Craig Lifland has been practicing bankruptcy law in Connecticut for over 38 years – long enough to witness a technological evolution in bankruptcy proceedings. Changes range from courtroom stenographers to electronic transcription, from mounds of letters to sign at the end of the day to email transmission, and from reams of papers in voluminous Chapter 11 cases to paperless electronic filings and service. But perhaps nothing has been as drastic as the changes in the past few months, when the coronavirus pandemic drove the bankruptcy court to conduct all scheduled hearings remotely via telephonic hearings and video conference evidentiary hearings.
Craig now finds himself a pioneer on the technological front of bankruptcy, and one of the first to handle such a case via videoconferencing in the state. As a result, he was recently featured in the Connecticut Law Tribune article, “Leading CT Bankruptcy Attorney Adapts Quickly to Online Bench Trial.” Craig mentions a trend he sees arising from the COVID-19 crisis: “Working remotely is something businesses are seeing as something that can be done, rather than flying across the country for a meeting. There will be less of a need for office space and less travel.”
In his practice, Craig focuses on matters related to business reorganization, insolvency, workouts, creditors’ rights, and general business. For more than thirty-five years, he has been involved in many of the largest and most complex Chapter 11 filings in the State of Connecticut. He has handled matters in numerous industries including:
In connection with these industries, Craig has represented borrowers, lenders, creditors’ committees, Plan Custodians / Plan Administrators, landlords, stalking horse purchasers, litigants, and virtually every conceivable constituency in bankruptcy and out-of-court restructurings.