Bankruptcy 2021: New Rules, Case Law, and Hot Topics

Agenda / Content Covered

All times are shown in Eastern time.

1. Bankruptcy Case Law Update
   11:00 - 12:30, Cecilia Lee
   1. Supreme Court Update (Chicago vs. Fulton, Taggart Implications, and More)
   2. Federal Circuit Update
2. Summary of U.S. Bankruptcy Rule and Form Changes; Status of COVID-19 Provisions
   12:45 - 1:15, Barbara C. Leon
3. Chapter 7 Tips and Traps
   1:15 - 2:15, Russell D. Garrett
   1. Petition Review
   2. Meetings of Creditors
   3. Proofs of Claim and Objections
   4. Asset and Exemption Issues
4. SBRA Strategies for Individual Debtors (Subchapter V of Chapter 11)
   2:45 - 3:45, John C. Ruddy
   
   1. SBRA Recap and Updates
   2. Pros and Cons of Chapter 11 vs. 13
   3. Election, Eligibility, and Petition
   4. Plan of Reorganization Tactics
   5. Keeping Costs and Time Under Control
   6. Creditor Goals and Techniques
5. Consumer Bankruptcy Practice & Profitability Hot Topics
   3:45 - 4:45, Ronald I. Chorches
   1. Filing Stats, What to Expect Next, and How to Prepare
   2. Elevating Your Pre-Filing and Case Selection Game
   3. Proven and Creative Ways to Increase Your Client Base in 2021
   4. A Roadmap to Getting More Referrals From Former Clients
6. What's Next? The Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act and More
   5:00 - 6:00, Barbara C. Leon

Accreditation Details:

RONALD I. CHORCHES is the principal of the Law Offices of Ronald I. Chorches, LLC, in Wethersfield, Connecticut. He is appointed to the Panel of Chapter 7 Standing Trustees, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Connecticut. Mr. Chorches has limited his practice to bankruptcy law, bankruptcy litigation, workouts, commercial litigation, and creditors' rights since 1991. He has lectured before legal and business groups on bankruptcy law and foreclosure law. Mr. Chorches is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees and the Chapter 13 Trustee Bankruptcy Association. He is a member of the Commercial Law and Bankruptcy sections of the Connecticut Bar Association, and the Commercial Law Section of the American Bar Association. Mr. Chorches earned his B.A. degree from Skidmore College and his J.D. degree from Western New England College, School of Law.

RUSSELL D. GARRETT is a shareholder with Jordan Ramis PC. Mr. Garrett has more than 30 years of experience representing clients in complex business and financial issues both in and out of the courtroom. He advises businesses and individuals on strategic issues, particularly where there are shareholder/management disputes and financial distress exists. Mr. Garrett has represented creditors; Chapter 7, 11, and 13 trustees; debtors, creditors’ committees; and asset purchasers in bankruptcy and bankruptcy litigation. He has represented both state and federal receivers. He serves as a panel Chapter 7 trustee for the Western District of Washington and has served from time to time as a Chapter 11 trustee and state court receiver. Mr. Garrett has served on both the Oregon and Washington State bar associations Debtor-Creditor Executive committees, is a board member of the National Association of Chapter 7 Trustees, and is a former Ninth Circuit lawyer representative. He is a regular speaker on bankruptcy and creditors’ rights topics, both in Oregon and Washington, as well as for several national programs. Mr. Garrett earned his B.S. degree from the University of Oregon and his J.D. degree from Willamette University College of Law.

CECILIA LEE practices all aspects of bankruptcy law with her partner, Elizabeth High, Esq., at Lee High, Ltd., in Reno, Nevada. She is certified as a business bankruptcy specialist by the American Board of Certification and has been recognized as a business bankruptcy specialist in the state of Nevada since 2002. Ms. Lee practices in the areas of bankruptcy, creditor’s rights, appellate and restructuring law. In 2015, she joined the law faculty as an adjunct professor of debtor/creditor and Chapter 11 restructuring law at Willamette University College of Law. In addition, she publishes and lectures on various aspects of business and consumer bankruptcy law. As a member of the ABI Consumer Bankruptcy Committee, she was honored with the Committee of the Year award for work done in 2015 and recognized in the June 2016 issue of the ABI Journal. Ms. Lee earned her B.A. degree, with honors, from Swarthmore College, her M.S. degree from the University of Oregon and her J.D. degree from Willamette University College of Law. Ms. Lee is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, the Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, and the state and federal courts in Nevada and Oregon.

BARBARA C. LEON is an attorney with Christie D. Arkovich, P.A.; she has been a bankruptcy attorney for 18 plus years. Ms. Leon graduated from Stetson College of Law, with honors. In addition to being an editor on Stetson's Law Review, she gained practical experience through an internship with the United States' Attorney's office and a clerkship with a federal magistrate judge. Thereafter, Ms. Leon worked in consumer bankruptcy practice for approximately 5 years. She then spent some time in creditor practice before returning to her happy place: bankruptcy. Ms. Leon spent about another 5 years representing both individual and corporate debtors in chapters 7, 11, and 13 before joining Ms. Arkovich's practice. She has diversified her practice to not only include bankruptcy, but also foreclosure defense, consumer collections litigation, debt defense, and student loans. Ms. Leon is admitted to practice in Florida.

JOHN C. RUDDY is a managing member in the firm Ruddy & Petersen Law Group, LLC, in Aurora, Illinois. Mr. Ruddy concentrates his practice in the areas of litigation concerning real estate, bankruptcy reorganization, commercial matters, eminent domain and consumer disputes. He has been in practice since 1977. Mr. Ruddy advises and represents the firm's clients on real estate foreclosure proceedings, including the implementation of sheriff's sales. He also advises and represents loan borrowers on defenses and counterclaims to mortgage foreclosure proceedings, including the Fair Credit Agreements Act; the Real Estate Settlement Protections Act; the Truth in Lending Act; the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act. Mr. Ruddy earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Denver and his J.D. degree from John Marshall Law School. He has been the chairperson of the Commercial Banking and Bankruptcy Committee of the Kane County Bar Association from 1994 to the present and is a former bankruptcy trustee.