Liability Management Exercises: Lender On Lender Violence?
October 31, 2025
Liability management exercises (LMEs) have gained considerable attention during the past few years. Whether intended for good purposes or not, LMEs have significantly disrupted the traditional loan business through aggressive priming and subordination tactics — leading some to characterize this phenomenon as lender-on-lender violence.
Bankruptcy Judges Struggle With Meaning of ‘Consensual Release’ Post-Purdue
October 01, 2025
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in Purdue, which held that nonconsensual third-party releases are impermissible under the Bankruptcy Code, bankruptcy judges across multiple jurisdictions have been grappling with what constitutes a “consensual” release. Harrington v. Purdue Pharma L.P., 603 U.S. 204 (2024). This article analyzes how different judges have defined “consent” and provides guidance on best practices for structuring third-party releases.
Fourth Circuit: Subject-Matter Jurisdiction In Bankruptcy Depends On Statute, Not Debtor Solvency
October 01, 2025
The Fourth Circuit’s opinion focused on answering the core question presented — whether jurisdiction is determined by statute, rather than by a debtor’s financial condition. It reasoned that since the Constitution grants Article III power over “all cases arising under the laws of the United States” and the Bankruptcy Code is a law under the United States, the petition to reorganize under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code is clearly within the judicial ambit of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
Mass Tort Cases Test Boundaries of Chapter 11 Bankruptcies
August 31, 2025
Courts continue to grapple with issues impacting the rights of debtors, creditors and insurers in Chapter 11 cases filed by companies facing mass tort liabilities. This article summarizes key takeaways from significant cases such as Red River Talc and Boy Scouts of America (BSA).
The Expansive Equitable Powers of Bankruptcy Courts Under Section 510(C)
August 31, 2025
In a recent decision, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey subordinated a 502(h) claim to prevent the claimant from being paid in full prior to investors defrauded by the debtors’ pre-petition operation of a Ponzi scheme. In its decision, the court maintained that the equitable powers of bankruptcy courts were sufficiently broad to subordinate a claim on equitable grounds under Section 510(c) and that there is nothing in the Bankruptcy Code that prevents a court from so doing.
Eleventh Circuit: The Automatic Stay Can Be Lost Through a Debtor’s Misconduct
August 31, 2025
In a recent U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit case, the court considered whether a bankruptcy court had the authority to retroactively annul the automatic stay under circumstances where the debtor affirmatively participated in an arbitration but subsequently argued that enforcement of the arbitration award against him should be subject to the automatic stay when he did not like the outcome.
The Intersection of Bankruptcy and Personal Injury Claims
August 31, 2025
As personal injury and bankruptcy law increasingly intersect, attorneys must navigate a complex legal landscape. Nowhere is this more apparent than in cases involving financially distressed individuals with pending personal injury claims, or tort plaintiffs pursuing recovery against bankrupt defendants. This article highlights key questions and considerations attorneys should understand when navigating these types of cases.
