Consumer Debt

Sponsored by the Consumer Bankruptcy Committee ABI's Consumer Bankruptcy Committee is presenting this webinar, moderated by Committee Co-Chair Jon J. Lieberman of Sottile & Barile, Attorneys at Law, and featuring Hon. Allan C. Stout of the Western District of Kentucky, Chapter 7 Trustee Hannah W. Hutman of Hoover Penrod PLC, Chapter 7 Trustee Richard D. Nelson of Todd, Kite & Stanford LLC, and Keith J. Larson of Seiller Waterman, LLC. The panelists will discuss a range of issues surrounding the trustee program, including tips and strategies for both debtor and creditor attorneys in working with case trustees, the current state of chapter 7 trustee compensation and why compensation reform may be needed, and the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on everything from 341 exams to the retention and recruitment of chapter 7 trustees. The panelists will also discuss the role of the trustee in subchapter V cases under the SBRA, including trustee compensation.

Join the SRS Acquiom team and their panel of experts as they dive into recent transactions involving collateral disputes between lenders and borrowers. The discussion will highlight real-life examples, look back on why the disputes are happening, review the options for lenders, and examine how to prevent disputes from happening in the future.

The record-setting 11-year national economic expansion has now been displaced by the worst pandemic in a generation. In this session, moderated by Bankruptcy Judge Michelle Harner (D. Md.), Professors Abbye Atkinson (UC Berkeley School of Law) and Roger Tutterow (Kennesaw State University) consider how pandemic-related economic challenges are impacting household spending, corporate performance, and the ability of both consumers and corporate entities to service existing debt obligations. The discussion will also engage with issues such as reductions in labor force participation, the Federal Reserve’s commitment to low short-term interest rates, trends in access to credit and forbearance of debt, the role of debt in smoothing household consumption, and the socioeconomic implications of these shifts. You will not want to miss this lively discussion concerning the perfect storm we are now experiencing.

This panel will discuss areas in which debt-collection laws and the bankruptcy system treat service members, veterans and their families (especially disabled service members and their beneficiaries) differently from civilians. The panel will also discuss such recent legislative changes as the Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need (HAVEN) Act and the National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act, the work of the ABA and other various volunteer bar organizations, issues that can arise when representing service members, veterans and their families, and how you can assist veterans on a pro bono basis. *This program is in memoriam to Hon. Nancy Dreher, who served as a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge in the District of Minnesota for many years and who wrote about and spoke on the importance of pro bono services.

This panel will address some of the coronavirus-related issues currently facing debtors in chapters 7 and 13, including the effects of the CARES Act on consumer filings, the role of exempt assets in good-faith analyses and disposable-income calculations, and how to address business issues in consumer cases.

Hosted by the Consumer Bankruptcy Committee This webinar will discuss how new Bankruptcy Student Loan Management Programs are helping debtors solve their student loan issues. The webinar will cover the issues affecting debtors and their student loans as well as the solutions and tools the courts are implementing.

This panel will discuss recent developments in consumer cases involving family law, consumer protection and student loan issues.

Is there too much emphasis on reducing student loan debt, including through bankruptcy, and not enough about the real causes of skyrocketing college costs?

This session will focus on pending legislation that may affect your practice, and on ABI’s latest recommendations regarding personal bankruptcies. What are the latest developments and strategies to address student loans? Is a legislative fix for the student loan crisis really in the works (H.R. 2366)? What would the small business bankruptcy bill do, and where does it stand? Will veterans' benefits become exempt from means testing? The session will also cover other notable legislative actions, as well as the key takeaways from the Final Report of the ABI Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy.