Bankruptcy attorney Lance P. Martin recently attended the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees Annual Conference held in Washington, DC, from August 16-19.
The annual conference brings together bankruptcy judges, trustees, bankruptcy administrators, and attorneys from across the country to discuss topical legal and administrative issues for bankruptcy practitioners. More than 420 attendees were drawn to the conference, a testament to its appeal and impact.
At the conference, Lance participated on a panel with The Honorable Meredith Grabill, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and The Honorable Alan C. Stout, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. The panel's topic was "Enhanced Powers of a Subchapter V Trustee" and examined the myriad procedural, substantive, and administrative issues at play when a Subchapter V Trustee's role is expanded beyond attempting to facilitate a consensual plan of reorganization. The Bankruptcy Code authorizes the Court to order a Subchapter V Trustee to investigate a Chapter 11 debtor and file a statement of investigation and also allows the court to direct a Subchapter V Trustee to perform the duties of a removed debtor. Subchapter V is only three years old, and the deployment of these powers varies from court to court and remains a work in process. The Panel discussion was well-attended and provided an opportunity for lawyers and judges from different states to discuss how they have dealt with this issue.
When Lance is not representing creditors and trustees in bankruptcy, he serves as a Subchapter V Trustee and a Chapter 7 Panel Trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina.
