Mid Cap
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June 13, 2024
Pa. Nursing Home Creditors OK With $43.7M DIP Loan
Creditors of a Pittsburgh-area nursing home network indicated Thursday they were open to $43.7 million in debtor-in-possession financing as the group prepares to potentially sell off a portion of its footprint in a Chapter 11 sale.
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June 13, 2024
Judge Will Tap Arbitrator To Explain $87M Shipping Award
A New York federal judge will let an arbitrator who found that Levona Holdings Ltd. owed Eletson Holdings Inc. almost $87 million in damages clarify the order, saying it was sufficiently ambiguous to require elaboration and rejecting Levona's request that the arbitrator not be given that chance.
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June 13, 2024
Transport Co. Coach Can Use $200M DIP To Fund Ch. 11 Sale
A Delaware bankruptcy judge agreed Thursday to grant interim approval for bus operator Coach USA's almost $200 million debtor-in-possession package, allowing it to access some $20 million in new funds as it works toward a sale of its assets in the Chapter 11 case.
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June 13, 2024
Brazilian Food Chain Co. SouthRock Files Ch. 15 In Texas
SouthRock Capital Ltda., a Brazilian private equity company that operates international food service brands including Starbucks and TGI Friday, filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in Texas, blaming its insolvency on the COVID-19 pandemic and volatility in Brazil's economy.
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June 12, 2024
Baltimore Diocese Fights Insurers' Dismissal Attempt
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Baltimore defended its adversary action in Maryland bankruptcy court seeking coverage from its insurance carriers, arguing that resolving the issue is crucial to resolving its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding.
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June 12, 2024
Mississippi Casino Developer's Creditors Want To Force Ch. 7
Creditors for developer Diamondhead Casino Corp., which has been trying for years to build a casino in Mississippi near the Gulf Coast, filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition in Delaware bankruptcy court against the company Wednesday, saying they are owed $2.4 million.
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June 12, 2024
Creditors Appealing Denial Of Estate Trustee In Eletson Ch. 11
The official committee of unsecured creditors in the bankruptcy of shipping company Eletson is appealing a New York bankruptcy judge's decision not to appoint a Chapter 11 trustee in the case.
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June 12, 2024
2nd Circ. Backs Brokerage In Suit Over Biotech's Failed IPO
The Second Circuit on Wednesday declined to reinstate a Texas company's suit against an investment brokerage that advised biotech Inpellis on an initial public offering that failed and sent the company to file Chapter 7, ruling a lower court rightly found a global settlement eclipsed the need for a jury trial.
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June 12, 2024
Cancer Claimants Say J&J Talc Unit Ch. 11 Belongs In NJ
Cancer patients with talc damage claims against Johnson & Johnson are asking a New Jersey federal judge to bar the company's talc liability spinoff from filing its third attempt at a Chapter 11 reorganization outside the state.
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June 12, 2024
Directors Of Defunct Med Tech SPAC Seek Toss Of Del. Suit
Directors of a special purpose acquisition company that merged with now-defunct medical technology company Better Therapeutics Inc. urged Delaware's Court of Chancery on Wednesday to toss a shareholder's suit about the $15 million de-SPAC merger, saying it wasn't like other problematic SPAC deals.
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June 12, 2024
Restaurant Co. Rubio's Seeks July Auction In Del. Ch. 11
Fast-casual seafood dining chain Rubio's Coastal Grill asked a Delaware bankruptcy judge to sign off on its Chapter 11 auction plans, noting the company hopes to hold an auction July 30 and expects a $45 million stalking-horse credit bid from a lender will reel in competing offers for the California-based business as a going concern.
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June 12, 2024
Money Fight Between Trustee, Law Firm Goes To Mediation
A money conflict between a Chapter 11 bankruptcy trustee and an outside law firm is going to mediation, the parties announced in a court filing this week. It's the latest move in the saga of Litigation Practice Group, the failed California debt relief law firm that was secretly run by a disbarred lawyer.
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June 12, 2024
US Trustee Fights Appgate Ch. 11 Plan's Opt-Out Releases
The Office of the United States Trustee objected on Wednesday to the Chapter 11 plan proposed by tech firm Appgate Inc., saying it would seek to impose an "opt-out only release" on equity holders that would extinguish their potential claims against non-debtors.
