2003 Winter Leadership Conference Wrap-up

A joint meeting of the Ethics and Professional Compensation Committees at the 2003 Winter Leadership Conference in La Quinta, Calif., featured an excellent presentation by Roberta DeAngelis, Acting Region 3 U.S. Trustee, John Tittle of Crossroads LLC, Robert Rosenberg of Latham & Watkins, and William H. Schorling of Klett Rooney Lieber & Schorling. An outline of the presentation and the remaining meeting agenda is set forth below.

"The Service Professional's Nightmare: What to Do if Your Client Files for Bankruptcy, and How to Avoid Getting There..."

2004 Annual Spring Meeting Preview

The Ethics, Mass Torts and Professional Compensation Committees are joining forces to present a special extended program at this year’s Annual Spring Meeting called, "Lord...Oh, My Fees!: A Trilogy of Issues Involving Ethical Considerations and Professional Fees in Mass Tort Cases." The program will cover ethical issues for attorneys representing mass tort claimants in bankruptcy proceedings, compensation issues relating to mass tort plaintiffs counsel and contingent fee issues for debtors, committee counsel and other professionals. To view the agenda, click on the link below.

Delaware Bankruptcy Court Cuts Fees in Sharply Worded Opinion

Judge Mary Walrath sustained objections to approximately $25 million in fees and expenses in the Fleming bankruptcy, in an opinion on February 10. Calling the conduct of the case “contentious, disorganized and wasteful,” she admonished counsel for their failure to comply with notice requirements, failure to comply with court directions and various misrepresentations. The full text of the opinion can be found at http://www.deb.uscourts.gov/Opinions/2003/FlemmingFeesOpinion.pdf