SEC Issues

Report Average Credit Card Debt Late Payments Fall in First Quarter

ABI Bankruptcy Brief | May 21 2013
 
  

May 21, 2013

 
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  NEWS AND ANALYSIS   

REPORT: AVERAGE CREDIT CARD DEBT, LATE PAYMENTS FALL IN FIRST QUARTER

Credit reporting agency TransUnion said that the rate of credit card payments at least 90 days overdue fell to 0.69 percent in the first quarter from 0.85 percent a year earlier — a drop of nearly 19 percent, the Associated Press reported today. The January-March card delinquency rate was also down from 0.73 in the October-December quarter, when many consumers ramped up credit use to finance holiday season purchases. Average credit card debt per borrower fell 1.7 percent to $4,878 in the first quarter from $4,962 in the same period last year, TransUnion said. On a quarterly basis, it declined 4.8 percent from $5,122 in the fourth quarter. TransUnion, however, has forecast that average credit card debt will rise by roughly 8 percent to $5,446 by the end of this year — the highest level in four years. Read more.

EDITORIAL: DERIVATIVES REFORM ON THE ROPES

New rules to regulate derivatives, adopted last week by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, are a victory for Wall Street and a setback for financial reform, according to a New York Times editorial yesterday. The regulations, required under the Dodd-Frank reform law, are intended to impose transparency and competition on the notoriously opaque multitrillion-dollar market for derivatives, which is dominated by five banks: JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Citigroup and Morgan Stanley. In the run-up to the financial crisis — and since — the lack of transparency and competition has fostered recklessness and instability, according to the editorial. Under the Dodd-Frank law, derivatives are supposed to be traded on “swap execution facilities,” which are to operate much like the exchanges that exist for equities and futures. Even as the new rules shift much of the trading to those facilities, the editorial says that they will also preserve the ability of the banks to maintain their old practices. For instance, the commission’s initial proposal called for hedge funds, asset managers and corporations to contact at least five banks when seeking prices for a derivatives contract. In a major concession to the banks, that number was lowered to two in the final rule. Read the full editorial.

REGULATORS TO VOTE ON OVERSIGHT OF NONBANK FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew told the Senate Banking Committee that U.S. regulators will soon vote on which large nonbank financial firms will face much stricter government oversight as policymakers seek to reduce risks posed by Wall Street to the broader economy, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Lew appeared before the Senate Banking Committee to discuss the work of federal regulators to implement the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial-overhaul law and limit potential risks to the financial system. The Financial Stability Oversight Council, comprised of Treasury officials and other regulators, have struggled in deciding which large, complex financial firms should be subject to higher capital and other rules because of the potential risks they pose to the financial system. "The Council discussed its ongoing analysis at its most recent meeting on April 25, and it expects to vote on proposed designations of an initial set of nonbank financial companies in the near term," Lew said. While federal officials have declined to say publicly which firms are being considered for a "systemic" designation, at least three companies have reached the final of three stages in the review process. Prudential Financial Inc., American International Group Inc. and the GE Capital unit of General Electric Co. have advanced to the third stage, though regulators are considering a number of firms that could ultimately be subject to the enhanced oversight. "Yields and volatility in fixed-income markets are very low by historical standards, which may be providing incentives for market participants to 'reach for yield' by investing in lower-grade credit," Lew said in prepared remarks. Read more. (Subscription required.)

Click here to read Lew's prepared testimony for today's Senate Banking Committee hearing.

ANALYSIS: WIELDING HARRISBURG EXAMPLE, SEC AIMS FOR CITIES TO COMPLY WITH DISCLOSURE RULES

The Securities and Exchange Commission's rebuke of the city of Harrisburg this month over fraudulent statements and long-overdue disclosures to its bondholders could be seen as a warning to state and local politicians who offer too rosy a view of their financial health, according to a Reuters analysis yesterday. However, clear-cut cases of officials misstating their city's finances, such as Harrisburg, remain relatively rare, and the main goal of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is far more basic: cajoling thousands of cities, counties and other organizations that sell bonds into complying with its disclosure rules. When the SEC charged the cash-strapped capital city of Pennsylvania on May 6, it effectively put officials across the country on notice that even political statements such as annual state-of-the-city addresses must not overstate financial conditions. The message was, "What you say can and will be used against you," said Ben Watkins, head of Florida's Division of Bond Finance. "What makes it precedent-setting is that it's the first time there's been an enforcement action on statements made by public officials." The SEC said Harrisburg had defrauded its creditors because numerous officials glossed over its disastrous finances and the city was overdue in its disclosures. While no individuals were held to account, an SEC commissioner said that it would not show such restraint in the future. Read more.

ABI LIVE WEBINAR NEXT WEEK WILL FOCUS ON CLASS ACTIONS IN BOTH BUSINESS AND CONSUMER CASES

Class action lawsuits in both chapter 11 and 13 cases are becoming more prevalent. Are you wondering whether your clients’ WARN Act claims would be better pursued against a debtor company in a class action adversary proceeding or in a class proof of claim, or both? If your client has been sued in a debtor’s consumer class action adversary proceeding, do you know the best defenses against class certification? ABI's panel of experts will highlight the case law and explore the potential benefits and pitfalls of class actions by creditors against debtor companies in chapter 11 cases and by debtors/trustees against creditors in chapter 13 cases on May 29 from 1-2:15 p.m. ET. Special ABI member rate available! Click here to register.

ASSOCIATES: ABI'S NUTS & BOLTS ONLINE PROGRAMS HELP YOU HONE YOUR SKILLS WHILE SAVING ON CLE!

Associates looking to sharpen their bankruptcy knowledge should take advantage of ABI's special offer of combining general, business or consumer Nuts & Bolts online programs. Each program features an outstanding faculty of judges and practitioners explaining the fundamentals of bankruptcy, offering procedures and strategies tailored for both consumer and business attorneys. Click here to get the CLE you need at a great low price!

ABI GOLF TOUR UNDERWAY; NEXT STOP IS CENTRAL STATES BANKRUPTCY WORKSHOP IN JUNE

Rob Schwartz and Scott Gautier are tied at 34 Stableford Points atop the closely bunched leaderboard after the ABI's Golf Tour's first stop at Lake Presidential Golf Club. Next up for the Tour is the famed Bear course at the Grand Traverse Resort at the Central States Bankruptcy Workshop on June 14. Final scoring to win the Great American Cup—sponsored by Great American Group—is based on your top three scores at seven scheduled ABI events, so play as many as you can before the tour wraps up at the Winter Leadership Conference in December. See the Tour page for details and course descriptions. The ABI Golf Tour combines networking with fun competition, as golfers "play their own ball." Including your handicap means everyone has an equal chance to compete for the glory of being crowned ABI's top golfer of 2013! There's no charge to register or participate in the Tour, and women are most welcome.

ABI MEMBERS WELCOME TO ATTEND INSOL'S LATIN AMERICAN REGIONAL SEMINAR ON JUNE 13 IN SAO PAULO

ABI members are encouraged to attend INSOL’s Latin American regional seminar in São Paulo, Brazil, on June 13. The one-day seminar has been organized by INSOL in association with TMA Brasil to cover current cross-border insolvency and restructuring topics. The seminar is designed to be interactive and to allow the attendees to discuss and debate about practical issues with speakers who are leading players in the insolvency and restructuring field and with experience in insolvency proceedings involving different countries. The seminar will benefit from simultaneous translation in English, Portuguese and Spanish. For more information and to register, please click here.

ABI IN-DEPTH

NEW CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: BANK OF CORDELL V. STURGEON (IN RE STURGEON; 10TH CIR.)

Summarized by Steven T. Mulligan of Bieging Shapiro & Barber LLP

The Tenth Circuit BAP found that the evidence supported the bankruptcy court’s finding that the debtor was an active, knowing participant in a fraudulent scheme to deceive the appellee through a series of false representations and false pretenses that created a contrived and misleading understanding by the appellee, and that the debtor thereby intended to deceive the appellee.

There are more than 800 appellate opinions summarized on Volo, and summaries typically appear within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: WILL TRADITIONAL CHAPTER 11 INVESTORS FIND A ROLE IN CHAPTER 9?

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks 35 bankruptcy-related blogs. While most chapter 11 cases have “rules of engagement” that are well-known by the sophisticated players who are guided by the Bankruptcy Code and an extensive body of case law, chapter 9 lacks much of this clarity, making it a scarier place for traditional funds to invest, according to a recent blog post.

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

ABI Quick Poll

Bankruptcy courts should implement constructive trusts in any case where applicable state law would recognize them.

