D. Del.), Cecilia G. Morris (S.D.N.Y), and Barbara J. Houser (N.D. Tex.), who will discuss recent circuit splits and hot topics, including the application of the absolute priority rule in individual chapter 11 cases, artificial impairment, structured dismissals, intellectual property licenses, equitable disallowance and § 502(d) issues, and more.

This panel will explain the practice of “unbundling,” along with the ethical and legal considerations involved, and will provide sample engagement letters where services are unbundled. The panel will discuss evolving case law on this issue wherein debtors and their attorneys attempt to use alternative agreements to limit the scope of their representation. ABI's Ethics Task Force Final Report might also be applied.

The workshop features Chief Bankruptcy Judges Dennis R. Dow (W.D. Mo.), C. Ray Mullins (N.D. Ga.), Brendan Linehan Shannon (D. Del.), Cecilia G. Morris (S.D.N.Y), and Barbara J. Houser (N.D. Tex.), who will discuss recent circuit splits and hot topics, including the application of the absolute priority rule in individual chapter 11 cases, artificial impairment, structured dismissals, intellectual property licenses, equitable disallowance and § 502(d) issues, and more.

The workshop features Chief Bankruptcy Judges Dennis R. Dow (W.D. Mo.), C. Ray Mullins (N.D. Ga.), Brendan Linehan Shannon (D. Del.), Cecilia G. Morris (S.D.N.Y), and Barbara J. Houser (N.D. Tex.), who will discuss recent circuit splits and hot topics, including the application of the absolute priority rule in individual chapter 11 cases, artificial impairment, structured dismissals, intellectual property licenses, equitable disallowance and § 502(d) issues, and more.

Use of judges as mediators; when is the right time to mediate?; when will discovery or a ruling on a key issue facilitate mediation?; who should attend?; what information should be exchanged and what should be confidential to the mediator?; possible case study of ResCap mediation or other example

What are the consequences of using § 9019 settlements as a means of resolving primary intercreditor disputes?; does application of settlement approval standards effectively alter § 1129 standards?; do settlements become sub rosa plans?; is the door open for “involuntary settlements” based on a debtor’s assessment of litigation probabilities?; other related issues might include “gifting” through § 9019 in the Third Circuit vs. the Second Circuit, plan-support agreements, absolute priority rule/new value plan (Castleton Plaza), equitable mootness (Charter/SemCrude); fee reimbursements for participants (Lehman, AMR)

This panel will discuss a variety of issues arising due to the explosion of social media communications. Topics will include property rights, evidence, spoliation, ethics and trustee investigation duties.

A panel of participants in ABI’s Civility Task Force will discuss the work of the task force in an interactive program designed to further the conversation about civility in our profession.

"As the U.S. Trustee guidelines for large chapter 11 cases are nearing their six-month anniversary, this panel will discuss how the guidelines have been implemented, what reception they have received from the courts and whether they have changed the way large chapter 11 cases are administered."