2015

The Final Report of the Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11 is the culmination of more than two years of testimony, advisory reports and deliberations. This panel will present key finds as submitted to Congress and includes several members of the Commission and the official reporter.

Recent decades have seen substantial expansion in exemptions from the Bankruptcy Code’s provisions with respect to repurchase agreements, or “repos.” These agreements, which are equivalent to very-short-term (often one-day) secured loans, are exempt from such core bankruptcy provisions as the automatic stay, the avoidability of fraudulent transfers and the avoidability of preferences. Recent scholarship has questioned whether these exemptions are justified for mortgage-backed securities and other securities that could prove illiquid or unable to realize their long-term value in the event of the kind of panic experienced during the financial crisis of 2007-09. This panel will explore the arguments for and against revising the Bankruptcy Code’s existing treatment of these agreements.

Your favorite judges will answer the most difficult questions fielded from ABI members in the weeks before this event and from members of the audience. Hear the judges provide their input on best practices, interesting arguments and the current state of the law.

Any reform of current chapter 11 practice must account for the prevailing criticism that fees and costs are too high, and do it in a way that focuses on aligning incentives with case efficiency. This panel of Commissioners will discuss recommended reforms that provide for more effective oversight, as well as alternative fee structures consistent with professionals’ ethical obligations under the Code of Professional Responsibility.

This panel will discuss the use of your iPad and other tablets to maximize the return to your practice. The topics will include a discussion of leading apps that are available for bankruptcy attorneys and other bankruptcy case professionals.

Structuring Cross-Border Deals to Protect Creditor Interests

Hemorrhaging Hospitals: Labor Issues in the Healthcare Insolvency E.R.

Using Technology Effectively: Strategies for Courtroom Success