Program Schedule

Opening Announcements by John Isbell, President

Economic Overview - This presentation will provide an overview of the current economic outlook and what it means for bankruptcy practitioners. Drawing on the past year’s developments, including the impact of the Trump tariffs, on-going inflation pressures, developing interest rate policy, and labor market realignment, this presentation will examine how these forces are shaping consumer spending, business investment, and credit conditions.

SPEAKER: Roger Tutterow

New Law, Old Practices, and Some Insights on Best Practices - This presentation will provide a seasoned litigator’s view on some recent developments related to bankruptcy practitioners, including an overview of recent cases related to pleading preference actions, a revisiting of the latest law regarding fraud complaints, views on using AI in drafting court documents, and thoughts with respect to what practices are effective before the bankruptcy court.

SPEAKER: R. Scott Williams

Refreshment Break
Registrants only (included in registration fee)

Update from the Emory Bankruptcy Development Journal - Professor Lindsey Simon and select law students on the EBDJ will discuss some of the interesting topics that they are currently writing about.  Founded in 1984 by legendary bankruptcy judge William L. Norton Jr. and the only student-run bankruptcy journal in the United States, the Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal publishes semi-annually, featuring professional and student articles on a broad range of bankruptcy topics.

SPEAKER: Professor Lindsey Simon

Cocktail Reception (Registrants and Spouses)

The Painted Pin Bowling Reception –Come test your skills with a few games of tenpin against other SBLI attendees.  The winner will receive a $100 gift card and bragging rights for a year.  Included with conference registration, but space is limited.  Prior registration is required!

Registration and Continental Breakfast

Appellate/Supreme Court Update - This presentation will cover the latest developments in bankruptcy issues in the Supreme Court and Circuit Courts. Eric Brunstad will discuss recent Supreme Court opinions and pending Supreme Court cases addressing bankruptcy issues and how those cases will affect our practices. This presentation will also explore splits among the Circuits on bankruptcy issues, the likelihood of resolution by the Supreme Court, and implications for consumer and business practitioners.

SPEAKER: G. Eric Brunstad, Jr.

SPEAKERS: Honorable Paul W. Bonapfel & Honorable Benjamim A. Kahn

11:15 - 12:35

BREAKOUT
SESSIONS

Lunch
Registrants only (included in registration fee)

Administratively Insolvent Debtors in Chapter 11: Navigating the End Game - This panel will focus on what to do when a chapter 11 debtor becomes administratively insolvent, and will discuss practical end‑game options and strategies, including structured dismissals, liquidating plans that provide less than a full recovery to administrative creditors, and conversions to chapter 7.  Using recent cases for precedent and guidance, the panelists will address the legal and strategic considerations that drive the choice among these paths, including absolute priority concerns, consent and voting issues, court approval standards, and the treatment of professionals, trade vendors, landlords, and other administrative claimants.

Plowing Through Distress: Restructuring Options for Farms and Agribusinesses - This panel will examine the mounting financial and operational pressures on distressed agriculture companies in face of on-going market volatility, including the effects of tariffs and resulting disruptions in export markets and commodity pricing. Panelists will explore restructuring and liquidation options for farms and agribusinesses—chapter 11, chapter 12, out‑of‑court workouts, and consensual wind‑downs, and how these tools interact with seasonal cash flows, government support programs, and secured lenders’ goals and potential enforcement options.

Case Law Update/11th Circuit Decision – PART II -

This panel will continue to explore cutting-edge rulings, emerging trends in consumer bankruptcy cases. Expect sharp analysis, candid discussion, and a few well-placed laughs as our experts break down how these developments are reshaping the world of financial distress.

SPEAKERS: Ronald R. Peterson & Sabrina L. McKinney

The Ultimate Client Control Clinic - This presentation will highlight proven strategies for managing difficult clients, handling ghosting, miscommunications, and unpaid fees in consumer bankruptcy.

SPEAKER: To Be Announced

Behind the Curtain: What Trustees Really Think - This open forum with chapter 7 and 13 trustees will explore common concerns, identify red flags, and discuss practical ways practitioners can make trustees’ jobs easier – while better serving their clients.

SPEAKERS: Deb Miller, Robert C. Furr, Sabrina L. McKinney & Beverly M. Burden

Continental Breakfast
Registrants only (included in registration fee)

Views from the Bench: Adjusting to the “New Normal” in the Courtroom - While the days of pandemic-era courtroom closures are long behind us, many bankruptcy courts have not fully returned to pre-pandemic practices.  Instead, a “new normal” has emerged.  In this panel discussion, bankruptcy judges will share their perspectives on that new normal, including expectations for in-person participation, etiquette for virtual hearings, guidance on testimony and other evidence, interaction with courtroom staff (including work-from-home policies and flexibility), and best practices for appearing in their courtrooms.

SPEAKERS: Honorable Jonathan W. Jordan, Honorable Edward J. Coleman, III & Honorable Austin E. Carter

Hallucinations, Candor, and Competence: Ethics in the Age of Generative AI -A humorous but sobering look at ethical traps facing attorneys in the age of social media, AI tools, and online client interactions.

11:15 - 12:35

BREAKOUT
SESSIONS

Lunch
Registrants only (included in registration fee)

Nuts & Bolts: Best Practices for Buying or Selling a Company Out of Bankruptcy - This panel will offer a practical nuts‑and‑bolts overview of acquiring or selling a distressed company through a Section 363 sale. Panelists will cover key steps—stalking‑horse deals, bid procedures and auctions, lender and credit‑bid issues, “free and clear” sales and successor liability, and assignment of contracts and leases—and share best practices for maximizing value and getting transactions closed on a tight chapter 11 timeline.

SPEAKERS: Joseph M. Mulvihill, James H. Burbage & Raoul Nowitz

Refreshment Break
Registrants only (included in registration fee)

Space Available: Lease Strategies for Landlords and Tenants in Chapter 11 - This panel will provide an overview of key landlord and tenant issues in chapter 11 cases, including issues related to lease assumption and rejection, cure and stub rent disputes, designation rights and assignment to third‑party buyers, treatment of security deposits and letters of credit, and the impact of deadlines to assume or reject. Using recent retail and commercial real estate cases, the discussion will highlight negotiation strategies, common pitfalls, and best practices for protecting landlords’ and debtors’ interests when leases are among the estate’s most important assets.

SPEAKERS: Jennifer McClain McLemore, Christopher A. Ward & R. Scott Williams

An Unholy Union: Family Law Meets Bankruptcy Law - This presentation will explore how marital agreements influence asset claims, exemptions, dischargeability, and domestic support obligations in bankruptcy proceedings.

SPEAKERS: Barbara J. May & Honorable Edward J. Coleman, III

Means Test Mayhem: Winning the Numbers Game - This presentation will cover strategies for navigating the intricacies of the means test, including common traps, recent updates, and techniques for rebutting presumption of abuse.

SPEAKERS: Robert C. Furr & Deb Miller

Bankruptcy Wellness: Financial Rehab for Debtors - This presentation will examine integrating financial coaching and behavioral psychology post-discharge to prevent future financial distress and promote long-term stability.

Mortgages: Keeping the House of Cards Standing in Bankruptcy - A fast-paced discussion of the legal engineering that can help keep a roof over your client’s head – and the whole house of cards standing - when the winds of bankruptcy start to blow.