Debt's Dominion

Debt's Dominion
Author: David A. Skeel Jr.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 296
Release: 2014-04-24
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1400828503

Bankruptcy in America, in stark contrast to its status in most other countries, typically signifies not a debtor's last gasp but an opportunity to catch one's breath and recoup. Why has the nation's legal system evolved to allow both corporate and individual debtors greater control over their fate than imaginable elsewhere? Masterfully probing the political dynamics behind this question, David Skeel here provides the first complete account of the remarkable journey American bankruptcy law has taken from its beginnings in 1800, when Congress lifted the country's first bankruptcy code right out of English law, to the present day. Skeel shows that the confluence of three forces that emerged over many years--an organized creditor lobby, pro-debtor ideological currents, and an increasingly powerful bankruptcy bar--explains the distinctive contours of American bankruptcy law. Their interplay, he argues in clear, inviting prose, has seen efforts to legislate bankruptcy become a compelling battle royale between bankers and lawyers--one in which the bankers recently seem to have gained the upper hand. Skeel demonstrates, for example, that a fiercely divided bankruptcy commission and the 1994 Republican takeover of Congress have yielded the recent, ideologically charged battles over consumer bankruptcy. The uniqueness of American bankruptcy has often been noted, but it has never been explained. As different as twenty-first century America is from the horse-and-buggy era origins of our bankruptcy laws, Skeel shows that the same political factors continue to shape our unique response to financial distress.

Model Rules of Professional Conduct

Model Rules of Professional Conduct
Author: American Bar Association. House of Delegates
Publisher: American Bar Association
Total Pages: 216
Release: 2007
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9781590318737

The Model Rules of Professional Conduct provides an up-to-date resource for information on legal ethics. Federal, state and local courts in all jurisdictions look to the Rules for guidance in solving lawyer malpractice cases, disciplinary actions, disqualification issues, sanctions questions and much more. In this volume, black-letter Rules of Professional Conduct are followed by numbered Comments that explain each Rule's purpose and provide suggestions for its practical application. The Rules will help you identify proper conduct in a variety of given situations, review those instances where discretionary action is possible, and define the nature of the relationship between you and your clients, colleagues and the courts.

An Introduction to Bankruptcy Law

An Introduction to Bankruptcy Law
Author: Martin A. Frey
Publisher:
Total Pages: 654
Release: 1990
Genre: Law
ISBN:

The authors of this publication have taken a practical approach to teaching the intricacies of bankruptcy. To promote reader comprehension, they employ step-by-step explanations and flow charts of each type of filing, supporting case examples, challenging problems to address, and the definition of new terms as they are introduced. To further enhance learning, the roles of the various parties involved in the process are described in detail, particularly the role of the paralegal. From fact gathering and interfacing with clients, to the preparation of various official forms, paralegals will come to understand their role and those of others in handling bankruptcy cases. The most up-to-date official bankruptcy forms with detailed explanations for completing them are contained within the publication, as are debtor and creditor client questionnaires. Book jacket.

As We Forgive Our Debtors

As We Forgive Our Debtors
Author: Teresa A. Sullivan
Publisher: Beard Books
Total Pages: 392
Release: 1999
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9781893122154

Bankruptcy in America is a booming business, with hundreds of thousands of ordinary Americans filing for bankruptcy each year. Is this dramatic growth a result of mushrooming debt or does it reflect a moral decline that permits the middle class to evade their debts? As We Forgive Our Debtors addresses these questions with hard empirical data drawn from bankruptcy court filings. The authors of this multidisciplinary study describe the law and the statistics in clear, nontechnical language, combining a thorough statistical description of the social and economic position of consumer bankrupts with human portraits of the debtors and creditors whose journeys have ended in bankruptcy court. Book jacket.

