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ABI Journal

Professional Compensation/Fees

Getting paid in a consumer bankruptcy practice can feel like nighttime in Westeros: dark and full of terrors. [1]

A Partial Ethical Wall Didn’t Give Rise to Disinterestedness, Judge Kenney Said

Expedience is no substitute for disinterestedness when it comes to retention of a chapter 11 debtor’s general counsel.

Parties in large, complex bankruptcy cases routinely retain local counsel when that party's primary counsel has no office or attorneys licensed in a particular venue. Local counsel can provide critical support in these cases--to creditors, committees, groups, and debtors--including having local knowledge, well-formed relationships in the venue, and familiarity with other professionals and the court.

But hiring local counsel can present myriad issues with retention, compensation, and, in particular, ethics. Many courts have strict rules on hiring local counsel, including some jurisdictions that require local counsel to play a substantive role in the case (as opposed to simply signing/filing pleadings), including attending all depositions and hearings. There may be many landmines waiting for both local and outside counsel, depending on the jurisdiction.

This panel would discuss the benefits of local counsel, things to avoid, and ethical/compensation related issues. The panel could consist of an attorney that often serves as local counsel, an attorney that often hires local counsel as outside counsel, and a judge that frequently sees retention of local counsel (to provide that judge's views on what works, what doesn't, and things to avoid). This panel would discuss the benefits of local counsel, things to avoid, and ethical/compensation related issues. The panel could consist of an attorney that often serves as local counsel, an attorney that often hires local counsel as outside counsel, and a judge that frequently sees retention of local counsel (to provide that judge's views on what works, what doesn't, and things to avoid). Business Tim Anzenberger tim.anzenberger@arlaw.com Adams and Reese LLP
06
July
2025
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No Refunds for Overpayment of Unconstitutional U.S. Trustee Fees, Supreme Court Rules

Saying that the constitutional infirmity was “small” and “short-lived,” the majority decided that prospective relief was enough because Congress subsequently enacted a law mandating uniformity in the future with regard to fees for U.S. Trustees and Bankruptcy Administrators