In this episode, learn how a debtor was forced into bankruptcy only to flee to France with his wife, a land rover, their beloved dogs…and some notorious diamonds. What do you do when your lavish lifestyle, complete with designer clothes, giant diamond rings, and high-end cars, is brought crashing down by an involuntary bankruptcy petition? 
 
In the case of the once highly successful developer Michael Mastro, you hide everything you can from the reach of the Courts and flee to Europe with your wife, dogs, and a Land Rover. A central part of this case involved two missing diamonds, one of 27.8 carats and one of 15.93 carats, which the FBI eventually recovered.  In this episode, “Bad Boys of Bankruptcy” host Judge Elizabeth Gunn sits down with the chapter 7 Trustee James Rigby; Thomas Buford, the then assistant U.S. Trustee; and Aimee Willig, one of the trustee’s counsels, to discuss the broad reach of bankruptcy law when attempting to pull assets back into the estate.

Bad Boys of Bankruptcy: Episode 1: Michael Mastro – A Debtor’s Stylish French Exile

In Episode 1, host Jordan L. Fischer, Esq. interviews Violet Sullivan, VP of Client Engagement for Redpoints Cybersecurity. Jordan and Violet dive into her path to a career in both law and technology, and her recommendations on how to build your technology knowledge. Violet discusses the value of creating a knowledgeable team that can help your business to understand the threats and vulnerabilities to your operations, and to create opportunities to mitigate risk in an increasingly digital world. Jordan and Violet also discuss how cyber and privacy evolved over the last five years, and key lessons for businesses across all industries. 

For more information on Ms. Sullivan, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/txcyberlawyer/. To contact our host, Jordan L. Fischer, Esq., regarding this podcast or to inquire into becoming a guest, please contact Ms. Fischer at jordan@jordanfischer.me.

Cybersecurity and Data Privacy – The New Frontier: Season 3, Episode 1: Violet Sullivan

Host Gary J. Ross talks with Ingrid Pierce, Global Managing Partner at Walkers, one of the top law firms in the Cayman Islands, about the formation and use of offshore funds and investment vehicles. Gary and Ingrid discuss the rise of the Cayman Islands as an offshore jurisdiction and the various entity structures that are available in the country. Additional topics covered include setting up investment vehicles in the Cayman Islands vs. BVI; the time needed to set up an offshore fund; and common pitfalls for those setting up offshore funds.

VC Law: Episode 12: Offshore funds with Ingrid Pierce

In this episode, Kaamil Ansar, partner and founder of The Ansar Law Firm, discusses the challenges, opportunities, and strategies for financing renewable energy projects.  Kaamil is a specialist in energy and renewable energy, infrastructure and international project finance, cross-border mergers and acquisitions including private equity, privatizations and restructurings, corporate finance and complex financings.

Financing Renewable Energy Projects: Episode 1: Financing Renewable Energy Projects in The EU

Host Gary J. Ross talks with Scott Kupor, Managing Partner at Andreessen Horowitz and the author of the best-seller Secrets of Sandhill Road: Venture Capital and How to Get It. Scott discusses how Andreessen Horowitz organizes its funds, with verticals consisting of consumer enterprise and biotech/health, as well as software, crypto, and gaming. Gary and Scott also cover such topics as LLCs vs. corporations, dual-class stock, the fiduciary duty of directors towards common stockholders, and various challenges facing entrepreneurs and boards of directors.

VC Law: Episode 13: Discussion with Scott Kupor

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, located high in the Andes in Chile, is expected to be operational near the end of 2023.  The Rubin’s wide-field reflecting telescope will scan the entire southern sky every few nights.  Our guest, Harvard Professor of Astronomy Edo Berger, is a leader in the Rubin Observatory’s work and will be our guide to what is intriguing in deep space, and how AI will help astronomers navigate this ocean of images.

Mind the Gap: Episode 9: Too Many Stars! Too Many Galaxies! How to choose what to look at?

