Thursday, July 14
2:00 p.m.
ABI Registration Desk and Exhibit Hall Open
5:00-6:00 p.m.
Emerging Leaders and Judges Roundtable (invite only)
Private roundtable for up-and-coming insolvency professionals and the judges in attendance.
6:00-7:30 p.m.
Opening Reception
Sponsored by Choate Hall & Stewart LLP, Duane Morris LLP and Nixon Peabody LLP
Bar sponsored by Sullivan & Worcester
Friday, July 15
6:30-7:30 a.m.
Breakfast
Sponsored by Murtha Cullina LLP and WilmerHale
7:30-9:05 a.m.
Plenary Session
Practicing in the Limelight: The Challenges Faced in Cases Involving High-Profile Debtors
Representing public figures whose livelihoods depend on their public image and in remaining in the public eye, or individuals thrust into the public eye by perceived scandal, presents particular challenges to their bankruptcy lawyers. Flamboyance tends to catch the eye of judges and creditors, as well as fans and entertainment reporters. Scandal is a national pastime, so high-profile debtors catch the eyes of everybody. Representing creditors in those cases, and managing their expectations when outward appearances suggest no shortage of resources either because fame is equated with fortune or preservation of ill-gotten gains is presumed, also presents its own set of challenges. This multimedia session will be presented by lawyers who have lived through some of the highest-profile cases of recent years, and includes counsel in cases involving those who sought out the limelight, such as 50 Cent, Mike Tyson and Bob Guccione, and those who were thrust into it, such as David Drumm of Anglo-Irish Bank.
Robert J. Feinstein, Moderator
Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP; New York
James Berman
Zeisler & Zeisler, P.C.; Bridgeport, Conn.
Hon. Hannah L. Blumenstiel
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (N.D. Cal.); San Francisco
Kristin B. Mayhew
McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP; Southport, Conn.
Francis C. Morrissey
Morrissey, Wilson & Zafiropoulos LLP; Braintree, Mass.
9:15-9:30 a.m.
Coffee Break
Sponsored by Murphy & King, PC
9:30-10:45 a.m.
Business Track Sessions (4)
“Sub Rosa Plans”: Their Impact in, and Provision of a Potential Alternate Exit Strategy from, Chapter 11
This program will explore the boundaries of the sub rosa plan doctrine in a variety of contexts potentially arising in chapter 11 cases. The focus will be on efforts to resolve the relationship of the debtor to all or many of its creditor constituencies and equity-holders that arguably deviate from the priority and procedural schemes of the Bankruptcy Code. Included among the areas examined will be (1) secured creditor/acquirer carve-out and/or gifting agreements, (2) structured dismissals following § 363 sales, (3) settlements of significant or global controversies, (4) lock-up and plan-support agreements, and (5) significant distribution or settlement arrangements made in the context of DIP financing or asset sales made jointly with nondebtor parties.
Adrienne K. Walker, Moderator
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.; Boston
Christopher M. Candon
Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green PA; Manchester, N.H.
Hon. Edward A. Godoy
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. P.R.); San Juan
William R. Moorman, Jr.
Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP; Boston
Financial Advisory Panel: Curing the Cause and Not Just Treating the Symptoms — How to Fix the Business Issues and Not Just Adjust the Balance Sheet
The Bankruptcy Code offers a variety of means for addressing balance-sheet issues. Its provisions for dealing with the operational issues that caused those balance-sheet problems are more limited, however. This session will discuss the diagnostic tools available to identify operational problems, with a particular focus on the primary methodology generally used by financial professionals: the “operational review.” Rather than just addressing the symptoms, an operational review primarily focuses on the root causes of a distressed/insolvent company, and provides an outline for action plans that management and the turnaround team can execute in the recovery process. The session will also address the legal and financial issues that should be considered and resolved in dealing with some of the most often-seen problems, which frequently include stale management, poor strategy, a lack of productivity focus, and deficient information infrastructure. The panel will discuss such implementation-process issues as severance and other employment issues presented in offloading stale management, as well as board fiduciary duty issues arising from receiving the results of the operational review and addressing, or not addressing, the issues identified. The panel seeks to discuss the best ways to effectively restore companies and enhance cash flow beyond the traditional and common expense-cutting methods.
Mark F. Stickney, Moderator
Spinglass Management Group, LLC; Portland, Maine
Leslie Ann Berkoff
Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP; Garden City, N.Y.
William H. Henrich
Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC; New York
Hon. Julie A. Manning
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Conn.); New Haven
Walter P. Schuppe
CapitalSource Finance LLC; Farmington, Conn.
