SRZ Hosts 3rd Annual Distressed Investing Conference

SRZ hosts its 3rd Annual Distressed Investing Conference today in New York. Convening leaders from the distressed investing and distressed M&A space, the conference will cover current developments in the health care sector, pension plan liability and bankruptcy litigations and will address the outlook for distressed investing in Europe. The event is by invitation only.

Spearheading the conference are Stuart D. Freedman, co-chair of SRZ’s Business Transactions Group and Adam C. Harris, chair of the Business Reorganization Group and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. In addition, the event features a strong roster of guest speakers who will provide expert insight into recent trends in distressed investing.

Mr. Freedman will introduce the conference. “Our conference will focus on key issues impacting the distressed investing community,” he said. “The treatment of underfunded pension and health care plans will play an increasingly important part in corporate and government restructurings,” Mr. Freedman added.

“Continuing federal and state fiscal pressures and the changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act are forcing huge changes in the health care industry, and making it ripe for restructuring opportunities,” commented Mr. Harris, who will moderate the panel “Sector Focus: Health Care.”

London-based business reorganization partners Peter J.M. Declercq and Sonya Van de Graaff along with New York-based M&A partner Robert B. Loper will speak on the panel “Europe Update” and draw from their experience in cross-border insolvencies, European restructurings and distressed M&A transactions.

Lawrence V. Gelber, business reorganization partner and Ronald E. Richman, co-chair of the Employment & Employee Benefits Group and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, will speak on the panel “Understanding Pension Plan Liabilities.”

The panel “Recent Court Decisions Affecting Distressed Investors” will feature SRZ litigation partners Alan R. Glickman, William H. Gussman, Jr. and Robert J. Ward alongside business reorganization partner David M. Hillman, who have participated in litigation and transactional aspects of in- and out-of-court restructurings.

With market-leading capabilities on both sides of the Atlantic, SRZ’s distressed investing practice provides clients with effective, creative and efficient strategies to achieve their investment objectives. The group represents secured and unsecured creditors, debtor-in-possession lenders, acquirers, equity holders, plan sponsors and others in reorganizations and workouts, and regularly advises on acquisitions and divestitures of troubled companies and their assets.

“We are excited to host this conference and to highlight the SRZ lawyers as well as the fund managers, bankers and consultants who are the dealmakers in distressed investing transactions worldwide,” commented Alan S. Waldenberg, chair of the firm’s Executive Committee and chair of the Tax Group, who represents clients in mergers & acquisitions, restructurings and workouts, with a particular emphasis on matters involving investment funds.