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June 12, 2024
Pool Co. Hits Ch. 11 After 'Crippling' $16M False Ads Verdict
The American arm of a Chinese swimming pool products manufacturer has declared bankruptcy after it was slapped with a $16 million false advertising and unfair business practices judgment in North Carolina that the company previously warned would put it out of business.
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June 12, 2024
Pillsbury Adds Aviation-Focused Bankruptcy Partner In NY
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP has hired a corporate restructuring partner with aviation expertise for its insolvency and restructuring group in New York.
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June 12, 2024
Ambri Gets OK For Ch. 11 Loan, Sale Plans After Creditor Deal
A Delaware bankruptcy judge on Wednesday approved $5.75 million in Chapter 11 financing for Ambri Inc. and set the battery startup on the path for a July asset sale after hearing the company had reached a deal with its unsecured creditors.
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June 11, 2024
Alston Steers Transport Co. Coach Through Ch. 11
Bus company Coach USA Inc. announced Tuesday that it filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware bankruptcy court, saying it has struck asset purchase agreements to preserve jobs and continue offering its ground passenger transportation services.
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June 11, 2024
Pharmacy Co. Optio Gets Interim OK For $10M DIP Package
Illinois-based specialty pharmacy chain Optio received interim approval at a first-day hearing Tuesday in Delaware bankruptcy court to access a $10 million in new money debtor-in-possession financing to fund its Chapter 11.
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June 11, 2024
Acorda Disclosures Lack Info On Releases, Say Creditors
Drugmaker Acorda Therapeutics Inc. faced objections to its disclosure statement from its creditors committee and the U.S. Trustee's Office, which said it failed to provide enough information about releases in the plan.
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June 11, 2024
Willkie Farr Hires 11 Ex-Latham Bankruptcy Attys In Germany
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP has snagged three bankruptcy partners and eight more attorneys from Latham & Watkins LLP in Germany as it expands its bench in the country, the firm announced Tuesday.
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June 11, 2024
AI Hiring Platform's Ex-CEO Charged With $27M Fraud
The founder of hiring startup Joonko Diversity Inc. has been charged with fraud, with prosecutors saying Tuesday that she deceived investors into dumping $27 million into a platform that supposedly used artificial intelligence to help companies recruit diverse job candidates.
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June 11, 2024
How Powerful Companies Profit From 'Unjust Debts' - Part 2
Companies that use Chapter 11 bankruptcy to deal with litigation over dangerous products they produced or other misconduct rely on a broad conception of what counts as a debt to prove their eligibility for bankruptcy relief — a privilege that regular people aren't afforded, according to a new book by a University of North Carolina School of Law professor.
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June 10, 2024
How The Bankruptcy System Became 'Unjust' - Part 1
Changes in bankruptcy law that have made it more difficult for individuals facing financial hardship to extinguish their debts and get a fresh start have also allowed businesses to use Chapter 11 as a "legal Swiss Army knife" to deal with issues that the system was never meant to handle, according to a book out Tuesday by a University of North Carolina School of Law professor.
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June 10, 2024
Bankrupt UpHealth Warned Of Criminal Charges In India
A court in India said it has received a criminal charge sheet issued by an investigative governmental agency in Calcutta against bankrupt American healthcare company UpHealth, targeting it and executives over accusations that they conspired to defraud a local healthcare system.
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June 10, 2024
High Court On Ch. 11, New Bank Rules, Alex Jones Ch. 7 Shift
The U.S. Supreme Court said an insurance company has "party in interest" standing to intervene in a Chapter 11 case, the U.S. Department of Justice's bankruptcy watchdog "modernized" its agreement for banks holding debtor funds, and recent motions could pivot Alex Jones and his media company's Chapter 11s to Chapter 7 liquidations.
Meet The Team Guiding Ventilator Co. Vyaire Through Ch. 11
A group of attorneys from Cole Schotz PC and Kirkland & Ellis PC is steering Vyaire Medical Inc., a producer and distributor of medical ventilators, through its Chapter 11 case in Delaware after a reversal of fortunes saw a precipitous drop in revenue for the company in 2023.
COVID Set Bus Co. Coach USA On Road To Ch. 11
Coach USA's long road to bankruptcy began more than four years ago, when measures designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 forced the operator of Megabus and other transportation services to shut down its bus lines completely in some regions, and its business hasn't been able to recover since.
