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Richard Levin papers on the creation of the 1978 United States Bankruptcy Code

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Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]3460 Chestnut Street, Biddle Law Library, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3406

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
NBA.060
Repository:
University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library
Extent:
11 linear feet
Preferred Citation:
[Identification of item], in the Richard Levin Documents on the Creation of the 1978 United States Bankruptcy Code, National Bankruptcy Archives, NBA.060, Biddle Law Library, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, PA.
Date:
1933-1934, 1959-1978 (inclusive) and 1967-1976 (bulk)
Creator:
Levin, Richard and National Bankruptcy Archives
Abstract:
Richard Levin was a New York based bankruptcy lawyer who served as assistant counsel to the House Judiciary Committee between 1975 and 1978. He dedicated those years to the penning of US Federal Bankruptcy Code. Richard Levin Documents on the Creation of the 1978 United States Bankruptcy Code is composed of a collection of research reports, drafts, correspondence, and other documents that describe the creation and follow the progress of the 1978 US Bankruptcy Code largely during the years 1967-1978 with supplementary information from years 1933, 1934, 1959, 1960, 1966, and Bankruptcy Statistics Tables dated 1960-1969.

Richard Levin, a New York based bankruptcy lawyer, served as counsel to a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee between 1975 and 1978. He dedicated those years to the penning of US Federal Bankruptcy Code. After working on US Bankruptcy Code, Levin was a shareholder at Stutman, Treister & Glatt from 1978-1994. Then he moved to Whittaker Corporation where he served as chief financial officer and general counsel from 1994-1997. In 1997 Levin left Whittaker Corporation to become a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. In 2007 Levin switched firms to join Cravath, Swaine & Moore and continued his corporate restructuring, insolvency and bankruptcy practice there until 2015 when he joined Jenner & Block, where he is currently a partner and member of their Bankruptcy, Workout and Corporate Reorganization Practice. Levin's additional professional experience includes the position of Consultant to the World Bank and to the Central Bank of Brazil from 2001 to 2004, serving as a faculty member of the Federal Judicial Center from 2001 to 2007, and teaching at Harvard Law School in 2004 and 2006. Richard Levin has been named one of the world's leading corporate restructuring practitioners in the International Who's Who of Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyers (3d ed.) and is a frequent lecturer on bankruptcy law in continuing legal education programs. The Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 became effective October 1, 1979, completely replacing the former Bankruptcy Act of 1989.

The Richard Levin Documents on the Creation of the 1978 United States Bankruptcy Code are divided into series as previously organized prior to accession. There are 30 series, 2 of which are further divided into subseries. The series include research--correspondence, reports, statements and articles--on the history of bankruptcy law, Chapter XIII, Bankruptcy Exemptions, Bankruptcy Preferences, Marital Property, and Stockbrokers Insolvency. The collection also includes Meeting Minutes; two reports for the Commission on Bankruptcy Laws; copies of HR 10792, HR 16643, HR 31 and HR32; correspondence and reports from the National Bankruptcy Conference; correspondence, statements and reports from the Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights; Judicial Determinations; Bankruptcy Statistics Tables, Bankruptcy Act Hearings including HR 31, HR 32 and HR 8200; Preliminary Drafts for code sections on administrative powers, automatic stay, case commencements, commodities brokers and dealers, bankruptcy court procedures, creditors and claims, debtors duties and benefits, definitions, estate liquidation, and uniform exemptions act; Pre-Preliminary Drafts covering general provisions, estate liquidations, municipal code, drafting notes, officers of the estate, organization of the bill, preferences, railroads reorganization, securities, stockbroker liquidations, crimes and criminal procedures, the transition period, and wage earner plans; 94th Congress Committee Prints; Advisory Committee Notes and Correspondence; HR 6 and Correspondence including from the 95th Congress, comments on HR 6, and future technical and murphy letters; Committee Prints, Drafts and Amendments; Subcommittee Prints, Drafts and Amendments; HR 8200 Amendments, Changes and Committee Prints; Floor Files from October 1977; Discussion Drafts and Technical Changes; Conference Files on HR 8200 and S 2266; 95th Congress House Amendments; DeCocini Amendments and Congressional Records; Notes on Bankruptcy Legislation; Los Angeles General HR 8200 Files; Tax Files; Legislative History; Emergency Rule Research Materials; and Miscellaneous Correspondence, Drafts and Reports.

Bulk dates are 1967-1978 with supplementary information from years 1933, 1934, 1959, 1960, 1966, and Bankruptcy Statistics Tables dated 1960-1969. The collection also includes some undated materials.

