Debt Exchange Offers: Legal Strategies for Distressed Issuers

Navigating Complex Securities Laws When Restructuring Convertible Debt Securities

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


Conducted on Thursday, April 15, 2010
Recorded event now available


This CLE webinar will provide guidance on debt exchange offers for counsel to companies seeking to restructure their balance sheets and mitigate debt service requirements. The panel will examine current trends in the use of debt exchange offers, explain how exchange offers are being structured, and outline strategies for distressed issuers.

Description

The recent surge in debt exchange offer activity will persist throughout 2010 as companies remain over-leveraged, credit markets are tight, default rates rise, earnings and revenue prospects are grim, and trading prices for speculative-grade corporate debt remain depressed.

Debt exchange offers are an alternative for companies seeking to restructure their balance sheets and gain relief from debt service requirements. However, these complex transactions raise a host of legal issues involving significant execution and restructuring risks.

In addition, the manner in which debt exchange offers are conducted is subject to SEC regulation. Exchanges must be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 unless they qualify for an exemption and are also subject to the tender offer rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Listen as our panel of attorneys experienced in leveraged finance transactions reviews current trends in the use of debt exchange offers, explains how to structure exchange offers, and provides strategies for counsel to distressed issuers in the current market.

Outline

  1. Current trends in debt exchange activity
  2. Types of exchange offers
    1. Section 3(a)(9) exchange offer
    2. Private exchange offer
    3. Registered exchange offer
  3. Securities laws governing debt exchange offers
  4. Factors to consider when using debt exchange offers
    1. Pre-launch communications with existing bondholders
    2. All holders/best-price requirements
    3. Withdrawal rights
    4. Pre-commencement lock-ups
    5. Credit documents’ limitations
    6. Tax implications
    7. Consent solicitations
    8. Early consent deadline
    9. Consent fees
    10. Credit default swaps
    11. Dealer-manager/financial advisor issues

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key questions:

  • What factors are driving the increase in debt exchange offer activity?
  • What are the basic legal considerations for companies considering debt restructuring via debt exchange offers?
  • How can corporate issuers incentivize bondholders to participate in exchange offers?

Faculty

Michael Kaplan, Partner
Davis Polk & Wardwell, New York

He regularly works for issuers and underwriters in connection with capital markets and leveraged finance transactions, including initial public offerings and other equity offerings, as well as offerings of convertible and high-yield debt. He also regularly advises investment banking clients on securities law-related matters and corporate clients on general corporate matters.

James J. Moloney, Partner
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Irvine, Calif.

He focuses on securities, M&A, friendly and hostile tender offers, proxy contests, going-private transactions, and general corporate matters. He has handled cross-border tender offers, exchange offers and going private transactions, advising bidders, targets, and major shareholders of targets on their registration, disclosure and reporting obligations under the securities laws.

Lawrence G. Wee, Partner
Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, New York

His practice includes public equity offerings, high-yield and investment-grade debt offerings, convertible debt offerings and asset-backed securities offerings. He represents public companies regarding securities law compliance matters and advises in connection with public M&A transactions. He has extensive experience in debt consent solicitations, debt restructurings and exchange offers.

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, GA, MO, MT, TX, VT, WA.
Upon request, also available in: CO, CT*, FL, 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

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Recorded Event

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

CLE: Pre-approved for self-study credit in: AK, AZ, CA, CT, GA, HI, MO, MT, NY, TX, VT, WA, WV. Upon request, self-study credit is also available in: CO, FL, 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.

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Available three business days after the live event

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Available ten business days after the live event

MP3 Download (Audio with Slide PDFs) $49.00
Available 24 hours after the live event

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CD (Audio with Slide PDFs) $49.00 plus $9.45 S&H
Available ten business days after the live event

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Program Materials

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Program Materials

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Customer Reviews

The panelists covered the topic well and in depth.

Andrea Mealey

Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge

This was an excellent teleconference; one of the best I have listened to. The speakers were all very knowledgeable on the subject, but importantly, they were able to present in a very direct, easy to listen to and understand style.

Jose E Guzman, Jr.

Nossaman

Content was excellent.

Jonelle Burnham

Kimberly-Clark

I liked everything about the teleconference - knowledgeable speakers, well presented, timely topic.  I was very impressed.

James A. Tramonte

Miller Martin

The program was very to the point — no fluff.

Brian McNamara

Wright Lindsey & Jennings

Finance Law Advisory Board

Anne Lee Benedict

Partner

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher

Mark N. Berman

Partner

Nixon Peabody

Willa Cohen Bruckner

Partner

Alston & Bird

Laura D. Richman

Counsel

Mayer Brown

Robert M. Stern

Partner

O’Melveny & Myers

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