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL

INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 37 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

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CCA Webinar 2013
May 29, 2013
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Memphis 2013
June 7, 2013
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CSBW 2013
June 13-16, 2013
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June 14, 2013
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INSOL’s Latin American Regional Seminar in São Paulo, Brazil
June 13, 2013
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July 11-14, 2013
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SEBW 2013
July 18-21, 2013
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MA 2013
Aug. 8-10, 2013
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Aug. 22-24, 2013
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Sept. 10, 2013
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Sept. 12, 2013
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Oct. 6, 2013
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Dec. 8-12, 2013
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  CALENDAR OF EVENTS
 

2013

May
- ABI Live Webinar: Consumer Class Actions
     May 29, 2013

June
- Memphis Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
     June 7, 2013 | Memphis, Tenn.
- Central States Bankruptcy Workshop
     June 13-16, 2013 | Grand Traverse, Mich.
- INSOL’s Latin American Regional Seminar
     June 13, 2013 | São Paulo, Brazil
- Charity Golf Tournament
     June 14, 2013 | City of Industry, Calif.

July
- Northeast Bankruptcy Conference and Northeast Consumer Forum
     July 11-14, 2013 | Newport, R.I.
- Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop
     July 18-21, 2013 | Amelia Island, Fla.


  

August
- Mid-Atlantic Bankruptcy Workshop
    August 8-10, 2013 | Hershey, Pa.
- Southwest Bankruptcy Conference
    August 22-24, 2013 | Incline Village, Nev.

September
- ABI Endowment Golf & Tennis Outing
    Sept. 10, 2013 | Maplewood, N.J.
- ABI Endowment Baseball Game
    Sept. 12, 2013 | Baltimore, Md.

October
- ABI Endowment Football Game
    Oct. 6, 2013 | Miami, Fla.

December
- ABI/St. John’s Bankruptcy Mediation Training
    Dec. 8-12, 2013 | New York


 
 
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GAO More Seniors Are Carrying Student Loan Debt into Retirement

ABI Bankruptcy Brief | September 11, 2014
 
  

September 11, 2014

 
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  NEWS AND ANALYSIS   

GAO: MORE SENIORS ARE CARRYING STUDENT LOAN DEBT INTO RETIREMENT

A report released yesterday by the Government Accountability Office found that the total outstanding debt load held by seniors grew to $18.2 billion in 2013, up from $2.8 billion in 2005, the Washington Post reported today. The share of households headed by people between the ages of 65 and 74 who have student loan debt also grew, reaching 4 percent in 2010 from 1 percent in 2004. The GAO report cited a number of reasons why older Americans might still be paying off student loans even as they're gearing up for retirement. The majority of the college debt carried into retirement, about 80 percent, came from loans that seniors took out for their own educations. Some of the loans may have been taken out to pay for graduate or continuing education courses required by their jobs, the report notes. The remaining 20 percent of the debt was for loans people took out for their children or other dependents. Read more.

Click here to read the full GAO report.

For more on student debt and bankruptcy, be sure to pick up a copy of Graduating with Debt: Student Loans under the Bankruptcy Code, available now in the ABI Bookstore.

COMMENTARY: DISRUPTING CONSUMER FINANCIAL SERVICES

Financial businesses like banks, credit card issuers, payday loan companies, student and car lenders, credit bureaus, money transmitters and retirement funds are being challenged from all sides, according to a commentary yesterday on Forbes.com. One driver, according to the commentary, is regulation itself, as banks increasingly find that profit margins in their consumer business lines are not worth the regulatory costs and risks they carry. The financial industry overall is hiring thousands of new compliance personnel and paying billions of dollars in redress for past actions — exemplified by this month's record $16.65 billion Bank of America mortgage settlement — but it is still losing ground in containing risks. Rising regulatory ambiguity, including subjective, high-penalty mandates to ensure consumer "fairness," are making it impossible for providers to assess and limit legal exposure. Many are quietly doing so, especially in vulnerable lower-end markets, according to the commentary, where regulatory uncertainties are highest. Some will fully exit consumer businesses where risks seem unmanageable. As a result, private capital is flowing into less-regulated financial businesses, while technology innovators are leveraging the revolutions underway in big data, social media, and smartphone-based mobile payments that are rapidly transforming the industry. Established companies with cumbersome IT systems and costly branch networks face novel threats, including millennial consumers' attraction to phone apps that manage bill-paying, saving, and borrowing. An industry that has not recovered the public trust lost in the financial crisis could find it itself with unexpected vulnerability. Click here to read the full commentary.

S&P: INVERSIONS COULD LEAD TO CREDIT DOWNGRADES

Standard & Poor's Ratings Service yesterday warned that companies trying to lower their tax rates by moving their headquarters overseas may get hit with lower credit ratings, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Many U.S. companies have recently sought to cut their tax rates by acquiring foreign firms and then reincorporating in lower-tax jurisdictions. The controversial strategy has raised the ire of the Obama administration, which has decried the tactic as harmful to the U.S. Companies no longer domiciled in the U.S., which has a 35 percent corporate tax rate, could pay lower taxes and have access to vast stores of cash formerly trapped overseas for buybacks and dividend payments. But S&P's analysts argued that bondholders would suffer from credit downgrades as a result. "All you have left is weaker liquidity and higher debt," said S&P analyst Andrew Chang. Read more (subscription required).

NEW CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: LOPEZ V. BANK OF AMERICA (IN RE LOPEZ; 11TH CIR.)

Summarized by Walter Kelley of Kelley, Lovett & Blakey, PC

The Eleventh Circuit ruled that the debtor may "strip off" or void a junior lien where the amount of debt securing the senior lien exceeds the value of the house.

There are more than 1,400 appellate opinions summarized on Volo, and summaries typically appear within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI's Volo website.

NEW ON ABI'S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: HAS APPLE INADVERTENTLY BECOME A REGULATED FINANCIAL INSTITUTION WITH ITS "PAY" SERVICE?

A recent post examines whether Apple's new "Pay" service may have made the company a "service provider" for purposes of the Consumer Financial Protection Act, which would make Apple subject to CFPB examination and UDAAP.

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

ABI Quick Poll

SARE cases should not be allowed in chapter 11.

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL

INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 43 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

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  CALENDAR OF EVENTS
 

2014

September
- ABI Workshop: Lending to Distressed Companies
    Sept. 15, 2014 | Alexandria, Va.
- Lawrence P. King and Charles Seligson Workshop on Bankruptcy & Business Reorganization
    Sept. 17-18, 2014 | New York, N.Y.

October
- abiWorkshop: Government Contracting and Bankruptcy
    Oct. 6, 2014 | Alexandria, Va.
- Midwestern Bankruptcy Institute
    Oct. 16-17, 2014 | Kansas City, Mo.
- Views from the Bench
    Oct. 24, 2014 | Washington, D.C.
- Claims-Trading Program
    Oct. 30, 2014 | New York, N.Y.
- International Insolvency & Restructuring Symposium
    Oct. 30-31, 2014 | London

  

 


November
- Complex Financial Restructuring Program
    Nov. 6, 2014 | Philadelphia
- Corporate Restructuring Competition
    Nov. 6-7, 2014 | Philadelphia
- Chicago Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
    Nov. 11, 2014 | Chicago, Ill.
- Detroit Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
    Nov. 11, 2014 | Troy, Mich.
- Mid-Level Professional Development Program
    Nov. 12, 2014 | Chicago

December
- Winter Leadership Conference
    Dec. 4-6, 2014 | Palm Springs, Calif.
- 40-Hour Mediation Training Program
   Dec. 7-11, 2014 | New York, N.Y.

 

 
 
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States Shift Foreclosure-Suit Funds

ABI Bankruptcy Brief | October 18, 2012
 
  

October 18, 2012

 
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  NEWS AND ANALYSIS   

STATES SHIFT FORECLOSURE-SUIT FUNDS

When states received $2.5 billion from big banks in a mortgage-foreclosure settlement earlier this year, the expectation was that most of it would be used to aid distressed homeowners, but a new report claims that less than half of the money has been designated for that cause so far, the Wall Street Journal reported today. States used much of the settlement money to help close budget gaps, says a report scheduled for release Thursday. In March, 49 states reached a $25 billion settlement with five of the nation's largest mortgage lenders over charges that they had improperly processed foreclosures. The agreement allowed the banks—Ally Financial Inc., Bank of America Corp., Citibank Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Wells Fargo & Co.—to pay $20 billion of the settlement in the form of relief to distressed homeowners. The states received $2.5 billion of the total. Only about $1 billion of the state funds have been designated for some type of homeowner aid, while $1 billion will go toward state general funds. States haven't decided how to spend the remaining $500 million, according to the report by Enterprise Community Partners, a housing nonprofit. Only 14 states plan to spend their entire allotment on housing relief, according to the report. Read more. (Subscription required.)

