Professional Compensation/Fees

This panel will delve into emerging issues in bankruptcy cases, offering perspectives from practitioners, chapter 13 trustees and the bench. The panelists will focus on post-confirmation appreciation in asset values, such as who gets the appreciation if the house sells during the chapter 13 or if the case converts to chapter 7; early plan payouts, evaluating final payments before the end of the commitment period, hardship discharges and creative plan modifications; no-look and bifurcated fees; and end-of-case mortgage issue solutions.

This panel will address the basic question that all practitioners want answered: How do we get more work? The answer to this and other questions will come from a panel of in-house counsel in different industries and a bankruptcy judge, who will discuss selecting, hiring and cementing relationships for outside counsel for bankruptcy engagements.

Professionals are critical to maximizing estate assets and confirming reorganization plans. This interactive panel, comprised primarily of nonlawyers and estate professionals, will highlight effective and ineffective uses of professionals, and will define best practices in working with professionals so that attorneys and professionals can better serve debtors and trustees.

Join Bill Rochelle as he provides us with the highlights we need to know about emerging cases from the Supreme Court, Tenth Circuit and more!

Many industries have incorporated artificial intelligence (AI) into their operations over the last several years, including the legal industry. This panel will discuss the current status of the use of AI in the legal industry, and will explore the ethical implications and obligations of practitioners when using (or not using) AI. Is AI the answer to increasing access to justice? What are lawyers’ ethical obligations when using (or not using) AI? How have lawyers gotten into trouble when using AI?

Do you ever wonder what a particular Supreme Court decision means for you and your practice? This panel will discuss the Supreme Court’s general approach to deciding cases, including bankruptcy cases, and what those decisions mean for the bankruptcy and larger legal community. The panelists will use decisions from last term (as well as those to be argued this term) to help attendees better understand the decisions, how they might influence lower court decisions, and what it all means for those subjected to their decisions.

This panel will provide attendees with a step-by-step process to review potential claims against parties-in-interest in chapter 11 proceedings. The panelists will review the establishment of independent directors/special committees and scope of authority, the process plan regarding a proposed investigation, execution of the plan during chapter 11 proceedings, and addressing issues, allegations and disputes raised by stakeholders.

This panel will discuss the ethical duties and obligations of debtor’s counsel when unbundling legal services in chapter 7 cases. From the marketing of no money/low money down to adequate disclosures, the nuances of fee bifurcation sometimes create a fine ethical line on which to walk. The panelists will provide practical advice on how to comply with ethical concerns, and will discuss how different districts across the country have addressed the issue.