Keay's Insolvency

Keay's Insolvency
Author: Michael Murray
Publisher: Lawbook Company
Total Pages:
Release: 2016-03-10
Genre:
ISBN: 9780455236919

The ninth edition of Keay's Insolvency has come at a time when major insolvency reforms, foreshadowed in previous editions, have just been announced. While none of these has become law, the authors have introduced readers to the proposed changes and the considerable impact they will have on the operation of the law and the administration of insolvencies. These include the introduction of a safe harbour defence to insolvent trading, allowing more emphasis on informal restructuring, restrictions on counter-parties terminating contracts under "ipso facto" clauses, and allowing small companies to go through a streamlined liquidation process. The timing of these reforms, and their significance, is such that those studying and practicing in insolvency need to have an understanding of what is coming, which Keay will provide, even if by way of brief comment at various points throughout. Those reforms have confirmed the authors' continued and increased focus on corporate restructuring law and practice, including outside the context of formal insolvency, an on-going trend in Australia, and internationally. This edition also has new commentary on the roles and duties of lawyers acting in insolvency. PPS law and practice and further embedded in the commentary, along with cross-border insolvency, tax, banking and other related laws. The text has necessarily been updated with commentary on new and important case law, with an emphasis on decisions from the High Court and Courts of Appeals, or on decisions that add new perspectives on the law and practice. The authors have given greater emphasis to legal and insolvency practice - with references throughout to ASIC and AFSA regulatory guidance, Court rules, the ARITA Code, tax issues and forms. Useful tables have been added to explain the details in the text and each chapter now has a summary table of references to the particular parts of the legislation, regulatory guidance, and court rules. The book also cross-references to cases in the new case book, Insolvency Law - Commentary and Materials. Commentary on the statistical trends available from the October 2015 annual reports of the regulators, and other data, is explained, in particular in as far as they may support the law reform trends. The final chapter in the last edition of the text critically assessed Australia's insolvency regime. The authors stand by that commentary and have necessarily updated and added to it in light of the law reform announcements, remaining of the view that while the laws work well enough, the environment local and international environment in which they operate has significantly changed such that, while the reforms are welcomed, a wholesale review of the regime in Australia is still needed. The authors are pleased to see the recognition given to Australian insolvency law and practice through the election of Mr Mark Robinson of PPB Advisory as President of INSOL International in 2015, and of Professor Rosalind Mason, of Queensland University of Technology (QUT), as Chair of INSOL Academics. Both have contributed enormously to the development of the practice and law of insolvency both in Australia and internationally. We are very pleased to have Mark Robinson contribute a foreword to this edition of the book. Michael Murray remains a visiting fellow at the Queensland University of Technology, and is now a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law, and continues to work in and contribute to the development and thinking of insolvency and restructuring law, practice and policy. Jason Harris is now an Associate Professor in Law at the University of Technology, Sydney, and continues to teach and write extensively in the area, in particular in corporate law and restructuring. Each brings his respective knowledge, experience and thoughts to this important area of law and practice.

The Economics of Bankruptcy Reform

The Economics of Bankruptcy Reform
Author: Philippe Aghion
Publisher:
Total Pages: 78
Release: 1992
Genre: Bankruptcy
ISBN:

We propose a new bankruptcy procedure. Initially, a firm's debts are cancelled, and cash and non-cash bids are solicited for the 'new" (all-equity) firm. Former claimants are given shares, or options to buy shares, in the new firm on the basis of absolute priority. Options are exercised once the bids are in. Finally, a shareholder vote is taken to select one of the bids. In essence, our procedure is a variant on the U.S. Chapter 7, in which non-cash bids are possible; this allows for reorganization. We believe our scheme is superior to Chapter 11 since it is simpler, quicker, market-based, avoids conflicts, and places appropriate discipline on management.

Courting Failure

Courting Failure
Author: Lynn LoPucki
Publisher: University of Michigan Press
Total Pages: 335
Release: 2006-02-14
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0472031708

An eye-opening account of the widespread and systematic decay of America's bankruptcy courts