DUELING REPORTS LEAVE CONGRESS CONTINUING TO FIGHT OVER "TOO BIG TO FAIL"

Republican and Democratic leaders on the House Financial Services Committee are continuing their battle over the Dodd-Frank financial reform law in a pair of competing reports, The Hill reported yesterday. Nearly two and half years after the Wall Street overhaul was signed into law, the two parties remain entrenched on one of its fundamental questions: Does the law end the problem of firms being "too big to fail" and requiring bailouts? Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), a key author of the law and top Democrat on the committee, on Monday released a report intended to rebut GOP arguments that Dodd-Frank codifies "too big to fail" and explicitly identifies banks as such. “The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act clearly establishes a framework that allows large financial firms to fail while preventing catastrophic harm to the broader economy," according to the report, compiled by Democratic committee staff. Just two days later, Committee Chairman Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) fired back with a report of his own. While shorter, this report contended that the law actually codified essential firms that the government would have to bail out. One provision of the law allows regulators to identify banks and other institutions as "systemically significant." Republicans contend that this label hands out an advantage to the singled-out firms and that the government has effectively identified them as "too big to fail." But the Democrats contend in their study that this designation comes with increased regulation and oversight, as well as a requirement that the institutions establish "living wills" that would detail how they could be unraveled if they were on the brink of collapse. Read more.

COMMENTARY: WHY THE FDIC'S APPROACH TO FINANCIAL FAILURES MAKES SENSE

The FDIC's single receivership approach offers a better way to avoid an uncoordinated and destabilizing series of insolvencies for systemically important financial institutions, according to a commentary in yesterday's New York Times DealBook blog by Michael H. Krimminger, the former general counsel of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The agency proposes, if it is appointed and where possible, to close the financial holding company, but keep the viable subsidiaries operating. Subsidiaries that are not viable would be closed and gradually wound down to prevent a sudden collapse, as occurred in the case of Lehman, according to Krimminger. The holding company would be restructured into a bridge entity that can continue to provide financing to viable subsidiaries. Access to funding is critical to continued operations. Dodd-Frank provides for this financing from an "orderly liquidation fund," and it must be paid back from the sale of the subsidiaries or from assessments from the industry. The shareholders and creditors of the holding company – which owned the subsidiaries – bear the losses for the failure as no losses can be borne by taxpayers, according to Krimminger's commentary. Read more.

REGULATORS PROPOSE CAPITAL RULES FOR DERIVATIVES TRADING

Federal authorities moved a step closer to overhauling the derivatives market yesterday, as regulators proposed tougher standards for the nation's biggest banks, the New York Times DealBook blog reported. Firms like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase would have to bolster their capital cushion and post additional collateral for certain derivatives trades. The Securities and Exchange Commission proposed the crackdown as part of a broader effort to rein in the opaque derivatives business, a main player in the financial crisis. "These rules are intended to make the financial system safer, and the derivative markets fairer, more efficient, and more transparent," SEC chair Mary L. Schapiro said. Schapiro and the agency's commissioners voted unanimously, 5-0, to advance the plan. It now enters a 60-day public comment period, after which the SEC and other federal regulators must finalize the rules. Read more.

ABI IN-DEPTH

MEMBERS WILL NOT WANT TO MISS ABI'S PROGRAM AT NCBJ'S ANNUAL MEETING ON OCT. 26

Members planning to attend the 86th Annual NCBJ Annual Conference in San Diego from Oct. 24-27 will not want to miss the exciting line-up scheduled for the ABI program track on Oct. 26. In addition to roundtable discussions on the hottest consumer and business bankruptcy topics, ABI will be hosting a ticketed luncheon that will feature the presentation of the 7th Annual Judge William L. Norton, Jr. Judicial Excellence Award and entertainment by Apollo Robbins, a sleight-of hand artist, security consultant and self-described gentleman thief. Click here to register for the Conference.

To view the list of ABI programs on Oct. 26 and the full NCBJ Annual Conference schedule, please click here.

ABI's Chapter 11 Reform Commission will also be holding a public hearing on Oct. 26 from 2:30-4:30 p.m. PT at the San Diego Marriott. Interested parties have the opportunity to submit testimony at the hearing. For further information, please contact ABI Executive Director Samuel J. Gerdano at [email protected].

LATEST CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: IN RE GLEASON (11TH CIR.)

Summarized by Michael Pugh of Thompson, O'Brien, Kemp & Nasuti, PC

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed the order entered by the bankruptcy court and upheld on appeal by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida that suspended an attorney who practiced bankruptcy law from practice before the bankruptcy court for 60 days. The Court of Appeals ruled that the sanctions order did not violate the attorney's First Amendment right to free speech or Fifth Amendment right to due process, and that the bankruptcy court did not clearly err in determining that the attorney's actions amounted to bad faith that warranted the imposition of sanctions.

There are more than 650 appellate opinions summarized on Volo, and summaries typically appear within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: AIDING AND ABETTING CLAIMS IN PONZI CASES ARE STILL ALIVE AND WELL

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks 35 bankruptcy-related blogs. A recent blog post examines how aiding and abetting claims against banks in Ponzi scheme cases continue to gain traction in the case law.

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

ABI Quick Poll

Section 523(a)(8) should be amended to allow private student loans to be discharged in bankruptcy.

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

HAVE YOU TUNED IN TO BLOOMBERG LAW'S VIDEO PODCASTS?

Bloomberg Law's video podcasts feature top experts speaking about current bankruptcy topics. The podcasts are available via Bloomberg Law's YouTube channel so that you can access the programs from your computer or device of your choice! Click here to view the Bloomberg Law video podcasts.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL

INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 37 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

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TOMORROW:

 

ABI/ST. JOHN'S "BANKRUPTCY AND RACE: IS THERE A RELATION?" SYMPOSIUM
Oct. 19, 2012
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COMING UP:

 

 

ABI'S PROGRAM AT NCBJ'S ANNUAL MEETING
Oct. 26, 2012
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MEXICO 2012
Oct. 29, 2012
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MEXICO 2012
Nov. 7, 2012
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4TH ANNUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Nov. 9, 2012
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SE 2012
Nov. 12, 2012
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SE 2012
Nov. 29 - Dec. 1, 2012
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MT 2012
Dec. 4-8, 2012
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ACBPIKC 2013
Jan. 24-25, 2013
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ACBPIKC 2013
Feb. 7-9, 2013
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ACBPIKC 2013
Feb. 17-19, 2013
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  CALENDAR OF EVENTS
 

October
- ABI/St. John's "Bankruptcy and Race: Is There a Relation?" Symposium
     October 19, 2012 | Queens, N.Y.
- ABI Program at NCBJ's Annual Conference
     October 26, 2012 | San Diego, Calif.
- ABI Endowment Event at Peter Max Gallery
     October 29, 2012 | New York, N.Y.

November
- U.S./Mexico Restructuring Symposium
     November 7, 2012 | Mexico City, Mexico
- Professional Development Program
     November 9, 2012 | New York, N.Y.
- Detroit Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
     November 12, 2012 | Detroit, Mich.
- Winter Leadership Conference
     November 29 - December 1, 2012 | Tucson, Ariz.

  

 

December
- Forty-Hour Bankruptcy Mediation Training
     December 4-8, 2012 | New York, N.Y.

2013

January
- Rocky Mountain Bankruptcy Conference
     January 24-25, 2013 | Denver, Colo.

February
- Caribbean Insolvency Symposium
     February 7-9, 2013 | Miami, Fla.
- Kansas City Advanced Consumer Bankruptcy Practice Institute
     February 17-19, 2013 | Kansas City, Mo.


 
 
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Too-Big-to-Fail Claim Disputed by Bank Groups

ABI Bankruptcy Brief | March 12 2013
 
  

March 12, 2013

 
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  NEWS AND ANALYSIS   

"TOO-BIG-TO FAIL" CLAIM DISPUTED BY BANK GROUPS

Lobbying groups for the largest U.S. banks pushed back against claims that they remain too big to fail, rebutting assertions by lawmakers and regulators that they enjoy a "taxpayer subsidy" because of their size, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. The Dodd-Frank Act, passed by Congress in response to the 2008 credit crisis, greatly diminished the advantage that the biggest lenders held over smaller rivals, five industry groups wrote today in a brief on the issue. "There is substantial evidence that the market recognizes the impact Dodd-Frank has had on investor expectations," the Clearing House, Financial Services Forum, Financial Services Roundtable, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association and American Bankers Association said in their brief. “Given the sizable costs associated with new regulations, together with the new orderly liquidation framework, any purported TBTF-related funding advantage has clearly been reduced or even eliminated." The financial-industry groups, representing lenders such as JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp. and Citigroup Inc., are responding to complaints by lawmakers and regulators including Warren and Dallas Federal Reserve President Richard Fisher that Dodd-Frank did not do enough to rein in big lenders. Read more.

