July 7, 2021 — Maurice Wutscher bankruptcy practitioner Alan Hochheiser has written an article for the American Bar Association’s news magazine Business Law Today in which he takes a closer look at consumer bankruptcy developments during the COVID-19 pandemic including filing trends, Supreme Court cases, proposed legislation and the arena of consumer protection cases in bankruptcy proceedings.

In “Consumer Bankruptcy in the Age of COVID-19,” he writes, “The last year and half was a time to be remembered in Bankruptcy Law. It started with an eye on increasing the ability of small businesses to utilize the Chapter 11 process in a more efficient and less expensive way, which led to record number of commercial filings, a reduction in consumer filings, and a test of the bankruptcy system.”

“Six months into 2021, we have not seen the feared tsunami of consumer bankruptcy filings. Bankruptcy courts are not overwhelmed. This lack of an increase in bankruptcies could extend for a substantial period of time as businesses reopen, COVID restrictions are released, consumers begin to spend and travel, and certain states and the government look to resume foreclosure and eviction moratoriums. We optimistically wait to see what the second half of 2021 brings,” he writes.

Alan Hochheiser is a principal at national business and financial services law firm Maurice Wutscher LLP, where he advises and represents businesses, regional and national banks, credit unions, equipment lessors and other lenders, as well as secured and unsecured creditors. Mr. Hochheiser chairs the ABA Business Law Section’s Consumer Bankruptcy Committee. He has been named to ALM’s list of Cleveland’s Top-Rated Lawyers and is peer-rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the worldwide guide to lawyers.