Polsinelli Podcasts: Out-of-Court Alternatives to Bankruptcy
Section 363(f)(5) of the Bankruptcy Code allows a bankruptcy trustee to sell estate property free and clear of any competing interest in the property (such as a lien or other security interest) if the interest holder "could...more
For a debtor in financial distress, having the right team in place to steward the company through a restructuring can mean the difference between success and failure. To incentivize top talent to stay with the debtor and...more
Distressed entities seeking to sell assets often encounter commercial and legal challenges related to existing claims or resistant constituents. One possible solution to those challenges is to sell assets in bankruptcy...more
Bankruptcy Court Elects to Follow Majority Interpretation of 11 U.S.C. § 363(f)(5) On March 4, 2025, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the Bankruptcy Court) issued a significant...more
On January 24, 2025, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia entered an opinion denying a motion for a stay pending an appeal of a settlement motion in In re Hopeman Bros., Inc., No....more
Conducting an asset sale through a bankruptcy auction — a Section 363 sale — is an effective and common M&A tool for a distressed company. In anticipation of a 363 sale, a Chapter 11 debtor typically tries before its...more
When a company enters bankruptcy, its assets are often sold to the highest or best bid. Secured lenders — those who have perfected liens on the company's assets — have a unique advantage under Section 363(k) of the Bankruptcy...more
In the high-stakes world of bankruptcy asset acquisitions, Bankruptcy Code Section 363 provides a powerful mechanism for purchasing assets “free and clear” of most claims, liens, and encumbrances. Success in these...more
As the enactment of chapter 15 of the Bankruptcy Code approaches its 20-year anniversary, U.S. bankruptcy courts are still grappling with some unresolved issues concerning how its provisions should be applied to best...more
Businesses generally file for bankruptcy because of financial challenges or operational issues. But, while their distressed business dissolves, there could be an opportunity for another business to acquire it through a...more
Sales under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code have become commonplace in bankruptcy cases as a mechanism to liquidate a debtor's assets and maximize value for creditors. Selling the debtor's assets to a third party offers...more
A bankruptcy sale is an opportunity to potentially acquire assets at distressed pricing. A bankruptcy sale also presents prospective bidders with a level playing field to conduct due diligence, submit a bid, and compete...more
In an opinion on January 22nd, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, in Matter of S. Coast Supply Co., 91 F.4th 376 (5th Cir. 2024), held that preference claims arising under 11 U.S.C. § 547 may be sold, reversing the dismissal...more
For some folks the three letters ABC are a reminder of elementary school and singing a song to learn the alphabet. For others, it is a throw back to the early 70’s when the Jackson Five and its lead singer Michael, still...more
On February 20, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued an Opinion, which held that challenges to “integral” aspects of a bankruptcy sale are statutorily moot under Bankruptcy Code § 363(m). In...more
Section 363(m) of the Bankruptcy Code is one of the most important and well-known statutes to bankruptcy practitioners. This section of the Bankruptcy Code protects a good faith asset purchaser who purchases assets from a...more
The Supreme Court’s April 19, 2023, decision in MOAC Mall Holdings, LLC v. Transform Holdco, LLC, 598 U.S.___, ___S. Ct.___, 2023 WL 2992693 (April 19, 2023) resolved an existing circuit split by holding that section...more
On April 19, 2023, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in MOAC Mall Holdings, LLC v. Transform Holdco, LLC. The decision has implications for sales of property in bankruptcy cases. Section 363(m) of the Bankruptcy Code...more
In Short - The Situation: The U.S. Supreme Court considered whether § 363(m) of the Bankruptcy Code, which limits a party's ability to undo an asset transfer made to a good-faith purchaser in a bankruptcy case, is...more
In a ruling issued just yesterday, MOAC Mall Holdings LLC v. Transform Holdco LLC et al., 598 U.S. ----, 2023 WL 2992693 (2023) (“MOAC”), the United States Supreme Court (the “Supreme Court”) held that Bankruptcy Code section...more
To promote the finality of bankruptcy asset sales, section 363(m) of the Bankruptcy Code "moots" an appeal of an order approving a sale to a good-faith purchaser unless the party challenging the sale obtains a stay pending...more
The Third Circuit’s decision in Spyglass Media Company v. Cohen has added to what is already a tangled web of cases dealing with the rights of licensees and licensors when one of them becomes a debtor in bankruptcy. In...more
The COVID-19 pandemic and the drastic measures taken in an effort to mitigate its adverse impact have sent shock waves throughout the US and global financial systems. ...more
In Trinity 83 Dev., LLC v. ColFin Midwest Funding, LLC, 917 F.3d 599 (7th Cir. 2019), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held that section 363(m) of the Bankruptcy Code does not moot an appeal involving a...more
Section 365(h) of the Bankruptcy Code provides considerable protection to a tenant in the event of a bankruptcy filing by its landlord. Despite rejection of its lease, the tenant can elect to retain its rights, including the...more