COMMENTARY: HOW TO SHRINK THE "TOO-BIG-TO-FAIL" BANKS

A dozen megabanks today control almost 70 percent of the assets in the U.S. banking industry as the concentration of assets has been in progress for years, but it intensified during the 2008–09 financial crisis, when several failing giants were absorbed by larger, presumably healthier ones, according to a commentary in today's Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, the mere 0.2 percent of banks deemed "too big to fail" are treated differently from the other 99.8 percent, and differently from other businesses. Implicit government policy has made these institutions exempt from the normal processes of bankruptcy and creative destruction, according to the commentary. Without fear of failure, these banks and their counterparties can take excessive risks. The commentary offers a few steps to level the competitive landscape:

1) Roll back the federal safety net—deposit insurance and the Federal Reserve's discount window—to apply only to traditional commercial banks, and not to the nonbank affiliates of bank holding companies or the parent companies themselves, which the safety net was never intended to protect.

2) Require customers, creditors and counterparties of all nonbank affiliates and the parent holding companies to sign a simple, legally binding, unambiguous disclosure acknowledging and accepting that there is no government guarantee—ever—backstopping their investment. A similar disclaimer would apply to bank deposits outside the FDIC insurance limit and other unsecured debts.

3) Restructure the largest financial holding companies so that every one of their corporate entities is subject to a speedy bankruptcy process and, in the case of banking entities themselves, be of a size that is "too small to save."

Click here to read the full commentary. (Subscription required.)

ANALYSIS: AS ASBESTOS CLAIMS RISE, SO DO WORRIES ABOUT FRAUD

With dozens of asbestos-related manufacturers forced into bankruptcy, a burgeoning swath of the legal action has shifted out of the courtroom and into a world of trusts that evaluate claims and authorize payouts with little outside scrutiny, according to an analysis yesterday in the Wall Street Journal. Fraud allegations have periodically dogged the trusts, and even though the worst asbestos-related diseases are finally starting to taper off, there is growing concern that the trusts will run out of money before America runs out of asbestos victims. Three decades after Manville Corp. collapsed under an avalanche of asbestos litigation, personal-injury claims in the case continue to pile up at a rate of 85 per day. By last March, a Manville bankruptcy trust had already paid out nearly $4.3 billion. "Right now there are a lot of suggestions that fraud and abuse are present," says House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, a Republican from Virginia, who has scheduled a hearing Wednesday on a bill requiring trusts to publish detailed claims reports to help ensure that money goes only to legitimate victims. In recent months, judges across the country who handle asbestos cases involving still-viable companies have granted defense requests to subpoena bankruptcy trusts to sniff out potentially false and conflicting evidence. Many defendants believe such data could help expose fraudulent or inflated claims that could potentially save them hundreds of millions of dollars in jury verdicts. Read more. (Subscription required.)

Click here to review the bill text of H.R. 982, the "Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2013" introduced by Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas), which will be examined tomorrow at a hearing before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law at 2:30 p.m. ET.

COMMENTARY: ENTERPRISE VALUE TAX PROPOSAL WOULD HIT FIRMS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH "CARRIED INTEREST"

The Enterprise Value Tax (EVT) has been inserted into congressional proposals to "fix" carried interest, but the legislation would claw back significantly more money than investment managers and other financial professionals have ever saved by taking legal, proper and open advantage of the carried-interest tax treatment, according to a commentary in today's Wall Street Journal. Under current law, entrepreneurs of all types who sell their companies are taxed on the profits at the capital-gains rate. The EVT seeks to change this, but only for the sale of certain businesses—namely investment-service partnerships, the sale of which would now be taxed as regular income. The EVT is designed to claw back entrepreneurs' supposedly ill-gotten carried-interest gains from the past. Worse, the commentary says that the proposed new tax would mostly affect people who do not currently benefit much, if at all, from the tax treatment of carried interest. The savings afforded to carried interest have benefited only a small subset of investment managers who have substantial performance-fee earnings in the form of long-term capital gains. That category does not include many hedge funds, whose gains are mostly short-term, or traditional money managers, who do not center their businesses around performance fees. The EVT would raise the bulk of its revenue from investment-services partnerships that have little or no carried-interest earnings, or whose carried interest is already taxed at the same rate as ordinary income because the performance fee results from ordinary income or short-term capital gains. Read the full commentary. (Subscription required.)

For insight, the Cato Institute released an analysis last year on the dangers of the proposed enterprise value tax. Click here to read the analysis.

REPORT: APPEALS COURT ACTIVITY RISES, BANKRUPTCY COURTS AND DISTRICT COURTS SEE DROP-OFF IN CASELOADS IN FY2012

Appeals court activity increased in fiscal year 2012 (12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2012) as filings dropped in bankruptcy courts and district courts, according to the "Judicial Business of the U.S. Courts" report released today by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The regional U.S. courts of appeals reported that filings rose 4 percent to 57,501. In the U.S. district courts, total filings fell 5 percent to 372,563 as civil case filings decreased 4 percent to 278,442 and criminal defendant filings declined 9 percent to 94,121. Petitions filed in the U.S. bankruptcy courts dropped 14 percent to 1,261,140. To read the report and review the caseload totals, please click here.

SMU DEDMAN SCHOOL OF LAW TAKES TOP HONORS AT 21st ANNUAL DUBERSTEIN MOOT COURT COMPETITION

Students from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law prevailed over a record 60 other student teams to win first place at the 21st Annual Conrad B. Duberstein National Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition, held March 9-11 in New York. The competition is co-sponsored by the American Bankruptcy Institute and St. John’s University School of Law. Florida Coastal School of Law took second place in the competition, while the University of Florida Frederic G. Levin College of Law and a team from Stetson University College of Law shared the honors for third place. The University of Miami School of Law won the award for the Best Brief of the competition, and Nicholas Andrews of Mississippi College School of Law took the honor of Best Advocate. Nearly 1,000 members of the New York-area insolvency community attended the final-night awards dinner at Pier 60 on the Manhattan waterfront. For more information on ABI's Conrad B. Duberstein National Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition, please go to http://www.stjohns.edu/academics/graduate/law/academics/llm/duberstein.

LATEST ABI PODCAST EXAMINES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHAPTER 11 FOR CHURCH FINANCIAL DISTRESS

The latest ABI Podcast features ABI Resident Scholar Scott Pryor speaking with Prof. Pamela Foohey of the University of Illinois College of Law discussing her recent paper examining church reorganizations that filed for chapter 11 protection, titled "Bankrupting the Faith." Foohey discusses her empirical study looking at church bankruptcies from 2006-11 to draw out the characteristics of the filings and case outcomes to see if bankruptcy is an effective solution to the institution's financial problems. Click here to listen.

To read Prof. Foohey's study, please click here.

DON'T MISS ABC'S FREE EVENT, "THE AUTO BANKRUPTCIES: CHECKING THE REARVIEW MIRROR," ON MARCH 22!

ABI members are encouraged to register for the American College of Bankruptcy's "The Auto Bankruptcies: Checking the Rearview Mirror" on March 22 at Boston College Law School in Newton, Mass. The afternoon event will feature key players looking back at the events that led to GM and Chrysler being placed into bankruptcy and the lessons that have been learned from the cases. Panelists include:

Corrine Ball of Jones Day (New York), who served as lead bankruptcy counsel to Chrysler.

Matthew A. Feldman of Willkie Farr and Gallagher LLP (New York), who served as chief legal advisor to the Obama administration's Task Force on the Auto Industry.

• Hon. Arthur J. Gonzalez, a Senior Fellow at New York University School of Law and formerly the Chief Bankruptcy Judge for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, who presided over the Chrysler chapter 11 proceedings.

Harvey R. Miller of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP (New York), who served as lead bankruptcy counsel to GM.

The moderator will be Mark N. Berman of Nixon Peabody LLP (New York).

Registration for the afternoon event is free, so be sure to sign up today before it reaches capacity!

ABI'S ANNUAL SPRING MEETING: CONSUMER PROGRAMMING WITH CROSS-OVER APPEAL

With four session tracks looking at issues geared toward chapter 11 restructurings, financial advisors, professional development and consumer bankruptcy, a number of sessions at ABI's Annual Spring Meeting have cross-over appeal for both consumer and business practitioners. Sessions include:

The Appellate Process: This distinguished panel will explore recent issues in appellate practice that are of interest to both consumer and business practitioners, including the ability to bypass intermediary appellate courts and take appeals directly to the circuit courts.

Consumer Class Actions: This panel will explore the potential benefits and pitfalls of class actions by debtors/trustees against creditors in chapter 13 cases, which are highlighted by two recent decisions of the Fifth Circuit. Many of the issues discussed during this panel will be useful in business cases as well.

