Mid Cap
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April 04, 2025
Already Lean US Trustee Program Sees 58 Take Buyouts
Dozens of employees of the United States Trustee Program have taken buyouts offered by the federal government, Law360 has learned, leaving the office at a time when experts say it is already running a lean operation and risking its ability to efficiently execute on its mission if future cuts are made.
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April 04, 2025
Azzur Creditors Call $61M DIP Rollup Excessive
The unsecured creditors of Azzur Group urged a Delaware bankruptcy judge Friday to reject a proposed $84.5 million Chapter 11 financing package, saying far too much of it is a rollup of the biotech consulting firm's pre-bankruptcy debt.
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April 04, 2025
Under The Radar: Bankruptcy News You May Have Missed
A bankruptcy judge approved the retention of a repossession agent that the trustee for Chinese exile Miles Guo used to recover a small private jet from his son, a federal court stood by a ruling that refused to let Sorrento Therapeutics shareholders probe a matter related to a former judge's romantic relationship, and shoe designer Zigi USA filed its Chapter 11 plan. These are some of the bankruptcy stories you may have missed in the last week.
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April 04, 2025
Trevor Milton Wants Nikola Corp. Ch. 11 Subpoena Quashed
Recently pardoned Nikola Corp. founder Trevor Milton asked a Delaware bankruptcy judge to reject a subpoena seeking documents from an arbitration between the former CEO and embattled electric-vehicle maker.
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April 04, 2025
Heritage Coal Gets April Hearing On Creditor Deal
A Delaware bankruptcy judge on Friday said she would hear arguments on bankrupt Heritage Coal owner KTRV's settlement with a secured lender in two weeks, overruling creditors who said they need more time to look at the deal.
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April 04, 2025
The Supreme Court's Week: By The Numbers
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in four cases this week, including over tax exemptions for religious charities and the ability of the families of terror attack victims to sue the Palestine Liberation Organization, while issuing two decisions, including one that personal injury claims can be brought under the federal racketeering statute. Here, Law360 Pulse takes a data-driven dive into the week that was at the U.S. Supreme Court.
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April 04, 2025
NY Youth Welfare Org Snags $9M Real Estate Bid In Ch. 11
Bankrupt youth mental health provider St. Christopher's Inc. is asking a New York bankruptcy court to approve the private sale of a 22.1 acre property for $9 million.
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April 03, 2025
Ex-Judge, Profs Ask Justices To Weigh 9th Circ. Ch. 7 Ruling
A former bankruptcy judge and five law professors have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Ninth Circuit opinion protecting the state of Montana from a real estate mogul and Montana ski resort founder's bid for damages over an involuntary Chapter 7 the state initiated.
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April 03, 2025
Plastic Recycler Headed For Ch. 11 Auction In May
An Indiana plastic recycling plant can move forward with an auction next month after a Delaware bankruptcy judge said that a quick timeline was appropriate.
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April 03, 2025
Loyalty Platform Kognitiv Hits Ch. 11 With Over $10M In Debt
Customer loyalty platform Kognitiv US LLC filed for Chapter 11 on Wednesday in Delaware bankruptcy court, citing more than $10 million in liabilities with a plan to sell its assets to another loyalty platform.
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April 03, 2025
Trade War Likely To Swell Already Rising Insolvency Forecast
Sticky inflation and elevated interest rates were already expected to drive more businesses into bankruptcy this year, but even more could become insolvent if the United States' new tariff regime sparks an all-out global trade war, experts told Law360.
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April 03, 2025
US Trustee Wants Jackson Walker Cases In District Court
The U.S. Trustee's Office has renewed its call for a district court trial over whether Jackson Walker LLP should return millions in fees for failing to disclose an ex-partner's romance with a bankruptcy judge, saying all the questions in the case should be tried in one venue.
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April 03, 2025
Fla. Law School Launches Bankruptcy Law Pro Bono Clinic
With 37 years in bankruptcy law under his belt, Florida State University College of Law adjunct professor Michael Markham has launched a bankruptcy pro bono clinic to connect future attorneys with the much-needed practice that he's enjoyed for so many years.
