2021, 2021 Consumer Practice Extravaganza (CPEX21)

Sometimes a bankruptcy case isn’t over when it’s over, especially when certain issues arise (like the debtor suddenly “discovering” a bank account he or she forgot to “mention”). Learn how to navigate some of the most common post-filing problems that can crop up.

Getting paid in a world populated by bankrupt debtors is a tricky dance, but there are ways to make it happen. What you learn in this session is sure to be music (and money) to your ears! This panel will address chapter 7 fee bifurcation, effective chapter 13 fee applications and step-up plans, as well as practice-management profitability strategies, budgeting, billing and retirement.

There has been a lot of chatter floating around Congress surrounding student loans. Right now, all student loan debt discharges hinge on a “hardship” definition that is almost impossible to achieve. But the rules might change soon — or at least bend a little, as recent court decisions suggest. Join this session to learn the latest surrounding this pertinent issue.

Rule 3002.1 exists to protect debtors and creditors from unnecessary disputes over the status of current and former chapter 13 debtors’ mortgage loans. A recent Second Circuit opinion (In re Gravel) calls into question the ability of bankruptcy courts to impose monetary sanctions on mortgage-servicers that fail to comply with Rule 3002.1’s requirements. In this session, the panelists will cover both Gravel (and the dissent) and a recent bankruptcy court opinion (In re Blanco) that rejects the reasoning in Gravel. Can the two cases be reconciled?

This panel will discuss why understanding gender identity is important to your practice, with a focus on key concepts and terms, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation and pronoun usage, and how we can best implement gender identity/expression in our professional lives.