Small Commercial Chapter 11 Panel: A Decent Burial — Winding Up the Small Business Debtor
In the Massachusetts economy of the 21st century, insolvency professionals are increasingly called upon after it is too late to save a small business. Thus, our practice is increasingly liquidation-focused, requiring the professional to seek to engage in a process that both tightly controls cost and maximizes value. This panel will explore some of the challenges faced in this area, and will focus on such topics as developments in out-of court liquidations (ABCs, self-managed liquidations and other possible structures), setting up a sale process and the prospects for a viable auction, disposition of intellectual property (particularly where the IP portfolio is of limited value) and other unique assets such as liquor licenses, the liquidation of nonprofit debtors, and the possible use of chapter 7 as an effective disposition tool.
Hon. Diane Finkle
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. R.I.); Providence
Michael J. Goldberg
Casner & Edwards, LLP; Boston
John G. Loughnane
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP; Boston
David Peress
Hilco Streambank, LLC; Dedham, Mass
Robert P. Wexler
The Tron Group; Boston
Emerging Professionals Panel: Show Me the Money — Understanding, Structuring and Getting Approval for Debtor-in-Possession Financing
This panel will explore DIP issues in a chapter 11 case and is intended to provide both fundamental information and an overview of emerging issues, including: What is the primary analysis that needs to be undertaken? How do you assess a 13-week cash flow? Who are your potential lenders, and what are the potential terms? What are the pitfalls and areas of concern for other parties in interest, the U.S. Trustee and the court?
Natalie B. Sawyer, Moderator
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Mass.); Springfield
Eric A.W. Danner
Deloitte CRG; Boston
Julia Frost-Davies
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP; Boston
Anne Marie Dirsa
Office of the U.S. Trustee; New York
D. Ethan Jeffery
Murphy & King, PC; Boston
Hon. Elizabeth S. Stong
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (E.D.N.Y.); Brooklyn
Consumer Track
A Collision Between Two Worlds: Estate Planning vs. Bankruptcy
This panel will explore the conflicts of law between estate planning and bankruptcy. Debtor’s counsel, beware: Life estate, remainder interest, trust or power of attorney may not be safe in bankruptcy. The panel will examine recent bankruptcy cases addressing the validity of estate-planning techniques designed to protect assets that then wreak havoc on pre-bankruptcy planning, timing and chapter selection and that can have significant implications on debtors and their nonfiling family members.
Donald R. Lassman, Moderator
Law Office of Donald R. Lassman; Needham, Mass.
Nadine Champagne
Law Office of Nadine Champagne; Roslindale, Mass.
Hon. Michael A. Fagone
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Me.); Bangor
Nancy H. Michels
Parnell, Michels & McKay, PLLC; Londonderry, N.H.
10:45-11:00 a.m.
Coffee Break
Sponsored by Goulston & Storrs PC
11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Business Track Sessions (4)
Current Issues in Oil and Gas Bankruptcies
Oil, gas and energy are the hottest areas in bankruptcy right now. As this is an industry that suffers from volatile market conditions, with its earnings linked to ever-depleting reserves, companies involved in or dependent on the exploration, development and production of oil and gas present unique issues for the bankruptcy practitioner. This panel will include the viewpoints of legal professionals from both the debtor and the creditor sides, an economist focused on the oil and gas sector, and a trust administrator with a large energy portfolio under management. The presentation will start with an introduction to oil and gas chapter 11 cases, identifying the players, the lexicon and the deal documents. The focus will then turn to the impact of the Bankruptcy Code on title to oil and gas interests, liens that can interfere with the estate’s rights, determination about whether oil and gas industry contracts are executory contracts (including assumption or rejection of midstream gathering agreements and oil and gas leases), the impact of § 541(b)(4) provisions that exclude from property of the estate certain rights of holders of farmed-out agreements and production payments, and plugging and abandonment obligations. Finally, the panel will discuss how the industry got to its present state, its outlook going forward, and how market turmoil has impacted related sectors such as power generation.
Richard C. Pedone, Moderator
Nixon Peabody LLP; Boston
Erica J. Goodstein
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC; Brooklyn, N.Y.
