Program Schedule

Welcome by Ron Bingham, President

Economic Overview - (click here for PPT)

Bill Rule, Senior Economist for the Administrative Office of the United States, will discuss the recent and current economic climate, the impact it has had on consumers and businesses, and what that could mean for bankruptcy trends going-forward.

SPEAKER: William T. Rule, II

A Primer on Tax Returns and Accounting for Bankruptcy Attorneys -
  A Primer on Tax Returns and Accounting

SPEAKER: Spence Shumway

Refreshment Break
Registrants only (included in registration fee)

Hot Topics in Distressed Valuations - (click here for PPT)
  Teaching Bankruptcy Valuations
  In re Celsius Network LLC

SBLI’s long-time friend, Professor Jack Williams from Georgia State University College of Law, will join us to discuss recent trends, hot topics, and court rulings impacting the always important topic of how to effectively and accurately value a failing company’s assets or business.

SPEAKER: Prof. Jack F. Williams

Cocktail Reception (Registrants and Spouses)

The Painted Pin Bowling Reception – Come test your skills with a few games of tenpin against other SBLI attendees. The winner will receive a $100 gift card and bragging rights for a year. Included with conference registration but space is limited. Prior registration is required!

Continental Breakfast
Registrants only (included in registration fee)

The Future of Artificial Intelligence and Bankruptcy -
  Future of AI and Bankruptcy

Former District Court Judge for the Southern District of New York and current digital technology expert Katherine B. Forrest will talk to us about the intersection of artificial intelligence and bankruptcy. Judge Forrest will help us understand what’s on the cutting edge of this brave new world, and what kind of companies might be looking for some relief in the near future.

SPEAKER: Katherine B. Forrest

We’ve all heard about the attorney that used AI to write a brief and didn’t check the cases it cited. Of course, we’d never do anything like that! But emerging AI does present novel ethical questions even for the most diligent attorney. This panel will discuss how you can avoid the pitfalls of AI hallucinations and preserve your reputation. (Submitted for 1.0 hour ethics credit.)

SPEAKERS: Hon. Cynthia A. Norton & Prof. Nancy B. Rapoport

Refreshment Break
Registrants only (included in registration fee)

Trial by Ambush- Showing Up With a Witness - (click here for PPT)

In bankruptcy court we do a lot of proffering. We stipulate, consent, and agree. So what happens when opposing counsel has the audacity to ambush you by showing up with a witness? Or what if they object to your proffer? This panel will help you handle direct examination, cross, and appropriate objections. Be there or get overruled! (Submitted for 1.0 hour trial credit.)

SPEAKERS: Hon. Jeffery W. Cavender & R. Scott Williams

Lunch
Registrants only (included in registration fee)

Structuring Bankruptcy Plans in a Post-Purdue World - (click here for PPT)
  Stucturing Bankruptcy Post-Purdue World

The Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma sent shockwaves through the restructuring community with its ruling that the Bankruptcy Code does not permit non-consensual third-party releases—a tool that practitioners have been using (and maybe abusing?) for many years.  This panel will examine the Purdue ruling (and where the Purdue bankruptcy case has gone since then), discuss the numerous rulings that have arisen post-Purdue on the topic of what constitutes “consent” for purposes of a consensual release, and provide practical advice around structuring plans in a manner that expands the protections available under the Bankruptcy Code without running afoul of Purdue.

Best Practices in Commercial Real Estate Restructurings - (click here for PPT)

The combination of higher interest rates, more employees working from home, and the continuing struggles of the brick-and-mortar retail industry has led to a significant increase in the number of commercial real estate bankruptcies and restructurings. This panel of experienced real estate-focused restructuring professionals will provide practical strategic advice to practitioners who have seen their real estate workout case load recently increase.

Chapter 13 Hidden Bombs -
  Chapter 13 Hidden Bombs

That Chapter 13 you filed was supposed to be simple. But what landmines stand between you and the end of the case? Insurance proceeds, tax refunds, life insurance proceeds, lottery winnings, and other “windfalls” can create confusion about where the money goes. This panel will help you learn how to deactivate these bombs.

SPEAKERS: Laurie K. Weatherford & Mary Beth Ausbrooks

Hot Off the Presses: The Annual Case Law Update, Part I -
  Hot Off the Presses - Annual Consumer Law Update

This panel will teach you all about the latest cases in the world of consumer bankruptcy. You’ll feel like you’ve read all the advance sheets. Don’t miss it!

