Fall 2014 • Issue 53, page 16

NAFER AnnuaL Conference Was Packed With Content and Connections

By Bazoian Phelps, Kathy*

The National Association of Federal Equity Receivers (NAFER) held its Third Annual Conference in Washington D.C. in October 2014. The conference was very well attended by receivers, the professionals who work with them, regulators, and judges. The educational content at the conference delivered practical guidance on the administration of complex federal equity receiverships, and the networking events throughout the conference provided excellent opportunities to meet receivers and regulators from across the country.

The programs kicked off with a “Regulators Panel” sharing an insider’s look from different regulatory agencies about their expectations of the receivers they appoint. A panel on “Receiver Reporting, Disclosure and Tough Operational Issues” walked through the practical issues of running a receivership estate, addressing both administrative and operational issues and how to dispose of difficult assets. “Forensic Accounting Support for the Receiver” panelists discussed important issues arising in fraudulent transfer litigation, including the best use of expert reports. The panel entitled “Electronically Stored Information: Making and Breaking the Federal Equity Receivership” covered issues receivers face in obtaining and preserving ESI. The second day of the conference started with an all “Judges Panel,” which was both informative and entertaining as the judges shared their views on a variety of issues they encounter in receivership cases. The conference concluded with a “Case Law Updates” panel discussing the many significant legal decisions from the past year that impact the administration of federal equity receivership estates and the litigation that these cases tend to spawn.

*Kathy Bazoian Phelps is a partner at Diamond McCarthy, LLP, Los Angeles, and the co-author of The Ponzi Book: A Legal Resource for Unraveling Ponzi Schemes. She frequently represents receivers and trustees.