Profs. Richard M. Hynes (University of Virginia; Charlottesville, Va.), Anne Lawton (Lansing, Mich.) and Margaret Howard (Washington & Lee Law School; Lexington, Va.) recently published an article in the ABI Law Review on a groundbreaking study of chapter 11 cases for individual debtors.[1] The report profiles a typical individual who seeks protection and relief under chapter 11. The profile looks like this:

Since 2004, thirteen Catholic dioceses have filed for bankruptcy protection. Although several dioceses filed before 2004, filings since then have been driven by mounting sexual abuse claims against the dioceses. In response to these filings, claimants are assembling formidable unsecured creditors’ committees. For the most part, these diocesan bankruptcies have resulted in settlements. However, adversary proceedings have drawn out several of these bankruptcies. The ownership of church assets has led to many disputes over what belongs to the entities being sued and what belongs to other separate organizations. Therefore, while the bankruptcy process has helped these religious organizations with protection from impending liabilities, it has also provided sexual abuse claimants with a venue to build substantial creditors’ committees and challenge the availability of assets.

Is bankruptcy the new “black” in the retail industry? With the rise in retail bankruptcies, some commentators believe repeat chapter 11 bankruptcy filings are the “hottest 2017 retail trend.”[1] “Chapter 22” is the designation given to these repeat filings.

2016 was a busy year for the Business Reorganization Committee. We have an active and involved membership base, and took part in multiple panels, newsletters, publications and networking. We have terrific plans for 2017 and beyond in support of you, our members, in the arena of business reorganizations.