SPEAKERS: Ronald R. Peterson & Sabrina L. McKinney

Hot Off the Presses: The Annual Case Law Update, Part II -
  Hot Off the Presses - Annual Consumer Law Update

You didn’t think they could do it all in an hour, did you? Don’t miss part two of the all-important consumer bankruptcy caselaw update.

SPEAKERS: Ronald R. Peterson & Sabrina L. McKinney

We’ve Struck Gold: Post-Petition Appreciation of Value -
  Post-Petition Appreciation of Value

House prices aren’t rising faster than helium these days, but post-petition appreciation in property of the estate can still create problems in your case. This panel will help you effectively navigate the problem of having more money than you did when you started your case.

SPEAKERS: Laurie K. Weatherford & Hon. Sage M. Sigler

Continental Breakfast
Registrants only (included in registration fee)

Can You Negotiate Your Way Out of a Paper Bag? - (click here for PPT)
  Professionalism Can You Negotiate Your Way Out of a Paper Bag

Negotiation is a necessary part of any legal practice, no matter who you represent. But the way you go about it can have a huge impact on how things turn out for your client. They say that with the best settlements both parties are equally unhappy, but this hour might help your client be just a little bit happier than their opponent. Don’t miss it! (Submitted for 1.0 hour professionalism credit.)

SPEAKER: Chuck Lyons

SubChapter V, V years later -(click here for PPT)
  Subchapter V, V Years Later Pt 1
  Subchapter V, V Years Later Pt 2
  Subchapter V, V Years Later Pt 3

We’ve been doing these cases since February of 2020, but how has the emerging body of law impacted the practice over the last five years? This panel includes a Judge, a Trustee, and an Assistant United States Trustee, and together they will give you the tools you need to make the V stand for Victory!

11:15 - 12:35

BREAKOUT
SESSIONS

Lunch
Registrants only (included in registration fee)

Navigating Restaurant Restructurings -
  Navigating Restaurant Restructurings

With the tightening of consumer spending and the significant increase of cost of goods and labor, 2024 was a brutal year for many restaurant chains and saw many of them (Red Lobster, TGI Fridays, etc.) make their way through chapter 11 and even more restructured outside of court. This panel will discuss the particular challenges that arise when attempting to restructure a restaurant chain, as well as provide practical advice on the steps practitioners can take to effectively address those challenges.

SPEAKERS: Paul J. Labov, Jonathan Tibus & Teri Stratton

Refreshment Break
Registrants only (included in registration fee)

Healthcare Restructuring Trends -
  Healthcare Restructuring Trends

Although 2024 large healthcare bankruptcies decreased around 25% from a five-year high in 2023, there is still meaningful distress and financial headwinds in the healthcare sector due to numerous factors, including high interest rates affecting capital markets, heightened antitrust scrutiny, cost hikes, labor shortages, stagnating payer rate increases, Medicare Advantage denials, and Medicaid enrollment disruptions. This panel will examine the various sectors of the healthcare industry that have seen an increase in distress activity, as well as provide an overview of some of the trends they have observed in restructuring these troubled situations.

SPEAKERS: David E. Gordon, Neal F. Luria & Hon. Paul M. Baisier

“I gotta have my car" - (click here for PPT)
  I Gotta Have My Car

A unique look into consumer cases treating auto loans from the perspective of the lender. What happens when the lender receives a bankruptcy notice, portal or app access for information and the lack thereof, cosigned loans, cramdown, special provisions, reaffirmations. Beware of things that are too good to be true. Don’t miss this panel or you might get pulled over without the information you need!

SPEAKERS: Hon. Lisa Ritchey Craig & Lawrence J. Fallon

Rising from the Ashes – Rehabbing your Credit Report after your Discharge -
  (click here for PPT)

Your client’s credit is trashed, so you know their number one question after they get that discharge is about how can they rehabilitate their credit. Do you know the answer to that question? This Equifax representative will give us a crash course on how bankruptcy impacts credit scores and, more importantly, how your client can rise from the economic ashes of his bankruptcy case.

SPEAKER: Amanda Payne

The Power Behind the Bench – Law Clerk Panel -
  The Power Behind the Bench - Law Clerk Panel

We all know the law clerks are an integral part of the court system. This panel of bankruptcy and district court clerks will give you a peek behind the curtain and give you some insights on how to avoid irritating the judge!

Get Out of My House v. I’ve Gotta Have a Place to Live - Landlord Tenant Issues -
  Get Out of My House vs Place to Live

A dispossessory action is the impetus for many a bankruptcy. The landlord wants their apartment back, and the Debtor’s got no place to go. This panel will address the push/pull of landlord tenant issues in bankruptcy and will help you handle all the thorny residential lease issues that arise.