It was great seeing many of you at the Annual Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C., and getting to catch up with you in person. It was three amazing days of educational sessions and networking.
A very special thank you to Kyle Ortiz for serving as co-chair to the ABI International Committee for the past two years, and congratulations to Adam Crane for his appointment as co-chair of the ABI International Committee for 2023. The ABI International Committee was honored to be named ABI Committee of the Year for 2022, and Evelyn Meltzer, co-chair of the ABI International Committee, was named ABI Committee Member of the Year for 2022.
2023 Committee Leadership
Congratulations to the 2023 leadership for the ABI International Committee. Click here.
Q1 2023 Past Events
- Educational Panel at the Annual Spring Meeting
The International Committee teamed up with the Bankruptcy Litigation Committee to present Lessons Learned from Luckin Coffee, Inc. at the Annual Spring Meeting. Luckin Coffee Inc., founded in 2017 by a Chinese entrepreneur, had the goal of outgrowing Starbucks as China’s largest coffee chain. The company’s 2019 initial public offering raised approximately US$2.2 billion. However, in February 2020, it was discovered that Luckin had fabricated its financial statements. Litigation followed, with various direct and class action claims being asserted in the U.S., as well as a class action claim in Canada, and injunctive proceedings in both the Cayman Islands and Hong Kong. To protect Luckin from its creditors while restructuring proposals were considered, a winding-up petition was filed by a former director, followed by an application for the appointment of joint provisional liquidators in the Cayman Islands. The panelists were Nicosia Lawson from Baker & Partners, Hamid Khanbhai from Campbells and Wei-Yang Lim from Kirkland & Ellis. - Happy Hour at Annual Spring Meeting
The International and Bankruptcy Litigation Committees hosted a happy hour prior to the Opening Reception of the Annual Spring Meeting. A great time was had by all, as members of both committees enjoyed drinks, light food and each other’s company.
- Virtual Meet-and-Greet
On Feb. 27, 2023, the International Committee hosted a virtual meet-and-greet. The meeting was a great chance for committee members to learn more about the activities of the International Committee, how to get involved in the committee and how to network with other committee members. The International Committee hosts two virtual meetings a year and anticipates that the next meeting will be held in the fall. Stay tuned for details. - 2023 Look Ahead
On Feb. 8, 2023, the International and Asset Sales Committees hosted the 2023 Look Ahead. Leadership for the International Committee discussed hot international issues to be focused on in 2023, then networked with ABI members. - Judgement Enforcement and Venue Considerations Webinar
On Jan. 25, 2023, the International and Asset Sales Committees presented a webinar titled “Judgement Enforcement and Venue Considerations,” which focused on international collection issues, the best ways to approach these types of claims, and venue consideration when trying to collect on such claims. Kristina M. Johnson served as mediator, and the speakers were Leyza F. Blanco, Quentin Cregan, Shane Donovan and Eric (Rick) S. Rein. Click here to watch the video now.
Welcome to Our New Committee Members
The International Committee continues to grow, and we extend a particular welcome to our newest members. You can read a bit about some of our newest members in the “New Member Spotlight” section of the newsletter. Our new members perfectly highlight the international reach of this committee.
Opportunities to Get Involved
- Listserve
We are looking for members interested in posting to our listserve on hot international insolvency topics (no more than 300 words per post). Our hope is to use these short posts as starting points for members to engage, discuss and learn. Do you have a question you would love feedback on or a view on a recent case or issue? Maybe you are interested in understanding something and would appreciate hearing from our members regarding their views on the issue. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Communications Manager Adam Swick at adam.swick@akerman.com. - Latin America Webinar and Future Webinars
The International Committee is planning a number of upcoming webinars, and we are looking for both speakers and potential topics. If you are interested in speaking or have an idea for a future webinar, please email Special Projects Leader Ken Kraft at kenneth.kraft@dentons.com. - Q2 2023 Newsletter
The International Committee is always looking for people interested in writing on international insolvency issues. If you are interested in contributing to future newsletters, please reach out to Newsletter Directors Simon Eickmann and Evan Zucker at simon.eickmann@pluta-management.com and evan.zucker@blankrome.com.
Global Insolvency Webpage
Keep up with international content between newsletters by visiting ABI’s Global Insolvency webpage (https://globalinsolvency.com), where you can find the latest news on issues pertaining to global insolvency and search for resources on a country-by-country basis.
Warm regards,
Evelyn and Adam