Meet The Attorneys Formulating Optio Rx's Ch. 11
Specialty pharmacy chain Optio Rx has hired a legal team from boutique corporate and bankruptcy law firm Chipman Brown Cicero & Cole LLP, as it plans to swap debt for equity and cut down on some $235 million of debt through a Chapter 11 in Delaware.
Expert Analysis
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9th Circ. Clarifies ERISA Preemption For Healthcare Industry
The Ninth Circuit's recent ruling in Bristol SL Holdings v. Cigna notably clarifies the broad scope of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act's preemption of certain state law causes of action, standing to benefit payors and health plan administrators, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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NY Combined Hearing Guidelines Can Shorten Ch. 11 Timeline
The Southern District of New York’s recently adopted guidelines on combining the processes for Chapter 11 plan confirmation and disclosure statement approval may shorten the Chapter 11 timeline for companies and reduce associated costs, say Robert Drain and Moshe Jacob at Skadden.
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A Healthier Legal Industry Starts With Emotional Intelligence
The legal profession has long been plagued by high rates of mental health issues, in part due to attorneys’ early training and broader societal stereotypes — but developing one’s emotional intelligence is one way to foster positive change, collectively and individually, says attorney Esperanza Franco.
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5th Circ. Bond Claim Ruling Shows Creditors Must Be Vigilant
In Raymond James & Associates v. Jalbert, the Fifth Circuit recently held that the bankruptcy debtor's indemnification obligations were discharged by the confirmed plan because the indemnified party failed to speak up, demonstrating that creditors must proactively protect their rights, says Joshua Lesser at Bradley Arant.
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Bankruptcy Courts Have Contempt Power, Del. Case Reminds
A Delaware bankruptcy court recently held Camshaft Capital and its principal in contempt, serving as a reminder to bankruptcy practitioners and anyone else that appears before a bankruptcy judge that there are serious consequences for failing to comply with court orders, say Daniel Lowenthal and Kimberly Black at Patterson Belknap.
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What Lies Behind Diverging US And UK Insolvency Trends
Contrasting U.K. and U.S. insolvency trends highlight the importance of policy interventions in shaping consumer financial outcomes and economic recovery, and while the U.K.'s approach seems to have mitigated issues, the U.S. faces challenges exacerbated by economic conditions and policy transitions, says Thomas Curran at Thomas H. Curran Associates.
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E-Discovery Quarterly: Recent Rulings On Text Message Data
Electronically stored information on cellphones, and in particular text messages, can present unique litigation challenges, and recent court decisions demonstrate that counsel must carefully balance what data should be preserved, collected, reviewed and produced, say attorneys at Sidley.
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How Banks Can Preserve Value Amid Corporate Default Surge
Amid a busy time for corporate bankruptcies, banks need a nuanced understanding of contractual rights, regulatory frameworks and evolving legal developments to protect and preserve their rights and interests, say attorneys at Phelps Dunbar.
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A Look At Subchapter V As Debt Limit Expiration Looms
If proposed legislation to extend Subchapter V’s debt eligibility ceiling sunset date in June is passed, bankruptcy professionals can seek ways to work with their local jurisdictions to advocate for code changes and guidance that bring more efficiencies and clarity to the process, say Matthew Brash at Newpoint Advisors and Melinda Bennett at Stretto.
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The Art Of Asking: Leveraging Your Contacts For Referrals
Though attorneys may hesitate to ask for referral recommendations to generate new business, research shows that people want to help others they know, like and trust, so consider who in your network you should approach and how to make the ask, says Rebecca Hnatowski at Edwards Advisory.
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Ch. 11 Case Shows Why Plan Acceptance Procedures Are Key
Sunland Medical's recent liquidation plan proposal is an important example of how top-notch judges and attorneys propose and analyze complex issues during the confirmation process, and the bankruptcy court was forward-thinking to consider the implications of such proposed treatment in the face of the Bankruptcy Code, says Kyle Arendsen at Squire Patton.
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Risks Of Rejecting Hotel Mgmt. Agreements Via Bankruptcy
In recent years, hotel owners have paid a high price when they attempted to use bankruptcy proceedings to prematurely terminate their hotel management agreements, highlighting that other options may be preferable, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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NC Rulings Show Bankruptcy Isn't Only For Insolvent Debtors
Two recent rulings from a North Carolina bankruptcy court show that lack of financial distress is not a requirement for bankruptcy protection, particularly in the Fourth Circuit, but these types of cases can still be dismissed for other reasons, say Stuart Gordon and Alexandria Vath at Rivkin Radler.