Bankruptcy and Restructuring: Navigating Employment Issues Under the Code

Best Practices to Negotiate, Modify and Terminate Employment Agreements and Benefit Plans

Recording of a 90-minute CLE teleconference with Q&A


Conducted on Thursday, August 20, 2009
Recorded event now available


This seminar will analyze the Bankruptcy Code's complex treatment of employment agreements and wage and benefit plans, including executive compensation, retention and bonus plans, and other employment issues that arise in various stages of the bankruptcy process.

Description

Many complex employment issues arise throughout the Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization process, as well as in cases that are aimed at a quick sale and liquidation of the company.

Contentious battles arise over executive compensation agreements for executives the debtor wishes to retain. A debtor can terminate individual employment and collective bargaining agreements but must carefully navigate through uncertain and often complex conditions.

Employee benefits issues present more challenges, such as determining whether a benefit accrued pre- or post-petition. Some benefit plans can be easily terminated; others, such as retiree benefits, have greater protection from termination under recent amendments to the Code.

Listen as our authoritative panel of bankruptcy attorneys analyzes the employment related issues that bankruptcy counsel will face in guiding a company through the restructuring process.

Outline

  1. Employee wages
    1. Pre-petition priority claims
    2. Post-petition administrative claims
    3. Severance payments, bonus and retention plans
  2. Employment agreements
    1. Executory v. non-executory contracts
    2. Executive agreements
    3. Collective bargaining agreements
  3. Employee Benefit Plans
    1. Retiree plans
    2. Health and welfare plans
    3. COBRA
  4. WARN Act

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key questions:

  • How has BAPCPA substantially modified post-petition retention and severance payments for executive management?
  • What special status does the Bankruptcy Code accord retiree benefit plans?
  • What steps must an employer take to modify or reject a collective bargaining union?

Faculty

Douglas P. Cushing, Partner
Jordan Schrader Ramis, Portland, Ore.

He has more than 30 years experience in creditors' rights, estate planning/probate, and business law practice, with significant experience in debtor-creditor work, including contested matters, Chapter 11 reorganizations, creditor committee representation, preference defenses, DIP financing contests, plan contests, and the protection, valuation, and recovery of collateral for secured creditors.

Lawrence J. Baer, Partner
Weil Gotshal & Manges, New York

He represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment matters. His practice also focuses on the myriad of labor and employment issues facing debtor-employers during bankruptcy proceedings. Those issues include restructuring obligations under collective bargaining agreements, pension plans and retiree medical benefit plans.

Michael L. Bernstein, Partner
Arnold & Porter, Washington, D.C.

He represents secured and unsecured creditors, creditors' committees, bondholders, investors, asset purchasers, debtors, and other parties in bankruptcy and workout matters, and in related litigation nationwide. He has testified before Congress as an independent expert on the status of collective bargaining agreements, retiree and pension benefits, and executive compensation in bankruptcy.

Rosa J. Evergreen, Atty
Arnold & Porter, Washington, D.C.

She is a member of the firm's Bankruptcy Practice Group, and has experience in all aspects of bankruptcy, as well as out of court restructurings and receivership cases. She also works on commercial litigation matters.

Ordering

Online CLE - Audio Recording

Includes audio streaming of full program plus handouts (available 24 hours after live seminar).

CLE: Pre-approved for participatory or non-traditional/alternate format credit in: CA, HI*, NY*, WV*. Pre-approved for self-study credit in: AK, AZ, MO, MT, TX, VT, WA.
Upon request, also available in: CO, CT*, FL, GA, ID, KY, LA*, ME, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OR*, SC, TN, UT, WI, WY. If you are applying for credit in one of these states, make sure to select those states when placing your order.
(*Indicates that Strafford must report attendance.)

Online CLE Audio $149.00
Available 24 hours after the live event

How does this work?


Recorded Event

Includes full event recording plus handouts (available after live seminar).

CLE: Pre-approved for self-study credit in: AK, AZ, CA, CT, HI, MO, MT, NY, TX, VT, WA, WV. Upon request, self-study credit is also available in: CO, FL, GA, ID, KY, ME, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OR, UT, WI, WY. If you are applying for self-study credit in one of these states, contact Strafford CLE at 1-800-926-7926 ext. 35 or CLE@straffordpub.com.

DVD $49.00 plus $9.45 S&H
Available ten business days after the live event

MP3 Download (Audio Only) $49.00
Available 24 hours after the live event

How does this work?

CD $49.00 plus $9.45 S&H
Available ten business days after the live event

Program Materials

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Program Materials

Requires Adobe Reader 8 or later. Download Acrobat FREE.

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Customer Reviews

The seminar was very insightful with a terrific grasp of the relevant case law and legal issues.

Gregory Fox

Friedman Kaplan Seiler & Adelman LLP

The program was very thorough, stayed on topic and was well organized.

Thad Wilson

King & Spalding LLP

The program material was very well organized and thorough.

Laura Buckley

Higgs, Fletcher & Mack

The webinar was very informative on very pertinent matters and had a good flow.

Noam Wiener

Allen & Overy LLP

I liked the practical insights, particularly when tied to cases the presenters had worked on.

Michael Gray

Kohler Co.

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Bankruptcy Law Advisory Board

Mark N. Berman

Partner

Nixon Peabody

Theresa V. Brown-Edwards

Partner

Potter Anderson & Corroon

Michael Foreman

Of Counsel

Haynes & Boone

Matthew Gensburg

Shareholder

Greenberg Traurig

Brian E. Greer

Partner

Dechert

Douglas Lipke

Shareholder

Vedder Price

Victor Milione

Partner

Nixon Peabody

Michael Solow

Partner

Kaye Scholer

Robert A. Weber

Counsel

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

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