Kenneth W. Grant II
Compass Lexecon; Boston
Robert W. Jones
Holland & Knight LLP; Dallas
Claims Litigation in Bankruptcy
This session will cover a variety of topics related to litigating claims in bankruptcy. It will explore both strategic considerations behind and the mechanics of asserting and contesting claims. Starting with the necessity and wisdom, or lack thereof, of filing proofs of claim, the program will go on to discuss the need for and sufficiency of supporting documentation, the mechanics of objecting to claims, the initial and shifting burdens of proof when a claim is contested, and the best practices in litigating contested claims from both the claimant and the estate representatives’ perspectives. The program will also cover issues regarding limitations on a bankruptcy court’s authority to adjudicate claims, estimation of claims and/or temporary allowance of claims, and late-filed claims, including the overlay of other nonbankruptcy statutes on such claims, most notably the recent case law relating to the impact of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act on late or expired claims.
Keri L. Wintle, Moderator
Duane Morris LLP; Boston
Hon. Frank J. Bailey
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Mass.); Boston
William S. Gannon
William S. Gannon, PLLC; Manchester
Kenneth S. Leonetti
Foley Hoag LLP; Boston
Jessica A. Lewis
Bernstein Shur; Portland
Cutting-Edge Chapter 11 Plan Issues
This program will explore current hot-button topics relating to the drafting and confirmation of chapter 11 plans. The issues discussed will including drafting to accommodate, as well as to either encourage or discourage § 1111(b) elections, and the strategy of holders of secured claims in either making or not making that election. It will also include a discussion of third-party releases and injunctions, using recent cases in the First Circuit to illustrate when such releases are, and are not, appropriate. Finally, the panel will explore the tension between class-skipping carve-outs or “gifts” and the requirements of confirmation, how to deal with corporate debt defined by § 1141(d)(6) as being not dischargeable, compensation of committee members and the role of existing equity.
Benjamin W. Loveland, Moderator
WilmerHale; Boston
Hon. Christopher J. Panos
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Mass.); Boston
William P. Weintraub
Goodwin Procter LLP; New York
Amy A. Zuccarello
Sullivan & Worcester; Boston
International Aspects of U.S. Bankruptcy Cases: Is a U.S. Bankruptcy Court the Proverbial Roaring Deaf Lion in the International Forest?
This panel will explore the breadth and limitations of U.S. Bankruptcy Code and U.S. bankruptcy court reach in the international community. There will be no discussion of chapter 15; rather, the panel will cover such issues as whether it is possible for a debtor to create jurisdiction in the U.S., and if so, whether it can and should maintain that jurisdiction. The panel will use recent cases in the maritime industry, such as Excel Maritime, General Maritime and TMT Procurement, as well as in the hospitality industry, such as Baha Mar and Scrub Island, to explore the reach of U.S. jurisdiction and the practical limitations imposed on a debtor and a court when a subset of the creditors do not care, and have little reason to be concerned about, what the Bankruptcy Code or a U.S. bankruptcy court order says. The panel will also consider the practical limitations imposed by cross-border issues in cases where there is undeniably U.S. jurisdiction, including what “critical foreign vendor” relief might be available even in U.S. courts that reject the critical-vendor doctrine, whether it is possible for a chapter 7 trustee to realize value from offshore assets, and whether the automatic stay, avoidance powers and free-and-clear orders have any practical impact in the international arena.
Daniel J. Saval, Moderator
Brown Rudnick LLP; New York
Lisa G. Beckerman
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP; New York
Robert G. Burns
Bracewell LLP; New York
Hon. Bruce A. Harwood
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. N.H.); Manchester
Grant Lyon
KRyS Global; New York
Consumer Track
Many Unhappy Returns: Another Hanging Paragraph Creates a Trap for Consumer Bankruptcy Lawyers
When is a tax return not a tax return? Bankruptcy can be very useful when seeking to discharge personal income tax obligations, but if the return has not been filed on time, dischargeability may be in jeopardy. Many courts have addressed this issue and have issued widely divergent views, including the First Circuit’s strict interpretation of what constitutes a tax return as announced by the majority in In re Fahey. This panel will focus on the development of the case law in the First Circuit, the information you must obtain from the taxing authority to determine when a tax return has been filed, what constitutes a return, and strategies to employ in the event that the tax return your client filed is defective and the taxes reported on that return are nondischargeable.
Anthony J. Manhart, Moderator
PretiFlaherty; Portland, Maine
Carl D. Aframe
Aframe & Barnhill, P.A.; Worcester, Mass.
Hon. Mildred Caban
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D.P.R.); San Juan
Celine E. de la Foscade-Condon
Department of Revenue (D. Mass.); Boston
1:00 p.m.
Optional Events
Golf Tournament
Tennis Tournament
Sponsored by Huron Consulting Group
Tour de ABI
Sponsored by Goodwin Procter LLP
2:00 p.m.
