2017 Views from the Bench

Social media and other new technologies are part of the legal landscape, and it’s all charging forward — but the ethics rules are struggling to keep up. Sure, there are obvious concerns that everyone is talking about (like confidentiality (Rule 1.1)), but there are hidden hazards that few people consider (trial publicity (Rule 3.6) concerns — really?). Join “the CLE Performer” Stuart Teicher and legal ethics counsel Erika Stillabower as they discuss ethics opinions from across the country, and their impact on Rules 1.3 (diligence) and 7.2 (advertising), in a substantive-but-amusing manner.

Resolved: Third-party releases should never be permitted. Resolved: Jevic does not apply to gifting.

In many bankruptcy cases, unhappy creditors look for someone to blame — and for a source of recovery when the debtors’ assets are not sufficient. Claims against directors and officers — often alleging conflicts of interest or second-guessing business judgments — can serve both purposes, and the existence of insurance coverage makes these claims even more attractive. This panel will discuss D&O claims from both the estates' and defendants’ perspectives, and will review recent case law you need to know about if you are involved in a D&O litigation.

An unprecedented number of retailers have filed for bankruptcy so far this year. Indeed, as of June 1 there have been more significant retail bankruptcies than in all of 2016, setting a potential record course for 2017, including The Limited, rue21, Payless, Gymboree, hhGregg, Gander Mountain and Ignite Restaurants (Joe's Crab Shack). Has the strategy changed from § 363 sales and liquidations to pre-2005 reorganizations? Will the sheer greater number of potential filings doom malls? Will mall owners and their tenants be filing for bankruptcy? What could the domino effect be on landlords? Can brick-and-mortar stores cement their positions and stem the tide of bankruptcies? Will the Aeropostale paradigm of landlord investment become more common? Will factors and other lenders be caught in the downward spiral? Will there be recoveries for the unsecured creditors in cash or equity? Can Black Friday sales save retail? This panel discussion will cover a wide spectrum of legal and practical insights into each of these topics.

This panel will discuss the viability of bankruptcy remote LLC structures after Intervention Energy Holdings and Lake Michigan Beach Pottawattamie Resort, and the fiduciary duties of members. The panel will also explore derivative claims, special concerns regarding single-member LLCs, and sales of LLC interests.

This session covers a number of recent confirmation hot topics, including structured dismissals and the absolute priority rule (In re Jevic Holding Corp.), interpretation of the Trust Indenture Act (Marblegate Asset Management v. Education Management Corp.), frontloading notice in prepacks (In re Roust Corp.), permissibility of nonconsensual third-party releases (In re Millennium Lab Holdings II LLC), and cross-border confirmations (Nortel Networks).