The ABI Bankruptcy Litigation Committee recently published a newsletter with articles focusing on IP matters in bankruptcy litigation. Following publication of the newsletter, authors invited members to dial in for further discussion of the topic and articles.
The Asset Sales Committee will host John Hutton and Henry Jaffe as they discuss the GM successor liability decision, now on appeal in the Second Circuit, describing the arguments and positions taken by different parties on key issues in the case and discussing the potential impact of the ruling on appeal.
A company’s decision to file for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection will inevitably cause disruption to the debtor’s operations, communications and daily routine, especially at the start of the bankruptcy case. In order to minimize these disruptions and to provide reassurance to its employees, creditors and vendors, a chapter 11 debtor generally files a series of “first day” motions concurrently with, or shortly after, the filing of its chapter 11 petition.
The Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules recently unanimously agreed to proposed amendments to Bankruptcy Rule 3002-1, which requires a secured creditor of residential property to notify debtors of changes to post-petition payments that may become due over the course of a chapter 13 bankruptcy.
The ABI Commission Report proposes some significant changes to the Bankruptcy Code, and the preferential transfer statute in Section 547 is no exception.This webinar explores the rationale behind the recommendations, such as the good faith belief for filing a demand letter or preference complaint, the increase in the statutory minimum to bring a preference action, and more.
Tax-Sharing Agreements in Bankruptcy that Have Been the Subject of Recent Appeals Courts Decisions
Atlantic City, N.J.’s pride has become its downfall. In the past few years, many of the city’s casinos have closed down or entered bankruptcy. Consequently, the city itself, which is heavily dependent on casino revenue, has taken a severe financial hit.
Atlantic City’s decline is due in part to the legalization of gambling and casino operations in neighboring states. Since the town’s chief draw for many years has been gambling, there is now less of a reason to visit Atlantic City if other cities with more diverse attractions (like Philadelphia and Baltimore) also offer luxurious casinos and good gambling opportunities.
Words can sometimes be deceiving. This is one of the lessons learned by the debtor in the recent Tayfur decision. Although the case ultimately applied a different subsection of § 365 of the Bankruptcy Code, the Third Circuit underscored an important fact in oil and gas law: A mineral lease is not always a true lease. Thus, a mineral lease will not always fall within the ambit of § 365, and therefore it may not always be rejected in bankruptcy.
Having just lost a state court suit to the tune of $1.5 million with the winner about to collect on the $1.5 million, a debtor with a substantial income files a skeletal chapter 11 petition. One creditor, the state court victor, holds more than 65 percent of the total debt, and the initial list of exempt assets is long and their value considerable. Within 69 days of the petition’s filing and with 51 days left for the debtor to propose a reorganization plan, even these verities are apparent from the skimpy record.
Multiple bills have been introduced by Congress recently to address the student debt crisis, which has been consuming headlines for several years. One bill receiving significant attention, H.R. 449, proposes to reverse a 2005 law that prevents debtors from discharging private student loans in bankruptcy cases.[1] In seeming support of the bill, the President recently requested that federal agencies explore this possibility as well. The goal of H.R. 449 is to provide many in need with the intended benefits of bankruptcy: a fresh start. But the relief will likely come to the detriment of many for-profit universities.