2018 Winter Leadership Conference

This panel of experienced professionals will discuss and analyze what it takes to maximize results for unsecured creditors in today’s chapter 11 cases.

Limited liability companies did not exist when the Bankruptcy Code was enacted. Case law related to LLCs and bankruptcy is conflicting and sometimes confusing. This panel will discuss the unique issues related to LLCs and bankruptcy law.

The way that we practice law is changing, as the legal industry is going through a dramatic digital transformation. Cybercriminals are increasingly seeing law firms as targets for cybercrime, and clients are putting pressure on professionals to create and maintain appropriate security programs to keep their data secure. This panel of experts will discuss the current state of cybersecurity, as well as best practices for how to protect yourself from and respond to a cybersecurity attack. We will also explore how blockchain technology may be the tool of the future to keep data secure.

This year the conference opens with ABI Talks, one of our highest-rated programs ever! Based on the incredibly popular “TED Talks” format, ABI Talks address diverse and interesting bankruptcy topics. If you consider yourself a bankruptcy guru, or just want to be one, you will not want to miss this featured session! DID THAT REALLY HAPPEN IN COURT TODAY? Judge Carey will take a reminiscent trip through a typical day in court by recounting the successful presentations and skill sets employed by lawyers that work really well for him, as well as the ones that don’t — all in an entertaining and informative way. #METOO: WHERE I’VE BEEN, AND WHERE BANKRUPTCY PROFESSIONALS ARE GOING Cathy Hershcopf graduated from law school in 1985 and entered into “big law” restructuring practice immediately — a world where women were rarely found. Her personal journey is one that will resonate, especially in today’s environment. Her impactful talk will also present, in an interactive format, several challenging fact scenarios from the legal workplace for the audience to consider. SOVEREIGN CITIZENS MOVEMENT (BEST MID-ATLANTIC BANKRUPTCY WORKSHOP PROGRAM) Tom Horan will introduce everyone to the beliefs of sovereign citizens — a loose collection of individuals who contend that the U.S. government is illegitimate and who seek to transform American society into one where government plays a minimal role. Find out what happens when their belief system collides with the Bankruptcy Code and the courts. A ROSE IS A ROSE IS A ROSE — OR IS IT? Is a deposit in a bank a transfer of the debtor’s assets? Ron Peterson will discuss this and more, as well as review appellate court decisions of the Fourth, Sixth, Seventh and Ninth Circuits. THE JAY ALIX/MCKINSEY DISPUTE: "SOUR GRAPES" TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT, OR THE NEW NORMAL? Tom Salerno will explore the dynamics of the extraordinary pending litigation involving retention disclosures between McKinsey & Co. and Jay Alix, and will discuss the potentially far-reaching legal, political and practical ramifications of that dispute for the restructuring community on all sides of the industry. Is this a tipping point for the bankruptcy world that will create a new industry order, or just a “sour grapes,” spurned advisor’s tempest in a teapot?