In this episode, Shazia Ahmad talks with Jeannie Frey, chief legal office and general counsel at Christus Health, about the challenges posed by a crisis, such as the Covid pandemic, and what leadership tools are needed to succeed in running a business.   Frey served as chair of the ABA’s Business Law Section during 2020-21.

Shazia Ahmad works on complex structured finance transactions involving a variety of asset classes at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP.   She advises issuers, underwriters, borrowers, lenders,  and service providers in these transactions, including drafting and reviewing transaction-related documents, performing due diligence and facilitating closings.  Prior to joining Kramer Levin, Shazia gained finance and legal experience at Fortune 500 companies and global banking institutions. Shazia is the Chair of the Young Lawyer Committee and a member of the Marketing Board of the ABA Business Law Section. 

Jeannie Frey is chief legal office and general counsel at Christus Health, a multi-national nonprofit health system, with U.S. operations primarily in Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico, and Latin American operations in Mexico, Colombia and Chile. Prior to joining CHRISTUS Health in 2018, Frey was chief legal officer and general counsel of Presence Health, a Catholic health system based in Chicago, from 2011-18. She also served as general counsel of Resurrection Health Care in Chicago (2004-11) and was a partner in the health law department of McDermott, Will & Emery in its Chicago office.
Frey’s professional activities have included serving on the board of the Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys, the Audit and Corporate Responsibility Committee of Mercy Health (Cincinnati) and in numerous leadership positions in the ABA Business Law Section, including chair of the Nonprofit Organizations Committee.

Business Law Section Leadership: Episode 6: Succeeding as a Leader in Difficult Times

In this episode, Shazia Ahmad talks with Kathleen S. McLeroy about her successful legal career and the skills, strategies, and opportunities that allowed her to assume not only a leadership position at her firm but also holding leadership positions in her bar and community organizations.

Shazia Ahmad works on complex structured finance transactions involving a variety of asset classes at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP.   She advises issuers, underwriters, borrowers, lenders,  and service providers in these transactions, including drafting and reviewing transaction-related documents, performing due diligence and facilitating closings.  Prior to joining Kramer Levin, Shazia gained finance and legal experience at Fortune 500 companies and global banking institutions. Shazia is the Chair of the Young Lawyer Committee and a member of the Marketing Board of the ABA Business Law Section.

Kathleen S. McLeroy, a shareholder with  CarltonFields in Tampa, and has extensive experience resolving disputes as a litigator, mediator, and arbitrator. As a trial lawyer, she has substantial experience representing creditors in disputes with debtors in all forums, including state court, federal court, bankruptcy court, and in arbitration proceedings. Kathy regularly arbitrates and mediates disputes arising from contract disputes between health care providers. She works with judgment holders to enforce and collect large commercial judgments, both domestic and international. She also represents commercial banks, mortgage holders, property owners, title insurers, and real estate developers in real property disputes and mortgage foreclosures. Clients seek her guidance on matters involving receivership law, and she serves as a real estate receiver and counsel for receivers.

In 2004, Kathy was certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a circuit civil and county court mediator. She is also certified to serve as a mediator in matters pending before the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida. She mediates a variety of commercial disputes including commercial foreclosures, contract disputes, title disputes, and bankruptcy disputes. She is also qualified by the Florida Supreme Court to serve as a court-appointed arbitrator.

Business Law Section Leadership: Episode 7: Blazing the Leadership Trail

Hong Kong has historically served as an important base of operations for international companies working in media, financial services, manufacturing, and distribution. In this episode, the first part of a two-part interview, Alicia Downey speaks with business lawyer and former Hong Kong legislator Dennis Kwok about the new risks posed by recent legislative and political developments in China and Hong Kong.

Hot Spots: Episode 1: New Legal Risks in China and Hong Kong With Dennis Kwok, Part 1

In the second part of a two-part interview, Alicia Downey continues her conversation with business lawyer and former Hong Kong legislator Dennis Kwok. In this episode, Dennis offers insights into what private companies and their counsel should know about anticipating the effects of the Chinese government’s heightened focus on national security on commercial relationships and dispute resolution in the changing legal landscape in China and Hong Kong.

New tracks tagged #ToTheExtentThat