Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

The Bankruptcy StrategistFeaturesBankruptcyLitigationRegulation

The Bankruptcy Code's Anti-Discrimination Section and COVID-19

By Andrew C. Kassner and Joseph N. Argentina Jr.
August 01, 2020

The pandemic has spurred analysis of legal issues as businesses grapple with their respective relationships with both private and public entities. For example, corporate general counsel suddenly were flooded with law firm alerts analyzing the scope of force majeure clauses — a contract term that is rarely the focus of negotiation. In this article, the authors examine Section 525 of the Bankruptcy Code — the anti-discrimination section, and its implications during COVID-19.

A number of bankruptcy courts have been faced with a novel issue on an emergency basis. In response to the pandemic, the federal government enacted the highly published payroll protection loan program to assist devastated small businesses and nonprofit enterprises. However, the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued regulations that disqualified Chapter 11 debtors from participating in the program. Several debtors have sought emergency injunctions to compel the SBA to process their loan applications notwithstanding their ongoing bankruptcy cases. The results have been mixed; some courts have directed the SBA to process the applications, and others uphold the SBA's exclusion of bankrupt debtors from the PPP lifeline.

The Archdiocese of Santa Fe

This issue was recently considered by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Mexico in Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe v. U.S. Small Business Administration (In re Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe), Adv. Case No. 20-01026 (May 1, 2020). According to the opinion, the archdiocese filed for Chapter 11 on Dec. 3, 2018, and has been operating as debtor-in-possession.

This premium content is locked for The Bankruptcy Strategist subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

Compliance Officers: Recent Regulatory Guidance and Enforcement Actions and Mitigating the Risk of Personal Liability Image

This article explores legal developments over the past year that may impact compliance officer personal liability.