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.
Inconvenient Interlocutory Bankruptcy Appeals — A Reply
July 31, 2025
A bankruptcy judge, his law clerk and two law students challenged this author’s opinion piece entitled “Inconvenient Bankruptcy Appeals” from the December 2024 issue of The Bankruptcy Strategist that district courts and Bankruptcy Appellate Panels have been rigidly limiting appellate review of interlocutory bankruptcy court orders as a matter of convenience. The critics argue instead that these courts consistently apply appropriate statutory and decisional standards when they decline appellate review, striving to “get it right.” A quick reply follows.
Potential Consequences of LME Strategies
July 31, 2025
Much ink has been spilled about the continued ascent of the “liability management exercise” (LME). Not to fret, this is not another LME article; rather, this article focuses on potential consequences of certain LME strategies.
Commercial Chapter 11 Filings Down 15% in First Half of 2025
July 31, 2025
Demand in the bankruptcy portion of the restructuring practice has been a little sluggish this year as commercial Chapter 11 filings declined 15% compared to the same period in 2024, according to a new report from the American Bankruptcy Institute and Epiq.