This collection is arranged into 30 series, 3 of which have been further arranged into subseries. The original organizational structure has largely been retained so the documents correspond with electronic files. The series layout showing corresponding electronic file numbers is as follows:

Bankruptcy Code Research 1959-1960, 1967, 1968, 1970-1973 and undated (e-files 000059-000174) Preliminary Research 1967, 1970-1973 (e-files 000059-000096) Chapter XIII Research 1967, 1970-1973 (e-files 000097-000133) Bankruptcy Exemptions Research 1971-1972 (e-files 000134-000148) Bankruptcy Preferences Research 1959-1960, 1968, 1970-1973 (e-files 000149-000167) Marital Property Research 1972 and undated (e-files 000168-000170) Stockbroker Insolvency Research 1971, 1972 and undated (e-files 000171-000174) Meeting Minutes 1971-1977 (e-files 000175-000231) Commission on Bankruptcy Laws Reports 1973, 1974 (e-files 000232-000233) Introduced House Bills 1973-1975 (e-files 000234-000238) National Bankruptcy Conference Materials 1973-1977 (e-files 000239-000296) Comparison of HR 31 & HR 32 1975 September 2 (e-file 000297) Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights Materials 1975 (e-files 000298-000302) Judicial Determinations 1975 (e-files 000303-000313) Bankruptcy Statistics Tables 1960-1969 and 1974 (e-files 000314-000324) Bankruptcy Act Hearings 1965, 1973-1977 (e-files 000325-000591) Preliminary Drafts 1974-1977 (e-files 000592-000709) Administrative Powers Drafts 1976 (e-files 000592-000600) Automatic Stay Drafts 1976 (e-files 000601-000623) Case Commencement and Administration Drafts 1976 (e-files 000624-000635) Commodities Brokers and Dealers Drafts 1976 (e-files 000636-000641) Bankruptcy Court Procedures 1974-1977 (e-files 000642-000671) Creditors and Claims Drafts 1976 (e-files 000672-000673) Debtors Duties and Benefits Drafts 1976 (e-files 000674-000678) Definitions 1976 (e-files 000679-000686) Estate Procedure Drafts 1976 (e-files 000687-000702) Uniform Exemptions Act Drafts 1976 (e-files 000703-000709) Pre-Preliminary Drafts 1933, 1934, 1966, 1970, 1972, 1976, 1977 (e-files 000710-000831) General Provisions 1976 (e-files 000710-000717) Estate Liquidations 1976 (e-files 000718-000751) Municipal Code 1976 (e-files 000752-000753) Drafting Notes 1966, 1976 (e-files 000754-000767) Officers of the Estate Code 1976 (e-files 000768-000777) Organization of the Bill 1976 (e-files 000778-000782) Preferences Code 1970 January, 1976 (e-files 000783-000786) Railroad Reorganization Code 1976 (e-files 000787-000791) Securities Laws 1976 (e-files 000792-000799) Stockbroker Liquidation Code 1976 (e-files 000800-000806) Crimes and Criminal Procedures 1972 March, 1977 (e-files 000807-000815) Transition Period Code 1933, 1934, 1976, 1977 (e-files 000816-000825) Wage Earner Plans 1976 (e-files 000826-000831) 94th Congress Committee Prints 1975-1976 (e-files 000832-000852) Advisory Committee Notes and Correspondence 1974, 1976-1977 (e-files 000854-001064) HR 6 and Correspondence 1977 (e-files 001065-001133) Committee Prints, Drafts and Amendments 1976-1978 (e-files 001134-001168) Subcommittee Prints, Drafts and Amendments 1976-1978 (e-files 001169-001243) HR 8200 1977 (e-files 001244-001250) Floor Files 1977 October (e-files 001251-001285) Discussion Drafts and Technical Changes 1977-1978 (e-files 001286-001293) Conference Files on HR 8200 and S 2266 1978 (e-files 001294-001299) 95th Congress, House Amendments 1978 (e-files 001300-001304) DeCocini Amendments and Congressional Records 1978 (e-files 001305-001309) 95th Congress Correspondence and Reports 1976-1978 (e-files 001310-001338) Notes on Bankruptcy Legislation 1974-1977 (e-files 001339-001359) Los Angeles General HR 8200 Files 1978 (e-files 001360-001362) Tax Files, 1977 (e-files 001363-001420) Legislative History 1977-1981 (e-files 001421-001468) Emergency Rule Research Materials 1973-1986 (e-files 001469-001547) Miscellaneous Correspondence, Drafts and Reports 1934, 1967-1978 (e-files 000001-000058)

Processed by Ellison Graham and Leslie O'Neill, August 2015.

People
Subject

Publisher
University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library
Finding Aid Author
Ellison Graham and Leslie O'Neill
Access Restrictions

The archives reserves the right to restrict access to materials of sensitive nature. Please contact the department for further information.