The Individual Conundrum - Chapter 7, 11 or 13?: Deciding on the appropriate chapter for a high net worth individual contemplating a bankruptcy filing can be a daunting task. This panel will explore the considerations that guide the practitioner in advising individual clients in making this decision.

To register for the Annual Spring Meeting and to see the full schedule of program tracks and events, please click here.

ABI IN-DEPTH

NEW BANKRUPTCY PROFESSIONALS: DON'T MISS THE NUTS AND BOLTS PROGRAM AT ABI'S ANNUAL SPRING MEETING! SPECIAL PRICING IF YOU ARE AN ASM REGISTRANT!

An outstanding faculty of judges and practitioners explains the fundamentals of bankruptcy in a one-day Nuts and Bolts program on April 18 being held in conjunction with ABI's Annual Spring Meeting. Ideal training for junior professionals or those new to this practice area!

The morning session covers concepts all bankruptcy practitioners need to know, and the afternoon session splits into concurrent tracks, focusing on consumer and business issues. The session will include written materials, practice tip sessions with bankruptcy judges, continental breakfast and a reception after the program. Click here to register!

LATEST CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: COOK V. BACA (10TH CIR.)

Summarized by Steven T. Mulligan of Bieging Shapiro & Barber LLP

The court affirmed the dismissal of the pro se appellant's complaint in part and remanded with instructions to modify a portion of the dismissal from a dismissal with prejudice to one without prejudice for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. The court found that the appellant lacked the standing to argue that a violation of the automatic stay had occurred because the BAP had already found that such claims belong to the bankruptcy estate, so the appellant lacked standing to bring such arguments.

There are more than 750 appellate opinions summarized on Volo, and summaries typically appear within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: PROBLEMS AT FHA TOO BIG FOR CONGRESS TO IGNORE

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks 35 bankruptcy-related blogs. A recent blog post found that reform efforts could result in a much smaller scope of permissible lending at the FHA, with a renewed focus on its traditional core of low-income customers, higher credit score requirements and increased down payments.

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

ABI Quick Poll

As a result of the RadLAX decision, the right to credit-bid will likely chill bidding at auctions, as potential purchasers may be dissuaded from participating in the bidding process.

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL

INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 37 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

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March 22, 2013
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April 5, 2013
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April 18, 2013
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May 15, 2013
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May 16, 2013
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June 7, 2013
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July 11-14, 2013
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  CALENDAR OF EVENTS
 

2013

March
- Bankruptcy Battleground West
     March 22, 2013 | Los Angeles, Calif.

April
- ABI Live Webinar: "Legacy Liabilities : Dealing with Environmental, Pension, Union and Similar Types of Claims"
     April 5, 2013
- ABI Live Webinar: "Student Loans: Bankruptcy May Not Have the Answers - But Does Congress?"
     April 10, 2013
- "Nuts and Bolts" Program at ASM
     April 18, 2013 | National Harbor, Md.
- Annual Spring Meeting
     April 18-21, 2013 | National Harbor, Md.


  

 

May
- "Nuts and Bolts" Program at NYCBC
     May 15, 2013 | New York, N.Y.
- ABI Endowment Cocktail Reception
     May 15, 2013 | New York, N.Y.
- New York City Bankruptcy Conference
     May 16, 2013 | New York, N.Y.
- Litigation Skills Symposium
     May 21-24, 2013 | Dallas, Texas

June
- Memphis Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
     June 7, 2013 | Memphis, Tenn.
- Central States Bankruptcy Workshop
     June 13-16, 2013 | Grand Traverse, Mich.

July
- Northeast Bankruptcy Conference and Northeast Consumer Forum
     July 11-14, 2013 | Newport, R.I.
- Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop
     July 18-21, 2013 | Amelia Island, Fla.


 
 
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Foreclosure Starts Down on Annual Basis in October

ABI Bankruptcy Brief | November 15 2012
 
  

November 15, 2012

 
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  NEWS AND ANALYSIS   

FORECLOSURE STARTS DOWN ON ANNUAL BASIS IN OCTOBER

U.S. homes are entering the foreclosure process at a slower pace than a year ago, and fewer properties are being repossessed by lenders, the Associated Press reported today. Between January and October, 971,533 homes were placed on the path to foreclosure, down 8 percent from the same period last year, foreclosure listing firm RealtyTrac Inc. said today. At the other end of the foreclosure process, banks repossessed 559,063 homes through the end of last month, a decline of nearly 19 percent from a year earlier. That puts lenders on pace to complete 650,000 foreclosures this year, down from 800,000 in 2011, the firm said. The data, however, also shows that there are signs at the state level that more homes could end up in foreclosure in the coming months. The trend is most evident in judicial-process states such as New York, Florida and New Jersey. Fourteen states saw an annual increase in foreclosure activity, which RealtyTrac measures as the number of homes receiving a default notice, scheduled for auction or repossessed by the bank. Read more.

To see the percentage of loans in foreclosure by state (judicial v. non-judicial) for 3Q 2012, please visit ABI's Chart of the Day page.

MAJOR RETAILERS SELLING FINANCIAL PRODUCTS, CHALLENGING BANK OFFERINGS

As the nation's largest banks remain stingy with credit offerings following the financial downturn, major retailers are stepping in to fill the void, the New York Times reported today. Customers can now withdraw cash at an ATM with a prepaid card from Walmart, take out a loan at Home Depot for a kitchen renovation or kick-start a new venture with a small-business loan from Sam’s Club. This year, Walmart even started to test selling a life insurance policy. Consumer advocates are torn about the growth of this shadow banking industry. Financial products are making it into the hands of people who might not otherwise qualify for them, but these products are not always subject to the same regulations as bank products are. And to turn a profit, retailers generally have to charge more to people with poor credit or none at all. Read more.

SEC REPORT FINDS FAULTS WITH CREDIT RATERS

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said in a report today that the credit-ratings industry remains plagued by failures in meeting its own standards, weak oversight and poor documentation of its rating decisions, despite years of heightened scrutiny after the financial crisis, the Wall Street Journal reported. In its second annual report on the nine credit-rating firms registered with the agency, the SEC said that Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, Moody's Investors Service and Fitch Ratings still do not always follow their own standards for rating deals. The firms are required by the SEC to disclose and follow their methodologies for assigning ratings to securities so that investors know how those deals are being judged. The Dodd-Frank financial overhaul legislation required the SEC to conduct annual examinations of the registered rating firms, and deliver a report on its findings. Read more. (Subscription required.)

Click here to read the SEC's report.

REGULATORS SEEK CHANGES IN HOW MONEY-MARKET FUNDS OPERATE

The government on Tuesday inched closer to tightening its oversight of the $2.6 trillion money-market industry when a panel of top financial regulators put forward options for addressing the industry’s vulnerabilities, the Washington Post reported yesterday. The industry immediately expressed frustration with the proposal, saying that it resembles a plan that failed to gain support from the Securities and Exchange Commission. That plan, vigorously opposed by the industry, stalled when three of the SEC’s five commissioners said they would reject it. Under the recommendations put forward on Tuesday by the Financial Stability Oversight Council, the funds would have to set aside reserves as a buffer for times of crisis, restrict how quickly investors can redeem their money, or allow the value of a fund’s shares to fluctuate. Currently, one share of a money market fund is generally valued at $1. The funds have been popular with investors because they seem as stable and reliable as a bank account. But unlike bank accounts, they are not federally insured, and that image of security was shattered during the 2008 financial crisis when the Reserve Primary Fund, the nation’s first money-market fund, "broke the buck" because its value fell below $1 a share. Read more.

OPEN PUBLIC HEARING ON CHAPTER 11 REFORM AT ABI'S WINTER LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

ABI's Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11 will hold a public hearing on Friday, Nov. 30, at 11:15 a.m. (MT) during the Winter Leadership Conference in Tucson, Ariz., at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort. Members are welcome to provide testimony on their suggestions for ways to improve the operation of chapter 11. The hearing is the fifth in a series of public field hearings. Statements and video from all the recent hearings can be found at the Commission website at http://commission.abi.org.

Interested members should contact Sam Gerdano at [email protected] for more details about in-person testimony. Those interested may also file written statements of any length for consideration by the Commission. All materials will be part of the Commission's record to be transmitted to Congress following the two-year investigation and report. Please consider this great opportunity to become part of the legal reform of the Bankruptcy Code.

RICHMOND BAR CALLING FOR NOMINATIONS TO FILL JUDICIAL VACANCY; SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY DEC. 13

The Judiciary Committee of the Richmond (Va.) Bar Association invites ABI members to submit nominations to fill a judicial vacancy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The court is looking to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Bankruptcy Judge Douglas O. Tice, Jr.

