2021

This panel will provide an overview of the requirements for a reorganization plan in subchapter V cases under the Small Business Reorganization Act, including the new fair-and-equitable standard for cramdowns, and effective strategies to get to plan confirmation.

Since March 2002, the U.S. economy has been in a recession brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the Great Recession of 2008 caused a jump in business and consumer bankruptcy filings, the COVID Recession has not yet resulted in any such increase. Indeed, consumer bankruptcy filings since March 2020 have seen a historic decline. This panel will explore the economic differences between the Great Recession and the COVID Recession, and attempt to explain their inconsistent effects on bankruptcy filings.

Sponsored by ABI's Diversity and Inclusion Working Group

Build a better law practice while building a more diverse and inclusive workplace! Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) leaders from the public and private sectors will discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion's impact on career trajectory, mentorship, and the bottom line, while providing tips and best practices to retaining and attracting talent. The session will begin with a plenary session, followed by breakout rooms staffed with a D&I expert and a bankruptcy judge.

The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning is becoming increasingly prevalent in the practice of law. Lawyers are using AI to assist in a multitude of tasks, including document management and review, analytics, and legal research. This program will provide an overview of how AI is being used by lawyers today, the advantages and drawbacks in using AI, and the potential ways in which AI may be used now and in the future in bankruptcy practice.