Optional Event
Horseback Riding
Sponsored by Phoenix Management Services
5:00-6:00 p.m.
New Addition: Judicial And Legislative Responses To Puerto Rico’s Struggle To Allocate Scarce Financial Resources Between Bond Debt And Governmental Services
Puerto Rico is burdened by over $70 billion in debt, as well as approximately $35 billion in pension underfunding. Once the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5278, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA), in early June and the Senate passed it on June 29, 2016, President Obama signed the bill immediately — and just in time to address a $1.9 billion payment that was due on July 1, 2016. PROMESA offers relief to Puerto Rico, its municipalities and municipal agencies following a 10-year economic recession. This panel will describe the circumstances that led to the financial crisis, the failed effort of the Puerto Rican government to offer relief through a "state" statute that was found to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and the details of how PROMESA is designed to work. The session will provide an opportunity to discuss these issues in a casual setting, including the way forward for Puerto Rico, and features a panelist who served as Hon. Steven Rhodes' expert on feasibility issues in the City of Detroit chapter 9 case.
Hon. Frank J. Bailey, Moderator
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, (D. Mass.); Boston
Hon. Mildred Caban
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge (D. P.R.); San Juan
Marti E.M. Kopacz
Phoenix Management Services, Boston
7:00-9:30 p.m.
Friday Dinner
Dinner and Entertainment sponsored by Posternak Blankstein & Lund LLP; Neubert Pepe& Monteith PC; Pullman & Comley LLC; Reid and Reige PC; Updike Kelly Spellacy PC; Zeisler & Zeisler PC
Bar sponsored by Verdolino & Lowey, P.C.
9:00 p.m.
Mountainside Bonfire
Sponsored by Devine Millimet
Saturday, July 16
6:30-7:50 a.m.
Breakfast
Sponsored by Bernstein Shur and Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
7:50-8:50 a.m.
Plenary Session
How to Attract Clients and Referrals in a Down Market: Advice from a Law Firm Marketing Expert
Commercial chapter 11 has suffered double-digit percentage decreases in in the number of filings in each of the past three years. This plenary session will be conducted by a law firm marketing expert, who will provide advice on obtaining market share in a down market. Jim Durham, chief marketing and business development officer at Littler Mendelson and author of The Essential Little Book of Great Lawyering and The Law Firm Marketer’s Guide to Survival, will provide marketing advice, including getting known, getting referrals, maximizing client satisfaction and increasing profit.
James Durham
Littler Mendelson P.C.; Boston
9:00-9:15 a.m.
Coffee Break
Sponsored by Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP
9:15-10:30 a.m.
Business Track Repeat Sessions (4)
Current Issues in Oil and Gas Bankruptcies
Claims Litigation in Bankruptcy
Cutting-Edge Chapter 11 Plan Issues
International Aspects of U.S. Bankruptcy Cases: Is a U.S. Bankruptcy Court the Proverbial Roaring Deaf Lion in the International Forest?
Consumer Track
The Ethics Trifecta: How to Avoid Sanctionable Lawyer Behavior, Crossing the Line in Pre-Petition Planning, and Dangerous Conflicts of Interest
Join us as we explore three complicated areas of ethics that all attorneys should be wary of. First, we will discuss examples of sanctionable lawyer behavior and when that behavior can result in a law firm being sanctioned. Second, some pre-petition planning is necessary, obvious and required in order to advance your clients’ interests, but some planning can cross the line between permissible advocacy and fraud. How do you know where the line is so that you can represent your client to the best of your abilities and avoid trouble? Lastly, some conflicts are clear, while others are more nuanced. This panel delves into the duties regarding perilous conflicts, and steps you can take to make sure you comply with the appropriate rules of professional responsibility while still representing the best interests of the client.
Tanya Sambatakos, Moderator
Molleur Law Office; Biddeford, Maine
Hon. Peter G. Cary
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Me.); Portland
Jonathan R. Goldsmith
Goldsmith, Katz & Argenio, P.C.; Springfield, Mass.
William K. Harrington
Office of the U.S. Trustee; New York
10:30-10:45 a.m.
