2021

To make meaningful progress, legal professionals and the organizational cultures they inhabit must adopt a learning goal orientation and be willing to change. Join this keynote panel of legal professionals from across the nation for an active discussion on the business impacts of racial and gender diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal industry. The panel will begin with a plenary session followed by breakout rooms.

The health care industry in general, and hospitals in particular, have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in many respects. At its most basic level, the impact has been devastating financially. The American Hospital Association estimates that between March 1 and June 30, 2020, hospitals will have suffered financial losses of $202.6 billion, or approximately $1.66 billion per day. These losses affect all hospitals, whether they are part of large chains or are stand-alone nonprofits.

Against the backdrop of the recent COVID-19 health crisis, this session will focus on issues relating to crisis management in the business and practice of bankruptcy law. The panelists will discuss best practices for disaster recovery and business-continuity planning, technology solutions for navigating a crisis, and various legal and ethical issues that arise during a time of crisis. The panelists will also address mental health and personal wellness issues that can arise during and after a crisis.

Unemployment rates are slowly dropping after hitting an all-time high in April of this year and remaining in the double digits for four months straight. However, the effects of the ongoing pandemic remain. Rent payments are down, and homeowners are delaying payments on their mortgages. The Federal Reserve has dropped interest rates to near-zero, and small business revenue nationwide is down nearly 20%, even after accounting for the thousands of businesses that have already closed for good.

This past year has seen a remarkable number of wide splits and controversial opinions. This panel of experts, moderated by ABI Editor-at-Large Bill Rochelle, will discuss and analyze current notable business and consumer bankruptcy cases.