While the Bankruptcy Court has long been the venue for mass tort disputes, the use of bankruptcy to deal with these mass torts has become both increasingly popular and increasingly controversial in recent years as parties seek to use the bankruptcy process in creative ways that some believe push the boundaries of the proper use of bankruptcy. This Panel will explore a number of issues that have arisen and which have attracted legislative attention, which, time permitting, will include issues ranging from bad faith filings to non-debtor third party releases, to the role of claims estimation to fraudulent conveyance issues and maybe more.

Learning Objectives:

• This program is designed for mid-career to senior lawyers, CPAs and Audit professionals.
• Participants will be able to identify the traditional boundaries of bankruptcy as well as some creative ways to push the boundaries.
• Participants will be updated on legislative attention on mass tort cases.
• Participants will review ancillary issues of bad faith filings, non-debtor third party releases and accounting issues of the role of claims estimation and fraudulent conveyance.

Speakers:

Professor Douglas G. Baird
Harry A. Bigelow Distinguished Service Professor of Law
University of Chicago Law School
Chicago, IL

Karen Cordry
Bankruptcy and State Defensive Litigation Chief Counsel
National Association of Attorneys General
Washington, D.C.

Sander (Sandy) L. Esserman
Shareholder
Stutzman, Bromberg, Esserman & Plifka, P.C.
Dallas, TX

Hon. Craig Goldblatt
(Bankr. D. Del)
Wilmington, DE