Coffee Break
Sponsored by Hinckley Allen
10:45 a.m.-12:00 noon
Business Track Repeat Sessions (4)
“Sub Rosa Plans”: Their Impact in, and Provision of a Potential Alternate Exit Strategy from, Chapter 11
Financial Advisory Panel: Curing the Cause and Not Just Treating the Symptoms — How to Fix the Business Issues and Not Just Adjust the Balance Sheet
Small Commercial Chapter 11 Panel: A Decent Burial — Winding Up the Small Business Debtor
Emerging Professionals Panel: Show Me the Money — Understanding, Structuring and Getting Approval of Debtor-in-Possession Financing
Consumer Track
Keeping that Simple No-Asset Case a No-Asset Case: Recent Areas of Chapter 7 Trustee Activity
Debtors and their counsel want a smooth, quick chapter 7 experience and discharge: a simple no-asset case that will proceed promptly through a short, uneventful first meeting of creditors, to discharge and case closing in a matter of a few months. The chapter 7 trustee stands in the way, though, as he/she looks for discharges to deny and assets to pay creditors. Forewarned is forearmed: This seminar will explore recent skirmishes in the struggle between the impecunious and their trustees, including the important areas of homestead exemption and mortgage-lien avoidance, avoidance of large pre-filing family expense payments, and nondisclosure issues.
Janet J. Goldman, Moderator
Janet J. Goldman, Attorney at Law; Warwick, R.I.
Joseph H. Baldiga
Mirick O’Connell; Westborough, Mass.
Hon. J. Michael Deasy (ret.)
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. N.H.); Manchester
Edmond J. Ford
Ford & McPartlin, P.A.; Portsmouth, N.H.
12:30 p.m.
Optional Event
Mt. Washington Cog Railway Ride
Sponsored by Ruberto, Israel & Weiner, P.C.
1:00 p.m.
Optional Event
Canopy Tour/Zip-Line Adventure
Sponsored by Brown Rudnick LLP
2:00 p.m.
Optional Event
Horseback Riding
Sponsored by Phoenix Management Services and Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green PA
4:00-5:15 p.m.
Mountainside Chat
The Ethics of Getting Hired
This year’s mountainside chat will address recent developments in the requirements for employment of disinterestedness, disclosure and disqualification. It will focus on two recent decisions relating to the extent to which a lack of disinterestedness or the presence of an ethical conflict of one firm member is, or is not, imputed on others within the same firm, and whether there is a difference between the two. The discussion will also address different views expressed by courts on the impact of receipt of a retainer, outstanding obligations for pre-petition services, and the potential for avoidance of pre-petition payments.
Roger A. Clement, Moderator
Verrill Dana LLP; Portland, Maine
Hon. J. Michael Deasy (ret.)
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. N.H.); Manchester
Prof. Ingrid Michelsen Hillinger
Boston College Law School; Newton, Mass.
6:00-7:00 p.m.
Sponsor Reception (invite only)
Sponsored by Foley Hoag LLP and Spinglass Management Group, LLC
7:00-10:00 p.m.
Saturday BBQ
Sponsored by Deloitte CRG and Ropes & Gray LLP
Entertainment sponsored by Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP
Sunday, July 17
7:00-8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
Sponsored by Gavin/Solmonese LLC
8:30-10:00 a.m.
Plenary Session
Appealing Propositions: Everything You Need to Know About Bankruptcy Appeals
This plenary session will be conducted by appellate judges, appellate clerks and appellate practitioners. It will start by exploring the types of bankruptcy court orders that can be appealed, those that cannot, and — no matter which category your order falls into — how to obtain appellate court review, and win once you do. The panel will start with a discussion of the final-order rule and a review of interlocutory orders, including the effect of the Supreme Court’s decision in Bullard. It will then address mechanics, such as ways to obtain leave to appeal, who can appeal from bankruptcy court orders, appellate standing, and where appeals go. Next, the discussion will turn to appellate options, including the differences between the district court and the BAP, and procedures for direct appeals to the circuit. Finally the panel will turn to strategic considerations, including whether and how to obtain a stay pending appeal, standards of review and procedures, and — most importantly — how to win your appeal. The appellate judges and practitioners will offer their views on best practices for brief writing and conducting persuasive oral arguments in both intermediate appellate courts and the courts of appeals for appellants, appellees, and amicus curiae, as well as common errors to avoid in oral argument. Finally, the panel will discuss procedures for petitions for certiorari to the Supreme Court and, if you ever get there, what to expect.
Hon. Joan N. Feeney, Moderator
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Mass.); Boston
Hon. Jeffrey R. Howard
First Circuit Court of Appeals; Boston
Mary P. Sharon
First Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel; Boston
James M. Wilton
Ropes & Gray LLP; Boston
10:00 a.m.
Adjourn
Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Contact Jennifer Guirguis at [email protected]
Optional Events
Golf Tournament
Friday, July 15, 1:00 p.m.
