2024

In the 2022 and 2023 Supreme Court terms, there have been three or four bankruptcy cases on the docket in each term, as opposed to the more normal one case every year or even every other year. Cases have included both very significant issues that may have far-ranging effects, as in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma L.P. (whether the Bankruptcy Code authorizes a court to approve, as part of a plan of reorganization under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, a release that extinguishes claims held by nondebtors against nondebtor third parties without the claimants’ consent), and more discrete issues that could have limited impact, as in Office of the U.S. Trustee v. John Q. Hammons Fall 2006, LLC (whether to require the U.S. Trustee to issue refunds for the extra fees paid by debtors in certain districts to address the lack of uniformity identified in Siegel v. Fitzgerald). This panel will discuss these Supreme Court cases from the last two terms.

With a sluggish return to office, a looming maturity wall and a challenging refinancing environment, distress in commercial real estate looks to be here to stay for the foreseeable future. This panel will help attendees navigate this complex environment while offering diverse perspectives representing landlords, debtors, committees and lenders, as well as from the bench.

Beyond a general overview of the fraudulent transfer elements under state law and the Bankruptcy Code, this panel will dissect recent fraud-related litigation topics and share personal experiences in representing and adjudicating such matters. Understanding who may be the subject of a fraudulent claim in bankruptcy, when a fraudulent transfer claim may arise, the ever-developing defenses to fraud, and the consequences for not complying with fraud-related discovery are just some of the issues that will be addressed in this panel. As more cases are filed because of, or in order to pursue, fraud claims, the panelists will provide their perspectives and highlight considerations of which all professionals should be aware.

Bankruptcy courts are courts of limited jurisdiction. Given that parties can neither waive nor consent to subject-matter jurisdiction, this panel will explore the limits of 28 U.S.C. § 1334 and the effectiveness of the retention of jurisdiction provisions in sale orders and confirmation orders. The panelists will discuss recent decisions on the scope of “arising under,” “arising in” and “related to” jurisdiction. The panel also will delve into whether, and to what extent, bankruptcy courts automatically have jurisdiction to interpret and enforce their own orders, including whether that jurisdiction diminishes over time. Finally, the panelists will discuss mandatory and permissive abstention and the parallel proceeding rule.

This panel will lead attendees through negotiating and crafting polished purchase agreements and sale pleadings to avoid contested sale hearings and post-closing disputes.