Video

A panel of experts discuss environmental and pension liabilities, the statutory schemes under which these liabilities arise and the key players involved. Are non-monetary environmental claims dischargeable? Do post-petition expenditures for environmental cleanup constitute administrative expenses? When can an employer terminate a pension plan in bankruptcy, what is the process and what are the consequences?

Valuation models are applied to the stages of restructuring, pre-bankruptcy, DIP and cash collateral, automatic stay, post-petition interest and fees, avoidance actions, plan confirmation, fee enhancements and more.

An update on the sometimes-exciting academic research now being conducted on corporate restructurings and bankruptcy. Topics include advances in our understanding of the benefits and costs of bankruptcy, trends in the accuracy of confirmation values, private-equity firms and financial distress, and the impact of distressed-debt trading.

How are an expert's qualifications and the relevance and reliability of the expert's opinions assessed by courts? What do attorneys expect from experts and what do experts expect from attorneys? A panel of attorneys and valuation experts discuss the criteria for expert qualification, the methodological components of reliability and offer guidance on avoiding pitfalls and bad opinions when working with experts. The panel also provides recent statistics on Daubert challenges.

Since most debtors default in chapter 13 plans before they reach completion, are modifications needed to the law's rehabilitation goals?
Pro: Hon. Pamela Pepper
Con: Catherine Peek McEwen

Should the U.S. Trustee's enforcement role in chapter 11 cases yield to creditor preferences?
Pro: Robert M. Fishman
Con: Clifford J. White, III

Do creditors' committees serve a useful purpose in cases where the debtor's assets are overly encumbered and the amount of unsecured claims is a fraction of the amount of secured debt?
Pro: Robert J. Feinstein
Con: Jay M. Goffman