Take your game to a higher level at the 18-hole, par 71, Donald Ross-designed Mount Washington Course. Participants of all skill levels are encouraged to join in the tournament. The $150-per-person fee includes boxed lunch, green fee and prizes. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form to play, and indicate your handicap. For those participating in the ABI Golf Tour, this is the third stop in the 2016 Tour. Please check the ABI Golf Tour box on the registration form to participate, and indicate your handicap.
Tennis Tournament
Friday, July 15, 1:00 p.m.
Sponsored by Huron Consulting Group
Participants of all skill levels are encouraged to play in the Tennis Tournament. The $35-per-person fee includes boxed lunch, court fee and prizes. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form to play.
Tour de ABI
Friday, July 15, 1:00 p.m.
Sponsored by Goodwin Procter LLP
Join us for the annual Tour de ABI bike ride as an expert biker, or opt to enjoy a guided bike ride around the area. The ride will begin after lunch. The $35-per-person fee includes a boxed lunch; the guided option is $50 per person, which includes guide, bike rental (if you need it) and boxed lunch. Please select the appropriate box(es) on the registration form.
Mt. Washington Cog Railway Ride
Saturday, July 16, 12:30 p.m.
Sponsored by Ruberto, Israel & Weiner, P.C.
Come take a ride on The Little Train that Could! Enjoy a three-hour round-trip ride up Mt. Washington on the world’s first mountain-climbing railway. Enjoy ever-changing surroundings, magnificent views, and some of the steepest railroad tracks in existence on one of the best railway journeys. Tickets are $60 for each adult and $30 for each child, and include a boxed lunch. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form.
Canopy Tour/Zip-Line Adventure
Saturday, July 16, 1:00 p.m.
Sponsored by Brown Rudnick LLP
This thrilling adventure will give you a bird’s eye view of scenic Rosebrook Canyon. The 3.5-hour tour consists of 10 cable zip-lines and two adventure sky bridges suspended 50 feet above the forest floor. Each zip-line varies in length, with a maximum span of 830 feet. The final thrill consists of a dual zip-line cable so you can race your friends or family members to the finish line! The $100-per-person fee includes a boxed lunch. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form.
Horseback Riding
Friday, July 15, 2:00 p.m. and Saturday, July 16, 2:00 p.m.
Sponsored by Phoenix Management Services and Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green PA
Take the reins and go for a ride through one of the most scenic areas you’ll ever visit. Riders must be at least 8 years old, unless given special permission by the stablemaster. The trail ride is one hour and limited to eight people. The cost for this event is $35 per rider. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form.
Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Contact Jennifer Guirguis at [email protected]
Northeast Bankruptcy Conference Co-Chairs
Hon. Bruce A. Harwood
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. N.H.); Manchester
John J. Monaghan
Holland & Knight LLP
Elisa M. Sartori
Greenridge Financial Services LLC
Northeast Consumer Forum Co-Chairs
Shawn L. Doil
Perkins Thompson, P.A.
Donald R. Lassman
Law Office of Donald R. Lassman
Advisory Board |
|
Patricia Antonelli Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP Janet E. Bostwick Janet E. Bostwick, PC Christopher M. Candon Sheehan Phinney, Bass + Green PA Paul W. Carey Mirick O’Connell Hon. Peter G. Cary U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Maine) Roger A. Clement Verrill Dana LLP Roma N. Desai Bernstein Shur Michael J. Epstein Deloitte CRG Michael J. Fencer Jager Smith P.C. Jeremy R. Fischer Drummond Woodsum Matthew R. Flynn Verdolino & Lowey, P.C. Julia Frost-Davies Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP Jay S. Geller Law Office of Jay S. Geller Michael J. Goldberg Casner & Edwards, LLP Douglas R. Gooding Choate Hall & Stewart LLP Eric A. Henzy Reid and Riege, P.C. D. Ethan Jeffery Murphy & King, PC Jeffrey L. Jonas Brown Rudnick LLP Gregory O. Kaden Goulston & Storrs PC Robert E. Kaelin Murtha Cullina LLP Marjorie Kaufman Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC Benjamin W. Loveland WilmerHale |
George J. Marcus Marcus, Clegg & Mistretta, P.A. Timothy J. Martin Huron Consulting Group William J. McLeod U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Mass.) Richard Mikels Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. James F. Molleur Molleur Law Office Paul D. Moore Duane Morris LLP William R. Moorman, Jr. Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP Guy B. Moss Riemer & Braunstein LLP Michael R. Nowlan FTI Consulting, Inc. Michael J. Pappone Goodwin Procter LLP Nina M. Parker Parker & Associates David T. Plastino The Michel-Shaked Group David Rychalsky Capstone Partners LLC Natalie B. Sawyer U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Mass.) Andrew Z. Schwartz Foley Hoag LLP Mackenzie L. Shea K&L Gates LLP Douglas S. Skalka Neubert, Pepe & Monteith, P.C. Daniel W. Sklar Nixon Peabody LLP Mark F. Stickney Spinglass Management Group, LLC Robert P. Wexler The Tron Group James M. Wilton Ropes & Gray LLP |
Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Contact Jennifer Guirguis at [email protected]
Conference Information
Hotel Accommodations
ABI has arranged for special conference rates of $382 single/$491 double per night at the Omni Mount Washington Resort; additional fees apply for additional room guests. All rates include full breakfast and dinner each night. To secure the special rates, hotel reservations must be made by June 6, 2016. Reservations may only be made once you have registered with ABI. Upon payment of the conference registration fees, you will receive a hotel reservation link to reserve your room. Rooms are held on a first-come, first-served basis. ABI cannot guarantee anyone a room after the specially rated ABI block is filled.
