Fixing Manufacturing in the New Millennium
Moderator: Hon. Steven W. Rhodes (US Bankruptcy Court E. District of Michigan)
Speaker: Timothy J. Emmitt (Grant Thornton LLP), Guy Morgan (BBK), Steven L. Toy (WL Ross & Co LLC), Susan Atkins (JP Morgan Chase)

A panel discussion addressing the impact of globalization on the domestic auto industry and the shape of things to come across domestic manufacturing: a how-to manual based on current trends including consolidation, shop floor improvements, rationalizing capacity, optimizing global manufacturing footprints, managing capital structures and other transactional fixes

Extraterritorial Applications of the Bankruptcy Code
Moderator: Eric Winston (Stutman Treister & Glatt)
Speakers: Hon. Sidney Brooks (US Bankruptcy Court District of Colorado), William Schrag (Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP), Peter Spratt (PricewaterhouseCoopers)

As more and more bankruptcy cases involve debtors and creditors residing outside the United States, the application of the Bankruptcy Code to transactions occurring entirely or predominantly outside the United States is an emerging area of legal and financial uncertainty.  The panel will discuss issues such as whether a debtor’s estate can avoid such extraterritorial transactions as preferences or fraudulent transfers; whether the estate has the right to seek substantive consolidation or equitable subordination; whether chapter 15 adds or limits estate’s rights; and the roles professionals undertake with respect to such issues.

Lease Assumption and Rejection under BAPCPA: Is the New Order Fair?
Moderator: Konstantinos Armiros (Arnstein & Lehr LLP)
Speakers: Jim Mesterharm (AlixPartners), Navin Nagrani (Hilco Real Estate), Lawrence R. Ahern, III (Burr & Forman LLP)

BAPCPA attempted to reorient the balance of power among commercial landlords and debtor tenants with significant modifications to Section 365 and the treatment of administrative priority claims; while commercial landlords were spared from waiting as long as the end of a tenant’s case to know whether the lease had been assumed or rejected, the blow of an improvidently assumed lease was softened for the debtor by capping the administrative claim. Panel will discuss from the perspectives of a participant in that market, a consultant in the field and lawyers involved in these issues: How has this new order affected the market for commercial leases. Are the potentially lucrative commercial leases diminishing in value? Are landlords still risking too much?

Intellectual Property - Issues for Distressed Firms and Bankruptcy Considerations
Moderator: Bernard Pump, CIRA, CDBV (Deloitte Financial Advisory Services)
Speakers: Rick Nathan (Trenwith Group, LLC), Allen Arnett (Huron Consulting Group), Neil Hirshman (Kirkland & Ellis LLP)

This panel will review intellectual property issues for distressed firms discussing IP valuation drivers, the difference between distressed IP versus IP in distress, the assignment of IP rights when in bankruptcy from both a debtor-licensor and a debtor-licensee‘s perspective, and the unique issues with trademarks when compared with other forms of IP, among other areas.

An Hour + of Tax with Professor Jack Williams
Speaker: Jack Williams, CIRA (BDO Seidman, LLP)

AIRA Scholar in Residence, Professor Jack Williams of Georgia State University, will lead a discussion with tax professionals participating in the pre-conference taxation seminar on various taxation issues relevant to bankruptcy and insolvency professionals. Drawing from his extensive working experience and scholarly research, Jack is sure to provide valuable information to practitioners at all knowledge levels.

Lien to the Right: Current Issues Concerning Second Liens
Moderator: Nick Tally (Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.)
Speakers: William Katchen (Duane Morris LLP), Andrew Turnbull (Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin), Wendy Walker (Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP), Edward Casas, CIRA (Navigant Capital Advisors LLC), Durc A. Savini (Miller Buckfire Lewis Ying)

This panel will examine the second lien financing landscape from both the business and legal perspective. The session will focus on the market place today, legal issues and the topic of lender versus investor and loaning-to-own.

Financial Reporting - SOP 90-7 and Recent FASB Releases and Projects
Moderator: Michael Sullivan (Huron Consulting Group)
Speakers: Anthony Sasso, CIRA (Deloitte Financial Advisory Services), Herbert Cohen, CIRA (FTI Consulting, Inc.), Philip J. Antoon (Kroll Zolfo Cooper)

Because of recent high profile cases, SOP 90-7 has received considerable publicity and has created a need for an update. The panel will focus on changes needed to the requirement for the adoption of fresh start reporting, how “push down” accounting is applied, and changes in the guidelines applicable to financial reporting during bankruptcy. The panel will also discuss the recently issued SFAS 157 “Fair Value Measurements” and the potential impact of the FASB exposure draft “Business Combinations”, which will replace SFAS 141.

Current Trends in Workouts and Loan Covenants 
Moderator: Kevin Krakora (Mesirow Financial Consulting)
Speakers: Linda Myers (Kirkland & Ellis LLP), Gary Lembo (Marathon Asset Management), Randy Klein (Goldberg Kohn), Mike Kempel (North Fork Bank)

Good deals and bad deals are still closing, and a lot of time has passed since the last down cycle.  Have we forgotten the old lessons learned?  This panel has seen it all from the front end to the back end.  Hear what this panel will share regarding what they are currently seeing in deals, changes in covenants, and strategies in workouts, and what may be forthcoming.

Financial Statements: Misstatements and Creditor Committee Reporting
Moderator: Todd Neilson, CIRA (LECG LLC)
Speakers: Howard Steinberg (Irell & Manella LLP), Charles Goldstein, CIRA (PENTA Advisory Services, LLC), Theodore Phelps, CIRA (Phelps Consulting Group)

A panel discussion dealing with two very relevant topics. (1) How do you discover, report and determine the impact of financial misstatements and (2) the issues that must be addressed by the creditors committee reporting requirements of the 2005 Act, especially for professional retained by the committee to investigate the misstatements.

How to Hold a Successful Auction
Moderator: Nancy Ross, CPA, CIRA (High Ridge Partners, Inc.)
Speakers: Hon. Bruce W. Black (US Bankruptcy Court N. District of Illinois), Steven B. Towbin (Shaw Gussis Fishman Glantz Wolfson & Towbin LLC), J. Scott Victor (NatCity Investment Banking Special Situations Group), Andrew T. Ramer (Ocean Tomo)

The panel will explore the keys to a successful auction and how to use the auction process to sell unusual assets, such as intellectual property. Using auctions to sell businesses and tangible and intangible assets both in bankruptcy court and out of court will be discussed.