Business Bankruptcy
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Replacing a Debtor’s Management with a Chapter 11 Trustee
Which is Better: Debtor in Possession or Chapter 11 Trustee? The mere act of filing a chapter 11 bankruptcy petition significantly alters the relationship between a debtor and its creditors, yet, perhaps surprisingly, the filing does not automatically trigger removal of the very management team that led (or maybe drove) the debtor into bankruptcy […]
Getting Over the Scariness of Filing an Involuntary Bankruptcy Petition
The Notorious Case of the Involuntary Bankruptcy Mention involuntary bankruptcy to many in the credit industry and you often get a sharp response: no way. Decisions that awarded punitive damages to debtors have received broad attention. Trying to collect on a bad loan is tough enough. Why compound the struggle by giving the debtor the […]
Sears Chapter 11 Rulings Threaten to Upend Administrative Claim Status for Goods Vendors
Application of Section 503(b)(1)(A) and 503(b)(9) in the Sears Chapter 11 Filing Precedent setting rulings in the Sears chapter 11 case could radically alter how vendors support companies who file for bankruptcy in the future. Historically the presumption and practice in the vast majority of bankruptcy cases has been that vendors receive priority status […]
Dealing with Corporate Distress 03: Welcome to the Jungle: The Animals of the Corporate Restructuring Industry
The ABCs of ABCs, Business Bankruptcy, & Corporate Restructuring/Insolvency Who are you? Maybe your company needs to file chapter 11. Or one of your customers recently filed. Or maybe a competitor is in (or is rumored to be close to filing) chapter 11. Maybe you’re thinking about getting into the corporate restructuring industry yourself. Regardless […]
Fraud And Deceit in Bankruptcy Cases – Lessons from “The Clouds”
What Can An Ancient Greek Playwright Tell Us About Bankruptcy? Some of the best lessons on fraud and deceit in bankruptcy were written around 2,500 years ago. Yes, all the way back in 423 B.C., the Greek playwright Aristophanes offered his thoughts for posterity in his comic play “The Clouds,” which tells the story of […]
Dealing with Corporate Distress 02: These Are the People in Our Neighborhood: An Overview of Parties in Chapter 11
A Series on the ABCs of ABCs, Business Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring/Insolvency Since a judge presides over a chapter 11 proceeding, one might assume that a chapter 11 case is like any other commercial litigation matter, with one party on each side of the case: a plaintiff and a defendant. One would be wrong (Felix […]
Dealing with Corporate Distress 01: Hello Darkness, Our Dear Friend
A Series on the ABCs of ABCs, Business Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring/Insolvency Greetings, dear reader: It seems you’re interested in learning how to deal with corporate distress, and we’re glad you’re here. But let’s first make sure you got on the right plane. Maybe you . . . Are a C-suite executive of a business […]
Selling Distressed Assets: The Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors Alternative
An Alternative to Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 Liquidations Financially distressed companies faced with unlikely prospects for reorganization – and the creditors who can influence their decisions – often take advantage of the chapter 11 liquidation option, where the debtor’s assets can be sold free and clear of all liens, claims, and encumbrances. This leaves […]
When to Request Relief from the Automatic Stay
Editors’ Note: this is part of our irregular series in which we answer readers’ questions. If you have a question, submit it to [email protected] and we will try to answer it. QUESTION: How do I know if I should request relief from a debtor’s automatic stay? ANSWER: What is the Automatic Stay? Section 362 of […]
Mega RV: Unsecured Creditors Fall Short in Bankruptcy Settlement
An Unfortunate Case for Unsecured Creditors A settlement agreement in the Mega RV Corp. bankruptcy highlighted the interplay between an overzealous lender and a repentant business owner who came together to cooperate and provide a windfall recovery to unsecured creditors. Ultimately, through the machinations of the bankruptcy case, the settlement proved to be insufficient to […]