Suggestions must be in writing and should be mailed to Virginia H. Grigg, Esq., c/o Richmond Bar Association, P.O. Box 1213, Richmond, Virginia 23218 or hand-delivered to her at the Bar office located at 707 E. Main Street, Suite 1620, Richmond, VA 23219. Nominations must be received by 4:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 13, 2012, in order to be considered.

ABI IN-DEPTH

LATEST CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: STOEBNER V. SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC CO. (IN RE LGI ENERGY SOLUTIONS INC.; 8TH CIR.)

Summarized by Eric Lockridge of Kean Miller LLP

The Eighth Circuit ruled that where the debtor acted as a payment intermediary between a utility and a customer and the contract between the debtor and customer required the debtor to remit funds to the utility, the contract created a trust obligation in favor of the utility. Consquently, for purposes of § 547, the utility was a creditor of the debtor because the creditor (1) had unsecured claims for breach of trust and (2) was an intended beneficiary. Further, for purposes of calculating subsequent new value, the issue was not the subsequent services provided by the utility to the customer, but the subsequent payments from the customer to the debtor.

There are nearly 700 appellate opinions summarized on Volo, and summaries typically appear within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: BOFA VS. MBIA AND THE FUTURE OF PRIVATE LABEL SECURITIZATION

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks 35 bankruptcy-related blogs. A recent post examines the ongoing litigation between BofA and MBIA and its effect on the future of mortgage-backed securities.

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

ABI Quick Poll

Despite the "free and clear" language of Sect. 363(f), purchasers of assets in 363 sales may still be liable for injuries to unidentifiable future claimants. (In re Grumman Olson Indus, S.D.N.Y.).

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

HAVE YOU TUNED IN TO BLOOMBERG LAW'S VIDEO PODCASTS?

Bloomberg Law's video podcasts feature top experts speaking about current bankruptcy topics. The podcasts are available via Bloomberg Law's YouTube channel so that you can access the programs from your computer or device of your choice! Click here to view the Bloomberg Law video podcasts.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL

INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 37 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

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Nov. 29 - Dec. 1, 2012
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Dec. 4-8, 2012
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Jan. 21, 2013
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Jan. 24-25, 2013
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Feb. 7-9, 2013
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Feb. 17-19, 2013
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Feb. 20-22, 2013
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  CALENDAR OF EVENTS
 

November
- Winter Leadership Conference
     November 29 - December 1, 2012 | Tucson, Ariz.

December
- Forty-Hour Bankruptcy Mediation Training
     December 4-8, 2012 | New York, N.Y.

2013

January
- Western Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
     January 21, 2013 | Las Vegas, Nev.
- Rocky Mountain Bankruptcy Conference
     January 24-25, 2013 | Denver, Colo.


  

 

February
- Caribbean Insolvency Symposium
     February 7-9, 2013 | Miami, Fla.
- Kansas City Advanced Consumer Bankruptcy Practice Institute
     February 17-19, 2013 | Kansas City, Mo.
- VALCON 2013
     February 20-22, 2013 | Las Vegas, Nev.


 
 
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Justice Department Issues New Attorney Fee Guidelines in Large Chapter 11 Cases

ABI Bankruptcy Brief | June 11 2013
 
  

June 11, 2013

 
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  NEWS AND ANALYSIS   

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ISSUES NEW ATTORNEY FEE GUIDELINES IN LARGE CHAPTER 11 CASES

The Department of Justice today announced new guidelines for the payment of attorneys’ fees and expenses in large chapter 11 cases in order to enhance disclosure and transparency in the compensation process and to help ensure that attorneys’ fees and expenses are based on actual market rates charged to other clients. The guidelines were originally issued in 1996 and are being updated in phases; the first phase, announced today, governs the USTP’s review of fees and expenses requested by attorneys in chapter 11 cases with $50 million or more in assets and $50 million or more in liabilities. Although the guidelines are not subject to the notice and comment process of the Administrative Procedure Act, the USTP nevertheless modified earlier drafts of the guidelines after two public comment periods and a public meeting. The new guidelines require a showing that the rates charged reflect market rates outside of bankruptcy. The guidelines also provide for the:

• use of budgets and staffing plans;
• disclosure of rate increases that occur during the representation;
• use of rates that are based on the attorney’s home office location;
• submission of billing records in an open, searchable electronic format;
• use of independent fee committees and fee examiners; and
• use of model forms and templates for applications for compensation and expenses.

The updated guidelines apply to attorneys’ fees and expenses in cases filed on or after Nov. 1, 2013, that meet the large-case threshold. Until the USTP adopts additional superseding guidelines over the next phases of revisions, the 1996 guidelines will continue in effect for the review of fee applications filed in larger chapter 11 cases by professionals who are not attorneys, as well as in all chapter 11 cases below the large-case threshold and in cases under other chapters of the Bankruptcy Code. Click here to read the guidelines.

FORMER ENERGY SECRETARY: EXPECT MORE GREEN ENERGY BANKRUPTCIES

Former Energy Secretary Steven Chu told the San Francisco Chronicle in an interview that more green energy companies that received government-backed loan guarantees will go bankrupt. “We’re going to have a few more bankruptcies,” Chu told the Chronicle when asked about the controversial Energy Department loan program. “Sometimes it’ll be like Solyndra where you get 3 cents on the dollar. Others, it’ll be 80 cents, or something like that.” The Energy Department’s green loan program came under fire after the high-profile bankruptcy of the solar company Solyndra in August 2011. The company received a $535 million loan guarantee, and the DOE has yet to recover any of those funds. However, Chu defended the loan program, saying that it was more successful than Wall Street. “This is not widely appreciated, but Congress, with the renewable energy loan program and the advanced [vehicle] manufacturing [program], they appropriated enough for $10 billion in losses,” Chu said. “We’re not going to get to $10 billion. We might get to $2 billion.” Solyndra was not the only green energy firm to go under. Beacon Power filed for bankruptcy in October 2011 after getting a $43 million loan guarantee from the DOE, as well as $29 million more from the federal government and the state of Pennsylvania. Abound Solar also went bankrupt, drawing down on $70 million of a $400 million federal loan. The DOE cut the company off in September 2011 after the Solyndra scandal took off. Read more. (Registration required.)

SEC REVIEWING GUILT-FREE SETTLEMENT POLICY

Mary Jo White, head of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), is "actively reviewing" its policy of not requiring bad actors to admit guilt when settling charges, The Hill reported yesterday. White said yesterday that she was reviewing the agency's policy of allowing banks and others facing SEC charges of wrongdoing to settle those claims without admitting to any guilt, to ensure that the watchdog is "making full appropriate use of its leverage." SEC officials have defended the culpability-free policy in the past, but the agency has come under fire from members of both parties, who argue that putting charges to bed without getting any acknowledgment of wrongdoing is coming up short. In May, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote letters to several financial regulators, asking them to justify pursuing such settlements, as well as their resistance to taking banks to trial. Read more.

ANALYSIS: SOME BANKS HELPING TO DEFRAUD OLDER CONSUMERS

Federal authorities are concerned with the alarming frequency that reputable banks are involved in schemes that are defrauding older Americans of their money, the New York Times reported today. Despite spotting suspicious activity, Zions Bank and another regional bank that has drawn scrutiny, First Bank of Delaware, served as gateways between dubious Internet merchants and their marks — and made money for themselves in the process, according to newly unsealed court documents reviewed by the New York Times. Last November, First Delaware reached a $15 million settlement with the Justice Department after the bank was accused of allowing merchants to illegally debit accounts more than two million times and siphon more than $100 million. The problems at Zions and First Delaware, where the banks became financial conduits and quiet enablers for questionable businesses, extend well beyond those two institutions, federal authorities say. In all, Zions in effect let roughly $39 million be withdrawn from hundreds of thousands of accounts from 2007 to 2009. Indeed, banks across the country, from some of the largest to smaller regional players, help facilitate billions of dollars of fraud each year, according to interviews with consumer lawyers and state and federal prosecutors. Read more.

LATEST ABI PODCAST LOOKS AT ISSUES SURROUNDING CHIEF RESTRUCTURING OFFICERS

ABI Deputy Executive Director Amy Quackenboss talks with Christopher A. Ward and Melissa Hager, co-authors of a recent ABI publication, The Chief Restructuring Officer's Guide to Bankruptcy. Ward and Hager discuss the book and issues surrounding chief restructuring officers in bankruptcy proceedings. Click here to listen to the podcast.

To purchase The Chief Restructuring Officer's Guide to Bankruptcy from the ABI Bookstore, please click here.

