One feature commonly seen in commercial lending transactions is a waiver of the borrower’s authority to file for bankruptcy without the consent of the lender. While such “blocking” provisions are generally upheld where the...more
Justice Breyer of the Supreme Court previously recognized that a chapter 11 bankruptcy case can generally lead to the following results: ..reorganization through a confirmed chapter 11 plan, where a deal with creditors...more
Most bankruptcy attorneys have a basic level of understanding of the how exemptions work. At a very broad level, a claim of exemptions removes property of a consumer debtor (note that business debtors are not afforded...more
It is well-settled that if you are a debtor in chapter 11, you do not have the unfettered right to convert the case to a chapter 7 liquidation. A recent 10th Circuit decision shows why. Kearney v. Unsecured Creditors...more
On December 9, 2020, Congressional Democrats, including Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), proposed sweeping legislation that would overhaul consumer bankruptcy law. The proposed changes generally make it...more
The importance of clarity in drafting agreements can never be understated. And while there are strategies available to spouses of business owners to help protect a family in bankruptcy, it is imperative to properly plan and...more
In the fifth opinion involving the repo liquidation saga of HomeBanc, the Third Circuit addressed several crucial issues involving the liquidation and valuation of repo collateral in bankruptcy. In re HomeBanc Mortg....more
A few weeks ago, I wrote about Judge Troy L. Nunley's holding that the limitations on distributions in Chapter 5 of the General Corporation Law do not apply to a corporation's repurchase of shares pursuant to Section 2000 of...more
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals addressed the priority of claims between the City of Peoria, Illinois, and Banco Panamericano, a secured creditor, regarding gas-to-energy conversion infrastructure left behind from a...more
The Fifth Circuit, in In the Matter of: ATP Oil & Gas Corp. (Tow v. Bulmahn, et. al.), dismissed breach of fiduciary duty claims and fraudulent transfer claims brought by a chapter 7 trustee relating to cash bonuses and...more
Valera v. AE Liquidation, Inc., the Third Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with five other circuits in holding that WARN notice was not required where an external event outside the employer's control triggering layoffs was...more
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act in the U.S. requires that employers give sixty days’ notice to its employees before effecting a mass layoff. The WARN Act contains exceptions to the notice...more
Key points: While DIP Lenders rightfully negotiate for super-priority administrative expenses which trump post conversion chapter 7 administrative expenses, these provisions are not uniformly enforced. DIP...more