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April 03, 2025
Soybean Co. Benson Hill Gets 3-Member Creditors Committee
The Office of the U.S. Trustee appointed the unsecured creditors committee in high-protein soybean developer Benson Hill Inc.'s Chapter 11 case, composing a three-member group of American Natural Processors Inc., L7 Informatics Inc. and Anaplan Inc.
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April 03, 2025
Johnson Pope Bankruptcy Duo Joins Berger Singerman
Berger Singerman LLP announced that a pair of bankruptcy and restructuring attorneys from Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns LLP have joined the firm's Tampa, Florida, office as part of its business reorganization team.
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April 02, 2025
Avison Young's Miami Team Thrives In Full-Court Press
When a high-profile piece of property lands in the middle of a court case in Florida, there's a good chance the phone will soon be ringing in global real estate advisory firm Avison Young's Miami office.
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April 02, 2025
Hooters Can Tap $5M Of Its $40M In Proposed Ch. 11 Loans
Bankrupt restaurant chain Hooters of America LLC can access $5 million in interim financing from a $40 million debtor-in-possession package from its prepetition lenders as it transitions to a franchise-only model, a Texas bankruptcy judge said Wednesday.
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April 02, 2025
Aspiration Partners Gets Interim OK For Ch. 11 Financing
Sustainability-focused financial services provider Aspiration Partners Inc. on Wednesday secured the Delaware bankruptcy court's interim approval to tap $2.2 million of an $18 million Chapter 11 financing facility as the company looks for a buyer, following its co-founder's arrest last month on federal fraud charges.
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April 02, 2025
Kal Freight Looks To Push Out Ch. 11 Exit By One Week
California trucking group Kal Freight Inc. is looking to bump out its Chapter 11 plan effective date as it works to return trucks and trailers to lenders, its attorneys told a Texas bankruptcy judge Wednesday.
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April 02, 2025
9th Circ. Doubts Bang Energy Founder's $272M Verdict Appeal
A Ninth Circuit panel expressed skepticism Wednesday about an attempt to undo Monster Beverage Corp.'s $272 million false advertising trial win against the founder of Vital Pharmaceuticals Inc., the now-defunct company behind Bang Energy drinks.
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April 02, 2025
NJ Event Venue Avoids Ch. 11 Dismissal
A New Jersey bankruptcy judge on Wednesday declined to throw out or convert the bankruptcy case of a restaurant and event venue business called The Chariot, after the debtor said in a recent pleading that its insurance adequately covered its $42 million of property.
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April 02, 2025
Chester, Pa., Ch. 9 Document Dispute Won't Wait For Appeal
A Pennsylvania bankruptcy judge on Wednesday scuttled a request from the Chester Water Authority for a stay pending appeal of an order to produce documents to the bankrupt city of Chester, saying the utility hadn't shown the order should be frozen.
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April 02, 2025
Animal Welfare Worries, Defaults Led To Dolphin Park Ch. 11
A collection of 15 debtors in the corporate family of attraction operator The Dolphin Company were pushed toward bankruptcy by woes including defaults on secured notes, dysfunctional negotiations with creditors and concerns about animal welfare, the debtors' independent director has revealed.
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April 02, 2025
Ex-Morgan Lewis Bankruptcy Leader Joins Moore & Van Allen
Following more than a decade at Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, the firm's former bankruptcy, restructuring and insolvency co-head has joined Moore & Van Allen PLLC as a member.
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April 01, 2025
CarePoint's Bankruptcy Plan Needs Changes, Judge Says
A Delaware bankruptcy judge determined on Tuesday that more work is needed on the Chapter 11 plan from New Jersey hospital operator CarePoint that would have handed control of the health system's medical facilities to one of its creditors, finding the debtor must address another creditor's claim that its collateral has diminished in value.