NEW ABI LIVE WEBINAR ON JULY 15 WILL FOCUS ON THE § 1111(b) ELECTION, PLAN FEASIBILITY AND CRAMDOWN ISSUES

Utilizing a case study, ABI's panel of experts on July 15 will explore issues surrounding a lender’s decision on whether or not to make an election under § 1111(b), plan feasibility and voting. The abiLIVE panel will also walk attendees through the necessary mathematical analyses used to analyze these issues. The webinar will take place from 1-2:15 p.m. ET. Special ABI member rate available! Click here to register.

ABI GOLF TOUR UNDERWAY; NEXT STOP IS CENTRAL STATES BANKRUPTCY WORKSHOP ON THURSDAY

Rob Schwartz and Scott Gautier are tied at 34 Stableford Points atop the closely bunched leaderboard after the ABI Golf Tour's first stop at Lake Presidential Golf Club. Next up for the Tour is the famed Bear course at the Grand Traverse Resort at the Central States Bankruptcy Workshop on June 14. Final scoring to win the Great American Cup—sponsored by Great American Group—is based on your top three scores at seven scheduled ABI events, so play as many as you can before the tour wraps up at the Winter Leadership Conference in December. See the Tour page for details and course descriptions. The ABI Golf Tour combines networking with fun competition, as golfers "play their own ball." Including your handicap means everyone has an equal chance to compete for the glory of being crowned ABI's top golfer of 2013! There's no charge to register or participate in the Tour, and women are most welcome.

ABI IN-DEPTH

NEW ABI "BANKRUPTCY IN DEPTH" ON-DEMAND CLE PROGRAM LOOKS AT PRINCIPLES OF PROPERTY OF THE ESTATE: DEMYSTIFYING EQUITABLE INTERESTS

In this 90-minute seminar, Profs. Andrew Kull of Boston University School of Law and Scott Pryor of Regent University School of Law provide an in-depth analysis of a legal principle that has become, in their words, "a long-lost area of the law": § 541 of the Bankruptcy Code. Seeking to demystify what is meant by "property of the estate" and, in particular, the distinction between legal or equitable interests of the debtor in property, Kull and Pryor describe the legal entanglements that ensue when legal title belongs to one person but the equitable title belongs to someone else. The cost of the seminar, which includes written materials and qualifies for 1.5 hours of CLE, is $95. To order or to learn more, click here.

ASSOCIATES: ABI'S NUTS & BOLTS ONLINE PROGRAMS HELP YOU HONE YOUR SKILLS WHILE SAVING ON CLE!

Associates looking to sharpen their bankruptcy knowledge should take advantage of ABI's special offer of combining general, business or consumer Nuts & Bolts online programs. Each program features an outstanding faculty of judges and practitioners explaining the fundamentals of bankruptcy, offering procedures and strategies tailored for both consumer and business attorneys. Click here to get the CLE you need at a great low price!

NEW CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: GODDARD V. HELDT (IN RE A. HELDT; 10TH CIR.)

Summarized by Lars Fuller of Baker & Hostetler LLP

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the rulings of the district and bankruptcy courts in dismissing a chapter 7 trustee's claim to avoid as fraudulent the debtors’ transfer of title to their sister in the mother's residence. The Tenth Circuit affirmed the lower court’s findings that the debtor's quitclaim to the sister of title had incidental value to the estate and thus was not avoidable as a fraudulent transfer.

There are more than 900 appellate opinions summarized on Volo, and summaries typically appear within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: FURTHER EXAMINATION OF GE AND CITI'S SETTLEMENTS WITH FHFA

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks 35 bankruptcy-related blogs. A new blog post takes a closer look at the reason behind GE and Citi's recent settlements with the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

ABI Quick Poll

Law firms should provide support for law student-staffed bankruptcy clinics for consumer debtors.

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL

INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 37 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

Have a Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn Account?

Join our networks to expand yours.

  

 

THURSDAY:

 

 

CSBW 2013
June 13-16, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

COMING UP

 

 

 

Golf Tournament 2013
June 14, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

INSOL’s Latin American Regional Seminar in São Paulo, Brazil
June 13, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

NE 2013
July 11-14, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

abiLIVEJuly
July 15, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

SEBW 2013
July 18-21, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

MA 2013
Aug. 8-10, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

SW 2013
Aug. 22-24, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

NYIC Golf Tournament 2013
Sept. 10, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

Endowment Baseball 2013
Sept. 12, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

VFB2013
Sept. 27, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

MW2013
Oct. 4, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

Endowment Football 2013
Oct. 6, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

Detroit
Oct. 14, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

Detroit
Nov. 11, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

40-Hour Mediation Program
Dec. 8-12, 2013
Register Today!


 
   
  CALENDAR OF EVENTS
 

2013

June
- Central States Bankruptcy Workshop
     June 13-16, 2013 | Grand Traverse, Mich.
- INSOL’s Latin American Regional Seminar
     June 13, 2013 | São Paulo, Brazil
- Charity Golf Tournament
     June 14, 2013 | City of Industry, Calif.

July
- Northeast Bankruptcy Conference and Northeast Consumer Forum
     July 11-14, 2013 | Newport, R.I.
- abiLIVE Webinar
     July 11-14, 2013 | Newport, R.I.
- Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop
     July 18-21, 2013 | Amelia Island, Fla.

August
- Mid-Atlantic Bankruptcy Workshop
    August 8-10, 2013 | Hershey, Pa.
- Southwest Bankruptcy Conference
    August 22-24, 2013 | Incline Village, Nev.

September
- ABI Endowment Golf & Tennis Outing
    Sept. 10, 2013 | Maplewood, N.J.


  



- ABI Endowment Baseball Game
    Sept. 12, 2013 | Baltimore, Md.
- Bankruptcy 2013: Views from the Bench
    Sept. 27, 2013 | Washington, D.C.

October
- Midwestern Bankruptcy Institute Program and Midwestern Consumer Forum
    Oct. 4, 2013 | Kansas City, Mo.
- ABI Endowment Football Game
    Oct. 6, 2013 | Miami, Fla.
- Chicago Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
    Oct. 14, 2013 | Chicago, Ill.

November
- Detroit Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
   Nov. 11, 2013 | Detroit, Mich.

December
- ABI/St. John’s Bankruptcy Mediation Training
    Dec. 8-12, 2013 | New York


 
 
ABI BookstoreABI Endowment Fund ABI Endowment Fund
 

Analysis White House Derivatives Tax Proposal Puts Wall Street in the Crosshairs

ABI Bankruptcy Brief | April 11 2013
 
  

April 11, 2013

 
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  NEWS AND ANALYSIS   

ANALYSIS: WHITE HOUSE DERIVATIVES TAX PROPOSAL PUTS WALL STREET IN THE CROSSHAIRS

The Obama administration yesterday proposed that derivatives be taxed under "mark-to-market" accounting rules on an annual basis, a move that takes aim at Wall Street and could give a lift to a similar plan circulated by House Republicans, the Wall Street Journal reported today. "The disparate treatment of derivatives under current tax rules, which have evolved sporadically over more than 50 years, has created a regime that is essentially elective," the Treasury Department wrote in its companion piece to the budget that contains more detail about tax proposals. "Sophisticated taxpayers can use these instruments to achieve the timing and character that meets their objectives. At the same time, the wide variance in the tax treatment of derivatives contracts that are economically similar leads to uncertainty about how the tax rules apply." The plan would raise about $18.9 billion over 10 years. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) has circulated a similar proposal. The main difference between the two plans is that Treasury's plan would be tied to whether or not derivatives were being actively traded in the market. The new treatment would apply to derivatives contracts entered into after Dec. 31, 2013. Read more. (Subscription required.)

A related New York Times editorial yesterday looked at several bills to pre-empt the regulation of derivatives that are the focus of a hearing today in the House Financial Services Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee. The bills, which have already passed the Agriculture Committee, should be stopped to curb reckless risk-taking by banks, according to the editorial. As it turns out, House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) could be the member of Congress to stop them. Hensarling recently outlined a free-enterprise approach to bank regulation that sensibly supported "greater capital and liquidity standards" and better "ring-fencing, fire-walling — whatever metaphor you want to use — between an insured depository institution and a noninsured investment bank." One of the bills before his committee would do the opposite of what he envisions. It would gut a provision of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law that effectively requires banks to spin off their riskiest derivatives transactions into separately capitalized uninsured subsidiaries, according to the editorial. The spinoff provision, which is being phased in this year, is important for shielding taxpayers from future bailouts. Read more.

To view the witness list and prepared testimony for today's House Financial Services Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee hearing titled, "Legislative Proposals Regarding Derivatives and SEC Economic Analysis," please click here.

