John Filan spoke at the Bond Buyer’s 501(c)3 Super Conference for Healthcare, Higher Education & Non-Profit Institutions on “Non Traditional Financing Strategies” in particular regarding the effective use of “Century Bonds” for select issuers and the effect of growing pension and other benefit liabilities on higher education funding.  The conference was in New York … Read more...

John Filan on a panel at the Turnaround Management Association on “Municipal Solvency”  regarding the restructuring government services and municipalities going forward.  The conference was October 11, 2011 in Los Angeles, California… Read more...

Bill Brandt and John Filan led a panel at the California Public Finance Conference  regarding “The Politics of Restructuring”.   John also participated in a separate panel regarding the “Pension Debate” at the conference which was in Carlsbad, California on September 14-16, 2011.… Read more...

John Filan was a guest lecturer at Northwestern University Graduate School on “Are Pensions the Gorilla in the Room” regarding the effect of growing pension liabilities on government funding of vital services.  The lecture was in Chicago, Illinois at the downtown campus on August 11, 2011,… Read more...

Federal debt limit debate could hurt Illinois

Less money for state means more trouble

Kristen McQueary Jul. 27, 2011 WBEZ91.5

Democrats in Washington continue to disagree over how to handle the nation’s debt limit. Talks continued this week between both sides.

But what if they don’t reach an agreement? Illinois coffers are likely to suffer, … Read more...

Bill Brandt participated on the Civic Federation panel  Is the Municipal Bankruptcy Threat Real? The Multi-Billion Dollar Question at the 2011 Governmental Research Association Annual Policy Conference.  This panel discussed fiscal stresses faced by local and state governments and explored the risk of and alternatives to bankruptcy for distressed governments.… Read more...

John Filan was extensively quoted in a May 24 article for Deal Flow Media’s Distressed Debt Report on public sector restructuring. Commenting on the financial problems and challenges facing governmental entities and the need for public sector restructuring, Filan observes:

“I think most governments will go through some amount of financial restructuring,” Filan said. “It

Bill Brandt spoke at the ABI New York City Bankruptcy Conference on May 6 on the subject of “Municipal and Other State Agency Restructurings.” Joining Bill are Hon. Martin Glenn, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York; Larry Stromfeld, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, LLP; and moderator Marc Abrams, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, … Read more...

John Filan addressed the issue of municipal financial stress in “Is This Time Different?” at the Tri-State Municipal Conference in New York. This two-day conference addressed a variety of issues facing municipalities. John’s presentation was delivered at the pre-conference workshop entitled, “Municipal Credit and the Markets.”

John Filan was asked to speak on the subject … Read more...

Link to Article

BY BUDDY NEVINS

Weston Commissioner Dan Stermer says he’s a consumer advocate.

A lot of politicians make that claim, but Stermer has a track record to prove he’s entitled to the title: This week once again thousands of credit card customers saved millions because of Stermer’s work.

In his day job as … Read more...