News about the Business Law Program or news about faculty or students that relates to business law
When student loan payments resumed in October, an op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer proposed a solution to help debtors: Restore bankruptcy rights to student loans. To make his case, the author of the piece spoke to bankruptcy expert Professor Robert Lawless about the history of bankruptcy protection for student loans. Lawless explained that although federal […]
In their series on how the effects of slavery remain with us today, Reuters spoke to Professor Robert Lawless about the history of bankruptcy. The series, titled “Slavery’s Descendants” examines how slavery, the Jim Crow era, and racial discrimination put two different families (one white, one black) on very different economic paths. For part four, […]
In the past year, Shelby County, Tennessee, has a record of six bankruptcies per 1,000 residents, a rate that tops the nation. With none of the other 100 largest counties in the United States having more than four per 1,000, the difference is not particularly close, either. In their investigation of this phenomenon, MLK50: Justice […]
In the case of Harrington v. Purdue Pharma, pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, Professor Ralph Brubaker has submitted an amicus brief arguing “Courts have no power to approve” the bankruptcy plan submitted by Purdue Pharma. Joined in writing the brief by fellow bankruptcy experts Professor Bruce Markell of Northwestern and Professor Jonathan Seymour of […]
Though the record-breaking settlement Dominion received in its settlement with Fox News is frequently characterized as a “win” by commentators, the statement from Fox with the settlement was not apologetic, did not acknowledge any responsibility, and was not a retraction. In a new article written for the American Psychological Association, Professors Jennifer Robbennolt and Verity […]
In an attempt to restructure its more than $3 billion in debt and confront lawsuits alleging the company filled opioid prescriptions unlawfully, Rite Aid is reportedly preparing to file bankruptcy. In an article examining the company’s motivations for doing so and the potential ramifications of their bankruptcy, USA Today quoted Professor Ralph Brubaker, an expert […]
As part of Creditor Rights Coalition’s “The Academics Speak Up” series, Professor Ralph Brubaker shared his thoughts on Purdue Pharma’s appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in its bankruptcy proceedings. Brubaker made clear his feelings about the mechanisms by which Purdue was trying to discharge its debts in a direct and unsparing critique. “I am […]
Professor Richard Kaplan was a guest on the September 1 episode of Joan Esposito’s radio show on WCPT Chicago. He discussed Medicare’s announcement of impending price negotiations for ten widely used prescription drugs pursuant to a provision in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
Johnson & Johnson’s attempts to use the bankruptcy of its subsidiary, LTL Management LLC, to settle claims that its talc-based products, like baby powder, caused cancer have failed once again, this time in US Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. In an article on Bloomberg Law, Professor Ralph Brubaker explained that the company’s […]
Dating to his days in practice, Professor Ralph Brubaker has long held an interest in mass torts and bankruptcy that has developed into a rich and rewarding scholarly career. He shared his expertise in a feature interview on the Bloomberg Intelligence FICC Focus podcast, speaking in depth about what makes bankruptcy so appealing to defendants […]