Alexandria, Va. — Insights from some of the country’s top insolvency and restructuring experts on issues confronting the profession in 2020 will be addressed at the American Bankruptcy Institute’s (ABI) 2019 Winter Leadership Conference, taking place Dec. 5-7 at the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. This year's conference features the popular “ABI Talks” session, based on the popular “TED Talks” format, which will address diverse insolvency topics, and 24 concurrent sessions examining the hottest topics in bankruptcy. Additionally, the Winter Leadership Conference will host a luncheon to celebrate the third ABI “40 Under 40” class, with a keynote to be delivered by Dr. Jen Welter, the first female NFL coach. Conference attendees have the opportunity to earn 9/10.5 hours of CLE/CPE credit, including 2/3 hours of ethics credit.

The "ABI Talks" at the Winter Leadership Conferences will feature:

• Jay M. Goffman of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (New York) discussing "Super-Speedy Prepacks: What Are They Good For?"
• Bankruptcy Judge Michelle M. Harner (D. Md.; Baltimore) talking about how the newly enacted Small Business Reorganization Act will be a "New Reorganization Hope for Main Street Debtors.”
• Inez Feltscher Stephan of the Independent Women’s Forum (Washington, D.C.) discussing "The Rhetoric and Reality of Student Debt."

Sessions at the Winter Leadership Conference include:

• Why Venue Matters in Chapter 11 Cases
• Hit ’Em Below the Belt (and in the Wallet): Professional Fees and Leverage Post-ASARCO
• Bankruptcy & Marijuana
• Litigating Issues in a Health Care Case
• How Investors Evaluate Distressed Deals
• Sponsor Liability, Including Liability Relating to Sponsors Purchasing Debt or Equity in Their Portfolios
• Mediating with a Higher Power: Mediation of Disputes with Governments and Governmental Agencies
• Bankruptcy Legislation in 2019 and 2020
• The Role of a Patient Care Ombudsman in a Business Bankruptcy
• Avoiding Chapters 22, 33 and 44: Feasibility and Plan Confirmation
• Signs and Symptoms of Substance Use and Mental Health Issues Among Attorneys
• Recent Trends in the Credit Bidding of Assets and Cross-Border Issues
• Ethics Jeopardy
• The Party’s Over; Now, Who’s Cleaning Up? The Post-Apocalyptic Landscape Following a § 363 Sale
• Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Ethics Challenges of Bankruptcy Attorneys Who Represent Debtors in Chapter 13 Cases
• The Intersection of the Federal Arbitration Act and the Bankruptcy Code: Whose Discretion Is It, and What Does It Mean to the Future of Bankruptcy?
• Consumer Attorney Fees: Everything You Always Wanted to Know — The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Ethics)
• Yes, You Need Them: The Value of Financial Advisors and Investment Bankers in § 363 Sales
• Plenary Session: Judges’ Round-and-Round
• Current Events and Hot Topics
• How to Negotiate and Draft Sale Documents and Pleadings in Chapter 11 Cases
• WrestleMania: Who Wins When Consumer Protection Statutes Take On the Bankruptcy Code?
• Ponzi Schemes, EB-5 Schemes and Other Schemes Involving Real Estate
• The Continued Use of Blocking Directors and Managers in Bankruptcy-Related Transactions

To review a comprehensive schedule of speakers and optional events, please click here:

http://www.abiwlc.org/. If you are a member of the press and you would like to attend the conference, please contact John Hartgen at 703-894-5935 or [email protected].

###

ABI is the largest multi-disciplinary, nonpartisan organization dedicated to research and education on matters related to insolvency. ABI was founded in 1982 to provide Congress and the public with unbiased analysis of bankruptcy issues. The ABI membership includes nearly 11,000 attorneys, accountants, bankers, judges, professors, lenders, turnaround specialists and other bankruptcy professionals, providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information. For additional information on ABI, visit www.abiworld.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abiworld.org/conferences.html