Hotel Meal Plans/ABI Events: If you are staying at the Omni Mount Washington Resort, please remember that you are on a meal plan, which includes full breakfast and dinner each day in your room fees. Most ABI events are included in those fees. If you are not staying at any of the hotel’s properties, please let ABI know so we can arrange for you to eat at the ABI meal functions without being charged by the hotel. Please note: The Thursday night Opening Reception is not part of your meal plan, so you will need to arrange for dinner at the resort. Guest fees are additional for this reception.
Transportation
Auto: Bretton Woods is an easy drive from Portland, Manchester and Boston and is 5 hours from New York.
Air: The resort is located 95 miles from the Portland International Airport and about 110 miles from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.
Cancellation Policy
All fees, except a $75 handling fee, will be refunded if notice of cancellation is received in writing by June 23, 2016. No refunds will be made if notice is received after June 23, although substitutions will be allowed. After June 23, upon written request, a coupon for 20% off the registration fee (not including optional events) will be issued, which can be used (by the cancelling registrant only) for any ABI educational program up to one year after this conference, or for this same conference next year.
Continuing Education
Northeast Bankruptcy Conference: Approval for approximately 10.25 hours of CLE credit, including 1.25 hours of ethics, is pending in states calculating CLE on a 60-minute hour, and 12 hours of CLE credit, including 1.5 hours of ethics, are pending in 50-minute-hour states. Credit hours granted are subject to approval from each state. California MCLE: ABI certifies that this activity has been approved for MCLE credit by the State Bar of California in the amount of 10.25 hours, of which 1.25 hours will apply to legal ethics. NY MCLE: This traditional program has been approved in accordance with the requirements of the CLE Board for a maximum of 12 credit hours, of which 1.5 hours of credit can be applied toward the ethics professionalism requirement. 12 hours of CPE credit, including 1.5 hours of ethics, are also available.
Northeast Consumer Forum: Approval for approximately 7.5 hours of CLE credit, including 2.5 hours of ethics, is pending in states calculating CLE on a 60-minute hour, and 9 hours of CLE credit, including 3 hours of ethics, are pending in 50-minute-hour states. Credit hours granted are subject to approval from each state. California MCLE: ABI certifies that this activity has been approved for MCLE credit by the State Bar of California in the amount of 7.5 hours, of which 2.5 hours will apply to legal ethics. NY MCLE: This traditional program has been approved in accordance with the requirements of the CLE Board for a maximum of 9 credit hours, of which 3 hours of credit can be applied toward the ethics professionalism requirement. 9 hours of CPE credit, including 3 hours of ethics, are also available.
*ABI offers intermediate-level courses, which assume that attendees will have at least some detailed knowledge of insolvency matters (pursuant to the “Statement on Standards for CPE Programs” established by AICPA and NASBA). ABI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE sponsors. State boards of accountancy have the final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, 150 Fourth Ave. North, Suite 700, Nashville, TN 37219-2417, or www.nasba.org. For more information regarding administrative policies such as complaint and refund, please contact the American Bankruptcy Institute at (703) 739-0800.
