This year has been like no other. With the rest of the world, ABI’s Secured Credit Committee was jilted by the speed at which our in-person conferences and activities came to a halt. At the same time, we marveled at how efficiently the Annual Spring Meeting was retooled for virtual happy hours, networking opportunities and webinars that have lasted through these trying months.
Co-Chair Corner: Year in Review
The hotel industry has suffered significantly since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Occupancy rates for hotels in urban areas in August 2020 were down to 38% compared to 89% in August 2019.[1] Many hotels, particularly those in New York, were forced to furlough staff in response to local requirements and economic pressures.
Many professionals anticipate that valuation will be the fulcrum issue in the upcoming wave of chapter 11 cases, and creative advocacy will be at a premium.
Traditional Valuation Approaches and the Bankruptcy Code
With the mandatory government shutdown orders, surges in unemployment affecting rental demand, prices declining and companies driven to shift their workforce to remote work, 2020 has certainly left a mark on commercial leases.
The chairs of the Real Estate Committee thank all the committee members for their support during this past year. COVID has had quite an impact on real estate lending and real estate bankruptcies. A major (and obvious) theme was the force majeure provision in contracts, and whether the COVID pandemic triggers the clause to, inter alia, excuse rental payments.
2020 presented many challenges to our personal and professional lives. It is a year we will not soon forget. On a positive note, it was a great opportunity for many of us to get to know our colleagues on a more personal level. By Zooming from our home offices, kitchen counters or in some cases, a laundry room, it provided us insights we would not have had without COVID-19.
With more than 900 members, the Bankruptcy Litigation Committee remains one of the largest and most active of ABI’s committees. The committee, its leadership, and its members were quite busy in 2020 — a year unlike any other — so we wanted to give you a quick update on the committee’s work.
For the Winter Leadership Conference, the topic of our committee’s panel, “Anatomy of a Pharmaceutical Bankruptcy Case,” was a collaboration of the Financial Advisors/Investment Bankers and the Commercial and Regulatory Law Committees. Moderator Jeff Garfinkle led panelists Hon.
ABI’s Legislation Committee had a very active year in 2020. We tracked legislation and provided guidance for ABI members, presented a very well-attended webinar about chapter 12, published numerous newsletters, and hosted a well-regarded panel at the Winter Leadership Conference and a virtual happy hour for membership engagement. Information about our 2020 activities is outlined below.
