Consumer

Most individual chapter 7s proceed seamlessly from petition to discharge, but an effective practitioner must be able to identify and manage those difficult cases where obstacles to discharge abound. How do you identify chapter 7s with potential problems (debtors with businesses, searching public records for assets and transfers, requesting and reviewing documents in advance of filing, effective communication, etc.)? The session will also discuss how to manage chapter 7s that go sideways (staying on top of trustee document-production requests, 2004 exams, objections to discharge, and negotiating effectively with the trustee), how to get paid (supplemental 2016(b) statements, new retainers and retention agreements, what’s covered by the original retainer agreement), and when and how to get out (declining to file messy cases to avoid consequences for you (malpractice) or your client), as well as withdrawing for lack of post-petition payment for new work or client cooperation.

This session will draw upon the immense popularity of the annual Case Law Update session, focusing on a handful of important bankruptcy cases that are sure to affect your consumer practice.

This session will focus on pending legislation that may affect your practice, and on ABI’s latest recommendations regarding personal bankruptcies. What are the latest developments and strategies to address student loans? Is a legislative fix for the student loan crisis really in the works (H.R. 2366)? What would the small business bankruptcy bill do, and where does it stand? Will veterans' benefits become exempt from means testing? The session will also cover other notable legislative actions, as well as the key takeaways from the Final Report of the ABI Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy.

This session will focus on the interplay between bankruptcy law and state law. How is a bankruptcy case impacted? How is a state court matter impacted? How do you handle matters that involve other areas of the law? How does a divorce, probate or condo issue affect the bankruptcy case? How and when do you retain nonbankruptcy professionals to assist with state law matters? How do you address pre-petition or post-petition Code violations from a municipality? If the potential client (pre-filing) becomes incapacitated, can that incapacitated individual file bankruptcy? If the debtor is unable to testify at his or her § 341 meeting, can someone else testify for them? When can budget and credit counseling and personal financial management courses be excused?

Many bankruptcy cases have property that is partly owned by the debtor and partly owned by a nondebtor. This session will address some of the issues that can arise for debtors, creditors and trustees in these circumstances. Can a chapter 7 trustee administer property that is co-owned by a nondebtor? Under what circumstances can such property be partitioned? What steps can a nondebtor co-owner take to protect his or her interest in estate property? What about equitable title vs. legal title? What rights does the nonfiling co-debtor have? When does the co-debtor stay apply? How does having parents on property/bank accounts impact the debtor and the bankruptcy estate?

Financial difficulties, especially bankruptcy, are among the most traumatic events an individual can experience. This session will focus on some of the mental health issues that can arise when advising clients with financial difficulties, and in filing and going through bankruptcy. How do mental health issues influence consumer credit choices? What resources are available for you to refer to your clients to help them cope with financial difficulties and bankruptcy? How do mental health issues impact a debtor’s ability to obtain a discharge of student loans? What legal standing must be shown to take action on behalf of a mentally ill individual who is either filing a bankruptcy case or is a debtor in a pending case? What are the best practices for interacting with debtors who have mental health issues?

This panel will discuss preferences and fraudulent conveyances, the Fairfield cases relating to extraterritoriality, and whether returning the funds acts as a defense (Kingsley v. Wetzel (In re Kingsley), 518 F.3d 874, 877-78 (11th Cir. 2008)) versus what the Seventh Circuit has ruled on the issue (Nostalgia Network Inc. v. Lockwood, 315 F3d 717, 720 (7th Cir. 2002)).

This session will cover a number of recent confirmation hot topics, including pre-packaged reorganization (In re FullBeauty Brands Holding Corp.), make-whole provisions (In re Ultra Petroleum Corp.), reorganization through rights offerings (In re Pacific Drilling SA), and the ‘one day’ confirmation issue (Pacific Western Bank v. Fagerdala USA-Lompac Inc.).

This panel will feature a roundtable discussion with bankruptcy judges from the Ninth Circuit and across the country, who will share their thoughts and perspectives — and take questions from the audience — on topics of current interest in both business and consumer cases.