Expert Analysis
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Asserting 'Presence-Of-Counsel' Defense In Securities Trials
As illustrated by the fraud trial of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, defense attorneys in securities trials might consider arguing that counsel had some involvement in the conduct at issue — if the more formal advice-of-counsel defense is unavailable and circumstances allow for a privilege waiver, say Joseph Dever and Matthew Elkin at Cozen O'Connor.
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Crypto Has Democratized Trading In Bankruptcy Claims
Following the pandemic, there has been a wave of cryptocurrency bankruptcies and a related increase in access to information, allowing nontraditional bankruptcy investors to purchase claims and democratizing a once closed segment of alternative investing, says Joseph Sarachek at Strategic Liquidity.
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The Case For Post-Bar Clerk Training Programs At Law Firms
In today's competitive legal hiring market, an intentionally designed training program for law school graduates awaiting bar admission can be an effective way of creating a pipeline of qualified candidates, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.
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5 Key Tips For Attorneys In The Subchapter V Arena
Subchapter V cases present unique challenges for the nondebtor parties-in-interest, and habits developed by attorneys in typical Chapter 11 cases do not necessarily translate, meaning creditors and their counsel should quickly take a proactive role in their cases to protect their interests, which can be done by attending the 341 meeting, analyzing the plan, and more, says Kelly Singer at Squire Patton.
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Attorneys Have An Ethical Duty To Protect The Judiciary
The tenor of public disagreement and debate has become increasingly hostile against judges, and though the legislative branch is trying to ameliorate this safety gap, lawyers have a moral imperative and professional requirement to stand with judges in defusing attacks against them and their rulings, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.
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Why The Debt Maturity Wall Is Still A Figment, For Now
While the phenomenon of the debt maturity wall — a growing wall of staggered corporate debt maturities — has been considered a looming problem since the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, it’s unlikely to have significant consequences before 2025 due to factors such as quantitative easing and evolved lending practices, says Michael Eisenband at FTI Consulting.
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AI Can Help Lawyers Overcome The Programming Barrier
Legal professionals without programming expertise can use generative artificial intelligence to harness the power of automation and other technology solutions to streamline their work, without the steep learning curve traditionally associated with coding, says George Zalepa at Greenberg Traurig.
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10 Essential Bankruptcy Litigation Tips For In-House Counsel
Bankruptcy litigation is a complex and multifaceted area of law that poses unique challenges for in-house counsel, and there are several tools at legal professionals' disposal, like appraisals and understanding jurisdictions, to stay well-informed and protect their companies' interests, says Alison Ashmore at Dykema.
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Preparing Law Students For A New, AI-Assisted Legal World
As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the legal landscape, law schools must integrate technology and curricula that address AI’s innate challenges — from ethics to data security — to help students stay ahead of the curve, say Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics, Ryan Abbott at JAMS and Karen Silverman at Cantellus Group.
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Sellers Seeking Best Deal Should Focus On Terms And Price
Rising interest rates and a decline in the automotive mergers and acquisitions market mean that a failed deal carries greater stakes, and sellers therefore should pursue not only the optimum price but also the optimum terms to safeguard their agreement, says Joseph Aboyoun at Fox Rothschild.
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General Counsel Need Data Literacy To Keep Up With AI
With the rise of accessible and powerful generative artificial intelligence solutions, it is imperative for general counsel to understand the use and application of data for myriad important activities, from evaluating the e-discovery process to monitoring compliance analytics and more, says Colin Levy at Malbek.
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Rite Aid's Reasons For Ch. 11 Go Beyond Opioid Suits
Despite opioid-related lawsuits being the perceived reason that pushed Rite Aid into bankruptcy, the company's recent Chapter 11 filing reveals its tenuous position in the pharmaceutical retail market, and only time will tell whether bankruptcy will right-size the company, says Daniel Gielchinsky at DGIM Law.
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Navigating Discovery Of Generative AI Information
As generative artificial intelligence tools become increasingly ubiquitous, companies must make sure to preserve generative AI data when there is reasonable expectation of litigation, and to include transcripts in litigation hold notices, as they may be relevant to discovery requests, say Nick Peterson and Corey Hauser at Wiley.