2015 New York City Bankruptcy Conference, 2014

Discussion and debate about the venue statute (28 U.S.C. § 1408) and whether it should be modified; special issues involving venue for chapter 15 (including for Chinese companies); impact of venue controversies on UCC selection, first-day orders, and other early issues and decisions; could claims arise from improper venue selection?

Use of judges as mediators; when is the right time to mediate?; when will discovery or a ruling on a key issue facilitate mediation?; who should attend?; what information should be exchanged and what should be confidential to the mediator?; possible case study of ResCap mediation or other example

Challenges posed by lack of precedent on cramdown, good faith, etc.; recent developments/precedents arising out of Vallejo, Stockton, Central Falls, Jefferson County, etc.; labor, pension and OPEB issues (who owns pension plans and assets?); general obligations vs. dedicated revenues vs.

What is the difference between “market value” and “intrinsic value”?; what is market value, and how is it discerned?; how reliable are various indicia or tests of market value, including: (1) public (or private) bankruptcy trading prices of the debt or equity securities of a debtor, (2) outcome of the bankruptcy sale process and (3) credit-bidding, and when can “market tests” be wrong?; have bankruptcy courts allowed lay perceptions of discernible market value to replace expert testimony and other proofs relevant to § 506 determinations or cramdowns?; how can rights offerings be used and asses

Each affiliated debtor and its creditors have potentially conflicting interests in maximizing assets and minimizing claims, so how are these interests reconciled in multi-debtor cases?; can one board make decisions for all debtors?; when is an independent board or CRO needed to represent the interests of a particular business unit, and why don’t we see that more often?; how should one arrange intercompany DIP financing?; how should one ensure that all constituencies are represented and that key stakeholders are at the table?; should there be multiple creditors’ committees?; use of examiners an