Penn Restructuring Institute & Government Participation in Resolution Processes: an Introduction

On March 11, 2016, we helped organize a symposium, titled “Government Participation in Resolution Processes,” that explored whether the recent trend of expanding governmental involvement in corporate restructurings creates marketplace or other distortions—and then considered possible solutions that might increase predictability and certainty when the government does intervene in chapter 11 proceedings. Beyond the considerable substantive contributions of the panels, the symposium was notable for another reason: it was the inaugural event of the University of Pennsylvania Institute for Restructuring Studies, also referred to as the Penn Restructuring Institute. As co-founders of the Institute, we are grateful to the Journal of Business Law for devoting part of this issue to publishing the extended presentations of several of the symposium’s panelists. We also appreciate the Journal graciously providing us this space not only to preview those articles, but also to explain the Institute’s background and goals. We hope and believe the mission of the Penn Restructuring Institute will further the educational objectives of the University of Pennsylvania generally, and the