Message from the Chairs

This is an active and exciting time for the Bankruptcy & Insolvency Committee.  We have added new positions to the Committee structure that will help us communicate better and more regularly. We have reorganized the Newsletter staff structure to help our new Editor-in-Chief, Mark Platt, publish a consistently high quality Newsletter. Our new Web Editor, Brett Harrison, will be updating the look of the web page to bring timely and robust content to you. In addition, we will be providing regular e-mail updates to all committee members. Let us know what you think about the changes and tell us what other improvements you would like to see. The Committee exists to help your practice and we want to know your thoughts on how best to do that.

We are also pleased to report that the Committee's proposal to present a substantive program at the ABA Annual Meeting in August in New York City. The title of the program is "The Restructuring of America" and it will analyze the macro economic impact of Chapter 11 reorganizations in the automotive, air line and manufacturing sectors, including the use of Chapter 11 proceedings to modify pensions, medical coverage and equipment leases. The program will be held on Saturday, August 9, from 3:45 to to 5:15 p.m. at the New York Hilton. The program moderator will be Andy Kramer of Jones Day, whose work with VEBAs (Voluntary Employees' Beneficiary Associations) has been highlighted in The American Lawyer and other publications. The panelists will be Bonnie Steingart, a bankruptcy litigation partner with Fried Frank, and Steve Zelin of The Blackstone Group. The program will be followed by a reception at a nearby location sponsored by Jones Day and Baker & Daniels.

Additionally, we organized a presentation on Canadian and Mexican insolvency law at the Section Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. entitled “Insolvency along the NAFTA Highway: What you need to know”. The materials presented for Canada and Mexico are now available. The papers consider cross-border insolvency practice issues and how they affect an increasingly large number of U.S. bankruptcies.

This is your Committee and we need your participation and suggestions. If you would like to assist with any of the subcommittees, the Newsletter, Webpage, or programs, please let us know and we will welcome your participation.

Kathleen B. Burke
John Burns
Co-Chairs, Bankruptcy & Insolvency Litigation Committee