ABI acknowledges that in some instances there will be persons who need to attend an educational seminar for CLE credit who are not able to pay the full registration fee. ABI will handle such instances on a case-by-case basis and will work with the individual on alternative solutions. For persons who cannot meet the full registration rate, ABI will offer a reduced rate based on what the individual can reasonably afford to cover the cost of meals and materials. For persons unable to pay a reduced rate, we may allow the individual to work at our registration area for a few hours during attendee check-in, or assist in conference set-up. ABI also has reduced rates for government employees, professors, law clerks and students. Illinois Attorneys: If registration fees are more than $500, attorneys who qualify will receive at least 50% reduction in the registration fee. For information on tuition assistance, send an e-mail to [email protected].
ABI Northeast Scholarship Program
Limited scholarship funds are available for those who cannot afford to attend the program. Please send your request for approval to Jennifer Guirguis at [email protected]. Space is limited.
Attorney Specialist Certification
The American Board of Certification (ABC) will offer its business bankruptcy, consumer bankruptcy and creditors’ rights exams at the Omni Mount Washington Resort on Thursday, July 14, from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Details on the certification process, exam composition and a sample exam can be obtained by calling ABC at (319) 365-2222, by e-mailing [email protected] or by visiting the ABC website at www.abcworld.org. The ABC certification programs are sponsored by the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Commercial Law League of America, and all three programs are accredited by the American Bar Association.
Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Contact Jennifer Guirguis at [email protected]
Benefactor |
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Bernstein Shur |
Murtha Cullina LLP |
Patron
Devine Millimet & Branch PA
Gavin/Solmonese
Greenridge Financial Services LLC
Holland & Knight
Mirick O'Connell
Phoenix Management Services
Riemer & Braunstein LLP
Ruberto Israel & Weiner PC
Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green PA
Sponsors
Baker Newman Noyes
Bartlett Hackett Feinberg PC
Bowditch & Dewey LLP
Drummond Woodsum
Eaton Peabody
Gary W. Cruickshank, Law Office of
Marcus Clegg & Mistretta, PA
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Morrissey, Wilson & Zafiropoulos LLP
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP
Paul E. Sapperstein & Co.
Pearce & Dow LLC
Perkins Thompson, P.A.
Pierce Atwood LLP
Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin
Sternklar Law
Swiggart & Agin LLC
The Tron Group
Verrill Dana LLP
William S. Gannon, PLLC
Scholarship Fund Donors
Foley Hoag LLP
Mirick O'Connell
The Tron Group
Sternklar Law
Special Thanks
Media Partnership: Bloomberg Brief
Conference App Sponsor: Donlin, Recano & Company, Inc.
“At-a-Glance” Sponsor: Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC
“Live at ABI” Sponsor: Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC
Cell Phone Charging Stations: Greenridge Financial Services LLC and Mirick O'Connell
Thumb Drives: Polsinelli
Conference Wifi: Preti Flaherty
Exhibit Hall Sponsor: Sherwood Partners, Inc. / agencyIP
Conference Educational Materials Sponsor: Thomson Reuters
Conference Tote Bags: Wilmington Trust
Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Contact Jennifer Guirguis at [email protected]
Rates
Registration Rates | Early (postmarked by 4/29/16) |
Regular (4/30/16-6/10/16) |
Late (after 6/10/16) |
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ABI Member
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$650
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$700
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$795
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ABI Govt./Nonprofit ABI Member
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$425
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$450
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$475
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New ABI Member*
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$925
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$975
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$1,070
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Govt./Nonprofit New ABI Member**
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$520
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$545
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$570
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* Includes a one-year ABI membership for first-time members — a $295 value! You must be an ABI member to attend. Membership is individual and nonrefundable. If your membership has expired, select the member rate and add in your membership renewal fee.
* Registration includes meals, refreshment breaks, the Opening Reception, the Friday Dinner, the Saturday BBQ and the written materials.
Exhibitor Rates
ABI Member Exhibitor Registration***
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$1,600
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New ABI Member Exhibitor Registration****
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$1,895
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Additional Booth Representative
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$375
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*** Includes one 6’ table and full registration for one booth representative.
**** Includes one 6’table, full registration for one booth representative AND one-year ABI membership.
ABI DEFINES A “GUEST” AS A SPOUSE, CHILD OR COMPANION — NOT A PROFESSIONAL COLLEAGUE. A professional colleague is defined as someone who consults with or is employed by an organization whose members are eligible for ABI membership. If a professional colleague is found to be registered as a guest, ABI reserves the right to cancel his or her event registration. Any person not meeting the criteria of “guest” who wishes to participate in any ABI function at the conference is required to register separately at the full conference rate.
If you are interested in exhibiting, please contact Jennifer Guirguis at [email protected]