Bankruptcy Trending Topics

Consider writing about:

Bankruptcies in the trucking and logistics sectors; particular bankruptcy filings worth noting; what to know about the “great freight recession”; how upheaval in the trucking and logistics industry is affecting business customers; how impacted businesses can best anticipate and plan for potential bankruptcies among companies that they currently, or might, use for their shipping needs; questions that businesses may want to be asking these companies to gauge their financial stability; related contractual terms to review; how to deal with unfulfilled or delayed customer orders amid disrupted shipping timelines.

Consider writing about:

Bankruptcy trends in the hotel industry (in the jurisdiction of your choice or globally); key factors driving bankruptcies within this industry; recurring or persistent drivers of bankruptcy fror this sector, or common themes across cases; related financial challenges for the hotel industry; how hard hit the hotel sector has been by evolving consumer options and preferences, especially given the rise of short-term rentals offered by individual homeowners or other property owners; how the hotel industry is adapting to those changes.

Consider writing about:

The receivership process. How is a receivership initiated and overseen, and by whom? What are common circumstances under which a receivership may be sought? What are some key considerations to take into account before seeking a receivership? How does the receivership process compare to the bankruptcy process?

Consider writing about:

Common misconceptions that exist regarding corporate bankruptcies, whether widely speaking or that you have encountered on the part of clients during your legal career. What are some common misunderstandings regarding a bankruptcy’s impact on finances, management role and powers, exit out of bankruptcy, or the bankruptcy process in general? How can these misunderstandings interfere with a company’s options and complicate the path to recovery? Alternatively or additionally, consider whether to present your piece in the form of a “five things lawyers wish their clients knew about the bankruptcy process” type of piece.

Consider writing about:

Reports that retailer Eddie Bauer is poised to file for bankruptcy; what to know about the company’s current financial situation, its potential future options, its past experiences with bankruptcy, its place in the outdoors retail category, and how that sector is faring overall.

Consider writing about:

The U.S. Supreme Court’s denial of petition for certiorari in a challenge to the Boy Scouts of America’s bankruptcy plan; what fueled the challenge to the bankruptcy plan; what the high court’s action means for sex abuse claims against the scouting organization and compensation for abuse survivors; how the Boy Scouts case compares to other cases where sex abuse claims against an organization have wound up in bankruptcy court.

Related information:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/12/supreme-court-boy-scouts-sex-abuse-bankruptcy/88103190007

Consider writing about:

Your choice of three or more noteworthy developments in bankruptcy law from 2025. Take your pick of trends, verdicts, strategies, or other points, whether on a broad basis or focused on a particular industry or region, and explain why you consider them to be of significance, both in and of themselves and for the year ahead.

Consider writing about:

Luxury retailer Saks’ bankruptcy filing; factors leading to the parent company’s Chapter 11 filing; bankruptcy trends within that segment of the retail sector; why Amazon is objecting to Saks Global’s bankruptcy financing plans; key challenges ahead for Saks as it navigates the bankruptcy process.

Related information:

https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-objection-saks-bankruptcy-financing-business-partnership-investment-2026-1

Consider writing about:

The nature of a “bad faith” bankruptcy. What constitutes a bad-faith filing, and what is the basis and process for determining when a filing is made in bad faith? Consider whether to write a primer on the issue, or whether to take a look at objections commonly raised by creditors in such cases, or whether to examine recent or otherwise noteworthy findings of bad faith, and the related implications for debtors or creditors.

Consider writing about:

IRobot’s filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection; setbacks that contributed to the company’s current financial condition; what to know about the Roomba maker’s proposed sale to a manufacturing partner; how two entities in this type of relationship can best navigate a change in ownership; additionally, what IRobot’s situation may illustrate regarding how to secure rights to use cash collateral in a bankruptcy; and perhaps a wider-angle look at the use of robotics in the home and how companies relying on this form of technology are faring these days.

Related information:

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/15/nx-s1-5644772/tariffs-roomba-irobot-bankruptcy

Consider writing about:

This week’s Chapter 11 filing by leading electric bicycle company Rad Power Bikes; issues leading to a downturn in the company’s outlook; current state of the e-bike industry (either nationally or globally); key challenges facing the industry right now.

Related information:

https://www.theverge.com/news/846201/rad-power-bikes-chapter-11-bankruptcy

Consider writing about:

A reported surge in bankruptcy filings by mom-and-pop type businesses; likely factors contributing to these bankruptcies; how bankruptcy options may differ for smaller businesses as compared to larger businesses; what to know about Subchapter V proceedings in particular; related pros and cons a business should be aware of before embarking on a reorganization within the Subchapter V framework.