COMMENTARY: WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE CHAPTER 14 PROPOSAL

While not a proponent of Dodd-Frank's orderly liquidation authority, Prof. Stephen Lubben of Seton Hall University Law School writes in the New York Times DealBook blog today why he opposes the "Chapter 14" proposal put forth by the Hoover Institute group at Stanford. First, Lubben writes that the chapter 14 proposal throws away most of the benefits of using the existing bankruptcy system by calling for cases to be heard by Federal District Court judges. Next, the chapter 14 proposal has an ill-conceived financing mechanism, according to Lubben, as it is based on the assumption that private debtor-in-possession financing will be available in times of financial distress, especially in the size a large financial institution would need. But the even bigger problem with chapter 14, which has gotten little coverage, is its effort to penalize the provider of DIP financing if the new financing is used to "overpay" creditors. For example, if a counterparty received a 50 percent upfront recovery made possible by the debtor-in-possession financing, and unsecured creditors later received only 35 percent in the chapter 14 case, the proposal would subordinate the debtor-in-possession lenders’ claim by that extra 15 percent. That pretty much kills off any chance of private debtor-in-possession financing, and even raises some serious doubts about future government debtor-in-possession financing too, according to Lubben. Read the full commentary.

HOUSING ADMINISTRATION MIGHT NEED $943 MILLION BAILOUT, ACCORDING TO WHITE HOUSE

The Obama administration said yesterday that the cash-strapped Federal Housing Administration will probably require a $943 million taxpayer bailout to cover expected losses on loans it insured as the U.S. housing bubble was deflating, Reuters reported yesterday. It would be the first bailout of the government's mortgage insurer in its nearly 80-year history. The White House estimated that the FHA has about $30 billion on hand but said its cash reserves would probably be depleted by souring loans. FHA Commissioner Carol Galante said that the agency might still be able to avoid taking aid from the U.S. Treasury, despite the financial hole projected in President Obama’s 2014 budget proposal. It has until Sept. 30 to decide whether it needs a cash infusion. In November, an independent audit found that the FHA faced a projected deficit of $16.3 billion. Since then, the agency has taken steps to shore up its finances, including raising the premiums that borrowers pay. Read more.

BANKS LOOK TO SHIFT RISK TO FUNDS

Banks are trying to boost their capital cushions by shifting risk to investment funds, even as global regulators threaten to clamp down on such transactions, the Wall Street Journal reported today. In recent weeks, Citigroup Inc., Switzerland's Credit Suisse AG and France's Société Générale SA have marketed "synthetic securitizations" in which investors, for a fee, agree to absorb future losses on portfolios of assets. The transactions are designed to thicken the banks' capital buffers by reducing the riskiness of their balance sheets. Citigroup wants to cap its exposure to shipping loans, Credit Suisse wants to curtail the risk of small Swiss businesses defaulting on loans, and Société Générale is aiming to reduce the credit risk in a derivatives portfolio. Read more. (Subscription required.)

LATEST BLOOMBERG "BILL ON BANKRUPTCY" VIDEO: RESCAP REPORT, A BARGAIN AT $83 MILLION

Why the Residential Capital LLC examiner's report will cost almost $83 million is the first item on the new Bloomberg bankruptcy video with Bloomberg Law's Lee Pacchia and Bloomberg News bankruptcy columnist Bill Rochelle. Click here to watch the video.

 

ASM MOBILE WEB APP NOW AVAILABLE FOR SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS!

The official Annual Spring Meeting mobile web app, sponsored by Diamond McCarthy LLP, is now available for iOS, Android and Blackberry devices! Utilize the app during ASM next week to view your personal schedule, browse what programs are taking place or to search for information related to the meeting. The mobile web app stores the schedule data locally on your phone for offline access too.

To take advantage of the ASM web app, bookmark the following address on your device’s browser: http://31stannualspringmeeting2013.sched.org/mobile

Haven’t registered for next week’s Annual Spring Meeting? Hurry, the hotel block at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., is almost sold out! ASM features a roster of the best national speakers, while the depth and scope of topics offer something for everyone. Specifically, four concurrent workshops will cover various “tracks,” including programs for attorneys in commercial cases, a track for restructuring professionals, a track of professional development programming and a track dealing solely with consumer issues. More than 16 hours of CLE/CPE is offered in some states, along with ethics credit totaling 3 hours, making the cost only about $50 per credit. In addition, committee sessions will drill down on other topics to provide you with the most practical and varied CLE/CPE experience ever. Sessions include:

• 17th Annual Great Debates
• Mediation: An Irrational Approach to a Rational Result
• Creditors’ Committees and the Role of Indenture Trustees and Related Issues
• Current Issues for Financial Advisors in Bankruptcy Cases
• The Individual Conundrum: Chapter 7, 11 or 13?
• The Power to Veto Bankruptcy Sales
• Real Estate Issues in Health Care Restructurings
• How to Be a Successful Expert
• The Ethical Compass: Multiple Ethical Schemes Applicable to Financial Advisors
• Chapter 9s, Nonprofits and Other Nontraditional Restructuring Processes
• And much more!

The Spring Meeting will also feature a field hearing of the ABI Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11, a report from the ABI Ethics Task Force, a luncheon panel discussion moderated by Bill Rochelle of Bloomberg News, and a Final Night Gala Dinner featuring a concert by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts!

Make sure to register today!

ABI IN-DEPTH

LATEST CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: TEED V. THOMAS & BETTS POWER SOLUTIONS LLC (7TH CIR.)

Summarized by Steven Schwartz of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware

The Seventh Circuit ruled that successor liability is appropriate in suits to enforce federal labor or employment laws – even when the successor disclaimed liability when it acquired the assets, unless there is a good reason to withhold such liability (i.e., lack of notice of potential liability, maintaining priorities of competing creditors). Increasing the cost to the buyer is not a good reason to withhold successor-liability suits in federal labor or employment law cases.

There are more than 800 appellate opinions summarized on Volo, and summaries typically appear within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: FIRST QUARTER 2013 U.S. LEVERAGED LOAN MARKET ANALYSIS

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks 35 bankruptcy-related blogs. A recent post provides an analysis of the leveraged loan market during the first quarter of 2013.

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

TEE OFF ON THE NEW ABI GOLF TOUR!

Starting with the Annual Spring Meeting, ABI will offer conference registrants the option to participate in the ABI Golf Tour. The Tour will take place concurrently with all conference golf tournaments. The Tour is designed to enhance the golfing experience for serious golfers, while still offering a fun networking opportunity for players of any ability. As opposed to the format used at ABI’s regular conference events, Tour participants will "play their own ball." They will be grouped on the golf course separately from other conference golf participants and will typically play ahead of the other participants, expediting Tour play. Tour participants will be randomly grouped in foursomes, unless otherwise requested of the Commissioner in advance of each tournament. Prizes will be awarded for each individual Tour event, which are sponsored by Great American Group. The grand prize is the "Great American Cup," also sponsored by Great American Group, which will be awarded to the top player at the end of the Tour season. Registration is free. Click here for more information and a list of 2013 ABI Golf Tour event venues.

ABI Quick Poll

The scope of protection of "financial contracts" in bankruptcy should be rolled back to what it was before BAPCPA expanded it in 2005.

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL

INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 37 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

Have a Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn Account?

Join our networks to expand yours.

  

 

NEXT WEEK:

 

 

 

ASM 2013
April 18-21, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

ASM NAB 2013
April 18, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

 

COMING UP

 

 

 

NYCBC 2013
May 15, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

 

 

 

ASM 2013
May 16, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

 

 

ASM 2013
May 21-24, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

 

 

ASM 2013
June 7, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

 

 

 

ASM 2013
June 13-16, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

 

 

 

NE 2013
July 11-14, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

 

 

 

ASM 2013
July 18-21, 2013
Register Today!

 

 

 

 

MA 2013
Aug. 8-10, 2013
Register Today!


 
   
  CALENDAR OF EVENTS
 

2013

April
- "Nuts and Bolts" Program at ASM
     April 18, 2013 | National Harbor, Md.
- Annual Spring Meeting
     April 18-21, 2013 | National Harbor, Md.

May
- "Nuts and Bolts" Program at NYCBC
     May 15, 2013 | New York, N.Y.
- ABI Endowment Cocktail Reception
     May 15, 2013 | New York, N.Y.
- New York City Bankruptcy Conference
     May 16, 2013 | New York, N.Y.
- Litigation Skills Symposium
     May 21-24, 2013 | Dallas, Texas


  

 

June
- Memphis Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
     June 7, 2013 | Memphis, Tenn.
- Central States Bankruptcy Workshop
     June 13-16, 2013 | Grand Traverse, Mich.

July
- Northeast Bankruptcy Conference and Northeast Consumer Forum
     July 11-14, 2013 | Newport, R.I.
- Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop
     July 18-21, 2013 | Amelia Island, Fla.

August
- Mid-Atlantic Bankruptcy Workshop
    August 8-10, 2013 | Hershey, Pa.


 
 
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