Polsinelli Podcasts: Out-of-Court Alternatives to Bankruptcy
Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code allows a Chapter 11 debtor to sell assets "free and clear" of existing claims, liens, encumbrances, and other liabilities. This provision facilitates expedited sales that might otherwise be...more
From a U.S. bankruptcy perspective, distressed debt investing is often based on two fundamental principles in the bankruptcy system: 1) a secured creditor is entitled to the value of its collateral in a given bankruptcy case...more
The finality of asset sales in bankruptcy is an indispensable feature of U.S. bankruptcy law designed to maximize the value of a bankruptcy estate as expeditiously as possible for the benefit of all stakeholders. To promote...more
For a debtor in financial distress, having the right team in place to steward the company through a restructuring can mean the difference between success and failure. To incentivize top talent to stay with the debtor and...more
Distressed entities seeking to sell assets often encounter commercial and legal challenges related to existing claims or resistant constituents. One possible solution to those challenges is to sell assets in bankruptcy...more
Bankruptcy Court Elects to Follow Majority Interpretation of 11 U.S.C. § 363(f)(5) On March 4, 2025, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the Bankruptcy Court) issued a significant...more
On January 24, 2025, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia entered an opinion denying a motion for a stay pending an appeal of a settlement motion in In re Hopeman Bros., Inc., No....more
Conducting an asset sale through a bankruptcy auction — a Section 363 sale — is an effective and common M&A tool for a distressed company. In anticipation of a 363 sale, a Chapter 11 debtor typically tries before its...more
On January 13, 2025, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware affirmed the decision by the Delaware Bankruptcy Court, holding that an unofficial committee representing tens of thousands of sexual abuse...more
When a company enters bankruptcy, its assets are often sold to the highest or best bid. Secured lenders — those who have perfected liens on the company's assets — have a unique advantage under Section 363(k) of the Bankruptcy...more
In the high-stakes world of bankruptcy asset acquisitions, Bankruptcy Code Section 363 provides a powerful mechanism for purchasing assets “free and clear” of most claims, liens, and encumbrances. Success in these...more
As the enactment of chapter 15 of the Bankruptcy Code approaches its 20-year anniversary, U.S. bankruptcy courts are still grappling with some unresolved issues concerning how its provisions should be applied to best...more
This episode of “Terra Firma: Conversations on Commercial Real Estate” features hosts Stacey C. Tyler and Stephen Tanico talking with Eric Chafetz, partner in Lowenstein’s Bankruptcy and Restructuring Group, about office...more
Businesses generally file for bankruptcy because of financial challenges or operational issues. But, while their distressed business dissolves, there could be an opportunity for another business to acquire it through a...more
Section 363(m) of the Bankruptcy Code offers powerful protection for good-faith purchasers in bankruptcy sales because it limits appellate review of an approved sale, irrespective of the legal merits of the appeal....more
Sales under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code have become commonplace in bankruptcy cases as a mechanism to liquidate a debtor's assets and maximize value for creditors. Selling the debtor's assets to a third party offers...more
A bankruptcy sale is an opportunity to potentially acquire assets at distressed pricing. A bankruptcy sale also presents prospective bidders with a level playing field to conduct due diligence, submit a bid, and compete...more
In an opinion on January 22nd, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, in Matter of S. Coast Supply Co., 91 F.4th 376 (5th Cir. 2024), held that preference claims arising under 11 U.S.C. § 547 may be sold, reversing the dismissal...more
For some folks the three letters ABC are a reminder of elementary school and singing a song to learn the alphabet. For others, it is a throw back to the early 70’s when the Jackson Five and its lead singer Michael, still...more
On February 20, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued an Opinion, which held that challenges to “integral” aspects of a bankruptcy sale are statutorily moot under Bankruptcy Code § 363(m). In...more
On April 26, 2023, Miller Canfield alerted readers to the Supreme Court opinion in MOAC Mall Holdings, LLC v. Transform Holdco, LLC. The MOAC decision may affect property sales in bankruptcy cases because it could weaken the...more
The court-fashioned doctrine of "equitable mootness" has frequently been applied to bar appeals of bankruptcy court orders under circumstances where reversal or modification of an order could jeopardize, for example, the...more
On July 25, 2023, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued an important opinion protecting the rights of stalking horse bidders in Section 363 sales. In the Matter of Bouchard Transportation Company,...more
The finality of asset sales and other transactions in bankruptcy is an indispensable feature of U.S. bankruptcy law designed to maximize the value of a bankruptcy estate as expeditiously as possible for the benefit of all...more
As the cannabis industry matures, there will be winners and losers. Losers lack access to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Marijuana related assets cannot be sold free and clear of liens and encumbrances via the tried and true...more