Related information:

https://www.epiqglobal.com/en-us/resource-center/news/small-business-subchapter-v-filings-increase-17-percent-over-same-period-last-year

https://www.thedailybeast.com/mom-and-pop-business-bankruptcies-hit-record-high-under-trump

https://www.justice.gov/ust/subchapter-v

Consider writing about:

The debt restructuring process (in the case of either a corporate or individual debt restructuring); what this process involves and when it is commonly undertaken; potential benefits or downsides of a debt restructuring (from either a debtor or a creditor standpoint); practical guidance on embarking on a debt restructuring.

Consider writing about:

A Nov. 5 ruling by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Yellow Corporation v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters; background to the underlying case; key points in the federal appeals court’s ruling; what the ruling means for the Yellow Corp. trucking company and the Teamsters labor union; practical takeaways for other companies dealing with labor relations and negotiations during a restructuring.

Related information:

https://www.ccjdigital.com/business/article/15771095/court-reverses-dismissal-of-yellows-suit-against-teamsters

Consider writing about:

Fallout from fraud or other misconduct on the part of a debtor in a bankruptcy dispute; past or common examples of such behaviors; options that creditors who suspect debtor misconduct may be able to pursue, either on their own or with the help of outside parties; potential forms of relief for creditors, and penalties for debtors found to have committed bankruptcy fraud.

Consider writing about:

The U.S. Bankruptcy Code’s equal treatment rule; the rule’s focus and intent; any recent noteworthy court actions involving the equal treatment rule; related trends across jurisdictions; what else parties to a bankruptcy case should know about obligations and rights under the equal treatment rule.

Consider writing about:

Automatic stays under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code; types of bankruptcy to which a stay may apply; how a stay is intended to work; exceptions to the stay’s effect; what else a party to a bankruptcy should know about protections and limitations under an automatic stay.

Consider writing about:

Disclosure statements in bankruptcies; what to know about the creation and filing of disclosure statements and plan information; filing obligations that arise in a given type of bankruptcy; related issues involving objections to, or approval of, a disclosure statement; common pitfalls associated with disclosure statements, and how to avoid them.

Consider writing about:

Debtor-in-possession financing; what it consists of; when it should (or should not) be used; pros and cons of this financing option when compared to other alternatives; what factors may determine whether or not a DIP loan will obtain the approval of a bankruptcy court; other potential roadblocks to securing DIP financing.

Consider writing about:

A bankruptcy-related dispute over Bed Bath & Beyond’s 401(k) plan; key allegations regarding the plan’s management; what to know about a class action settlement in this regard; what this case may illustrate regarding employer obligations involving the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and potential bankruptcy-related pitfalls.

Consider writing about:

Adversary proceedings in the bankruptcy context; matters that can trigger an adversary proceeding; what the adversary process consists; of; how such a proceeding is conducted; common pitfalls to be aware of, and how to navigate them.

Consider writing about:

Employers’ payroll obligations in the context of a bankruptcy filing; how those obligations may differ according to timing and type of bankruptcy at issue; any noteworthy legal disputes that may help demonstrate the do’s and don’ts of recognizing, planning for, and fulfilling wage obligations in connection with a bankruptcy.

Consider writing about:

A federal appeals court ruling over pension plan obligations on the part of bankrupt freight company Yellow Corp.; what to know about the related pension plans’ histories before and after Yellow’s bankruptcy filing; what this case may illustrate regarding withdrawal liability risks and other potential bankruptcy-related pitfalls that may arise for employers.

Related information:

https://www2.ca3.uscourts.gov/opinarch/251421p.pdf

Consider writing about:

The bankruptcy filing of entertainment chain Pinstripes Holdings; factors contributing to the company’s Chapter 11 filing; any related financial and bankruptcy trends in the entertainment and dining sectors, or in the so-called “eatertainment” field specifically; how businesses in those sectors are coping amid rising operating costs and other challenges.

Related information:

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2025/09/popular-eatertainment-chain-shuts-doors-amid-financial-turmoil.html

Consider writing about:

Cross-border restructurings; additional challenges for entities facing geographically complex situations; how best to prepare for the process. Consider whether to focus your analysis on specific countries or industry types, or whether to use a specific real-life restructuring to illustrate key do’s and don’ts that companies should keep in mind before or during the process.

Consider writing about:

Spirit Airlines’ bankruptcy; how its latest filing compares to its previous Chapter 11 proceeding; what to know about the pros, cons, and potential limitations of debt for equity swaps, such as the one that Spirit Airlines undertook; how the aviation industry – and budget airlines in particular – are faring these days; factors contributing to airlines’ financial challenges; prospects for M&A deals in the aviation sector; what airline ticketholders should know about Spirit Airlines’ current and projected status and operating ability.

Related information:

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/29/spirit-airlines-chapter-11-bankruptcy.html

Consider writing about:

The definition of an unsecured creditor; what part an unsecured creditor may play in a bankruptcy; how unsecured claims are treated under various types of bankruptcy proceedings; related guidance for either creditors or debtors.