A decision earlier this year in the LATAM Airlines Group bankruptcy addressed the validity of claims arising from intercompany loans between a corporate debtor’s affiliates. Judge James L. Garrity’s opinion overruling...more
Intercreditor disputes in bankruptcy are common. Typically, however, they center around predictable disagreements between senior or junior classes of creditors such as valuation battles or lien perfection challenges. A...more
A paper to be published soon in the University of Southern California Law Review, “The Rise of Bankruptcy Directors,” is sharply critical of the increased use of supposedly “independent directors” by distressed companies,...more
The allowance of postpetition interest in solvent debtor chapter 11 cases has become an important issue in recent years for corporate issuers, bondholders and other creditors. This post will examine a recent decision in the...more
The treatment of make-whole premiums in chapter 11 cases in solvent debtor cases has become an important issue in recent years for corporate issuers and bondholders. This post will examine a recent decision in the Hertz case...more
Two recent judicial decisions, Sanchez Energy and Tribune Media, highlight the challenges faced by indenture trustees and their professionals in chapter 11 cases where there are no recoveries to noteholders. Federal law...more
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit recently became the first circuit court to address the question of whether a corporate parent can set off an obligation that it owes to a bankrupt company against a claim owed...more
The economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic will leave in its wake a significant increase in commercial chapter 11 filings. Many of these cases will feature extensive litigation involving breach of contract claims,...more
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali recently ruled in the Chapter 11 case of Pacific Gas & Electric (“PG&E”) that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) has no jurisdiction to interfere with the ability of a...more
9/13/2019
/ Bankruptcy Court ,
Chapter 11 ,
Commercial Bankruptcy ,
Exclusive Jurisdiction ,
Executory Contracts ,
FERC ,
Filed-Rate Doctrine ,
PG&E ,
Popular ,
Power Purchase Agreements ,
Section 365 ,
Utilities Sector
Few issues in bankruptcy create as much contention as disputes regarding the right of setoff. This was recently highlighted by a decision in the chapter 11 case of Orexigen Therapeutics in the District of Delaware. Judge...more
Southeastern Grocers (operator of the Winn-Dixie, Bi Lo and Harvey’s supermarket chains) recently completed a successful restructuring of its balance sheet through a “prepackaged” chapter 11 case in the District of Delaware....more
The Supreme Court’s recent decision in Merit Management Group, LP v. FTI Consulting, Inc. has appropriately drawn significant attention. The Court, by narrowing the “safe harbor” provision of Section 546(e) of the Bankruptcy...more
4/26/2018
/ Avoidance ,
Bankruptcy Code ,
Chapter 11 ,
Commercial Bankruptcy ,
Financial Institutions ,
Fraudulent Transfers ,
Intermediaries ,
Merit Management Group v FTI Consulting ,
Safe Harbors ,
SCOTUS ,
Section 546(e) ,
Trustees
In December 2015, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Laurie Silverstein of the District of Delaware confirmed a plan of reorganization in the Millennium Lab Holdings chapter 11 case that included the non-consensual release of...more
Judge Kevin Gross of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware handed down an important ruling last week that turned aside most of an unusual challenge to the fees and expenses of an indenture trustee in the...more
Judge Christopher Sontchi recently issued an important opinion in the Molycorp chapter 11 case. He held that a standard carve-out in a financing order for the fees of counsel and other professionals for an official...more
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week in the case of Czyzewski v. Jevic Holding Corp. Although veteran Court watchers caution about seeking to predict ultimate rulings based on justices’ questions and stated...more
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear the case of Czyzewski v. Jevic Holding Corp. during the new term that began last week. The questions it presents are relatively simple. First, can a bankruptcy court, in dismissing a case...more
The ability of a secured creditor to credit bid its debt in connection with a sale of a debtor’s assets received a strong boost in a decision last month in the Chapter 11 case of Aeropostale from U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean...more
The chapter 11 case of Energy Future Holdings (“EFH” or “Debtors”) roared back to life this month. Certain key conditions for the plan of reorganization approved last December (the “First Plan”) to become effective were not...more
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently handed down a decision with significant implications for landlords contemplating lease termination agreements with distressed tenants. Ruling on a direct appeal in the chapter 11...more
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Shelley Chapman ruled last week in the chapter 11 case of Sabine Oil & Gas that Sabine could utilize the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to “reject” certain agreements with pipeline operators. This decision will...more
The Supreme Court’s decision last term in Baker Botts v. Asarco, in which the Court ruled that professionals that are paid from a debtor’s bankruptcy estate cannot be compensated for time spent defending their fee...more
Bankruptcy and restructuring professionals usually do not need to be political junkies. Amendments to the Bankruptcy Code, and the accompanying machinations of the Congressional legislative process, typically occur at a...more
Mediation has become an invaluable tool in large chapter 11 cases. Traditionally viewed as a means for resolving discrete disputes between a debtor’s estate and an adversary party, in recent years mediation in certain complex...more
Make-whole premiums are often used in connection with the issuance of debt in order to protect noteholders with long term investment horizons from being repaid early. At the time of the bankruptcy filing of EFH in April 2014,...more
7/15/2015
/ Acceleration ,
Automatic Stay ,
Bankruptcy Code ,
Bonds ,
Chapter 11 ,
Commercial Bankruptcy ,
Creditors ,
Debtors ,
Energy Futures Holdings ,
Financial Holding Company ,
Long-Term Investment Funds ,
Make-Whole Premium ,
Rescission ,
Section 362