On April 29, 2022, the ABI Asset Sales Committee announced that the 2021 Asset Sale of the Year was awarded to In re Lighthouse Resources, Inc., et al. (Bankr. D. Del. Consol. Case No. 20-bk-13056- JTD), for the sale of its Wyoming real property assets.
Committees
We hope this newsletter finds you well. We welcome our new members and look forward to seeing all of you at our upcoming events.
What happens when intervening events or a change of circumstances occurs that affects the value of the assets and the benefit to the estate when selling them to one bidder over another?
In January 2021, we published an article exploring the legislative history and broad provisions of subchapter V of chapter 11 as they relate to asset sales.[1] In that article, we acknowledged that liquidation and going-concern sales are possible under subchapter V, but predicted that
We hope this report finds you and your family doing well. 2021 was another year of lockdowns and Zoom meetings, but also COVID-19 shots and slowly returning to the real world. Our committee leadership has strived to help its members navigate the ever-changing world of distressed sales via access to helpful content and the opportunity to engage in discussions on topics relevant to asset sales.
The Asset Sales Committee is actively soliciting nominations for the Fourth Annual ABI Asset Sales Committee Sale of the Year Award. Details are set forth below. Please submit your best deal.
Nomination Deadline
Friday, March 18, 2022
One of the primary purposes of chapter 11 is to maximize the value of a debtor’s assets.
ABI’s Asset Sales Committee announced that In re Verity Health System of California Inc., Case No. 2:18-bk-20151-ER (C.D. Cal.), won the committee’s third annual “Asset Sale of the Year” award.
Two recent district court decisions, each involving appeals of a bankruptcy sale order where the appellant(s) failed to obtain a stay pending appeal, provide insight into statutory mootness under § 363(m) of the Bankruptcy Code. In both In re HDR Holdings Inc.[1] and Barnes v.
More U.S. companies filed bankruptcies with liabilities exceeding $1 billion in 2020 than in any year since 2009.[1] Bankruptcy courts are often left with difficult decisions in these complex bankruptcies, including whether to approve the winning bid in an asset sale under § 363.
Labor Issues in 363 Sales: Things You Need to Know
The Unsecured Trade Creditors' Committee's call discussed “gifting” and other recent developments regarding application of the absolute priority rule. In In re ICL Holding, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals recently held that “gifting” is permissible in section 363 sales. Conversely, in prior opinions, both the Second and Third Circuits have held that “gifting” is not permissible in the context of a chapter 11 plan.
The Asset Sales Committee hosted a conference call discussing the GM successor liability decision now on appeal in the Second Circuit. John Hutton (Greenberg Traurig LLP; Miami) and Henry Jaffe (Pepper Hamilton LLP; Wilmington) led a conference call discussing the issues raised and being briefed before the Second Circuit in the GM successor liability appeal.
The Asset Sales Committee will host John Hutton and Henry Jaffe as they discuss the GM successor liability decision, now on appeal in the Second Circuit, describing the arguments and positions taken by different parties on key issues in the case and discussing the potential impact of the ruling on appeal.
Don’t Restrict My Sale: The Enforceability of Restrictive Covenants and Easements in Assets Sales in Bankruptcy
The Asset Sales Committee hosted their most recent committee call on Wednesday, November 12. This call was titled "Bankruptcy Reform Commission’s Consideration of a Proposal to Surcharge Secured Lenders for 363 Asset Sales" and worked to more broadly inform and engage bankruptcy and restructuring professionals about the proposal being considered by the Bankruptcy Reform Commission to assess a charge on secured lenders for 363 asset sales in Chapter 11. Ms. Kathryn A. Coleman of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP and Mr. Gregory A.
The October 2nd conference call for ABI's Asset Sales Committee provided a brief overview of the Fisker Automotive opinions, as well as their progeny, including Free-Lance Star. The discussion also explored the practical implications of those decisions for practitioners representing different constituents in a restructuring. The call was led by Oscar N. Pinkas of Dentons US LLP in New York, and Justin F. Paget of Hunton & Williams LLP in Richmond, Virginia.
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