Use Restrictions

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Collection Inventory

Preliminary Research, 1967, 1970-1973.
Box 1 Folder 4 Box 1 Folder 2 Box 1 Folder 3 Box 1 Folder 1
Chapter XIII Research, 1967, 1970-1973.
Box 2 Folder 2 Box 1 Folder 6 Box 2 Folder 1 Box 1 Folder 5
Bankruptcy Exemptions Research, 1971-1972.
Box 2 Folder 4 Box 2 Folder 3
Bankruptcy Preferences Research, 1959-1960, 1968, 1970-1973 (1970-1973).
Box 2 Folder 5 Box 2 Folder 6
Marital Property Research, 1972 August 8 and undated.
Box 2 Folder 7
Stockbroker Insolvency Research, 1971, 1972 and undated.
Box 2 Folder 8
Meeting Minutes, 1971-1973, 1975, 1977.
Box 4 Folder 1 Box 3
Commission on Bankruptcy Laws Reports, 1973 July 1, 1974 April 14.
Box 4 Folder 3 Box 4 Folder 2
Introduced House Bills, 1973-1975.
Box 5 Folder 4 Box 5 Folder 5 Box 5 Folder 2 Box 5 Folder 3 Box 5 Folder 1
National Bankruptcy Conference Materials, 1973-1977.
Box 5 Folder 7 Box 5 Folder 6 Box 6
Comparison of HR 31 and HR 32, 1975 September 2.
Box 7 Folder 1
Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights Materials, 1975 May-September.
Box 7 Folder 2
Judicial Determinations, 1975.
Box 7 Folder 3
Bankruptcy Statistics Tables, 1960-1969, 1974.
Box 7 Folder 5 Box 8 Folder 1 Box 7 Folder 4
Bankruptcy Act Hearings, 1965, 1973-1977.
Box 8 Folder 2 Box 11 Box 10 Box 14 Folder 1 Oversize 1 Box 13 Box 9 Box 8 Folder 6 Box 8 Folder 5 Box 12 Box 8 Folder 3 Box 8 Folder 4

Administrative Powers Drafts, 1976 September.
Box 14 Folder 2
Automatic Stay Drafts, 1976.
Box 14 Folder 3
Case Commencement and Administration Drafts, 1976 June-August.
Box 14 Folder 4
Commodities Brokers and Dealers Drafts, 1976 August-November.
Box 14 Folder 5
Bankruptcy Court Procedures, 1974-1977.
Box 15 Folder 3 Box 15 Folder 1 Box 15 Folder 2 Box 14 Folder 6
Creditors and Claims Drafts, 1976 August.
Box 15 Folder 4
Debtors Duties and Benefits Drafts, 1976 August.
Box 15 Folder 5
Definitions, 1976.
Box 15 Folder 6
Estate Procedure Drafts, 1976.
Box 15 Folder 7
Uniform Exemptions Act Drafts, 1976.
Box 15 Folder 9 Box 15 Folder 8

General Provisions, 1976.
Box 15 Folder 10
Estate Liquidations, 1976.
Box 15 Folder 11 Box 16 Folder 1
Municipal Code, 1976 July.
Box 16 Folder 2
Drafting Notes, 1966, 1976.
Box 16 Folder 3
Officers of the Estate Code, 1976.
Box 16 Folder 4
Organization of the Bill, 1976.
Box 16 Folder 5
Preferences Code, 1970, 1976.
Box 16 Folder 6
Railroad Reorganization Code, 1976.
Box 16 Folder 7
Securities Laws, 1976.
Box 16 Folder 8
Stockbroker Liquidation Code, 1976.
Box 16 Folder 9
Crimes and Criminal Procedures, 1972, 1977.
Box 16 Folder 10
Transition Period Code, 1933, 1934, 1976, 1977.
Box 16 Folder 11
Wage Earner Plans, 1976.
Box 16 Folder 12
94th Congress Committee Prints, 1975-1976.
Box 22 Folder 1 Box 17 Box 20 Box 21 Box 18 Box 19
Advisory Committee Notes and Correspondence, 1974, 1976-1977.
Box 22 Folder 6 Box 22 Folder 4 Box 22 Folder 5 Box 22 Folder 2 Box 22 Folder 3 Box 23 Folder 3 Box 23 Folder 4 Box 23 Folder 1 Box 23 Folder 2
HR 6 and Correspondence, 1977.
Box 24 Folder 4 Box 24 Folder 5 Box 24 Folder 2 Box 24 Folder 3 Box 23 Folder 6 Box 24 Folder 1 Box 23 Folder 5
Committee Prints, Drafts and Amendments, 1976-1978.
Box 27 Box 29 Box 24 Folder 6 Box 25 Box 31 Folder 3 Box 31 Folder 1 Box 31 Folder 2 Box 26 Box 28 Box 30
Subcommittee Prints, Drafts and Amendments, 1976-1978.
Box 35 Folder 1 Box 34 Box 31 Folder 4 Box 32 Box 33
HR 8200, 1977.
Box 36 Folder 2 Box 36 Folder 3 Box 35 Folder 4 Box 36 Folder 1 Box 35 Folder 2 Box 35 Folder 3
Floor Files, 1977 October.
Box 36 Folder 6 Box 37 Folder 1 Box 36 Folder 4 Box 36 Folder 5
Discussion Drafts and Technical Changes, 1977-1978.
Box 37 Folder 4 Box 37 Folder 5 Box 37 Folder 2 Box 37 Folder 3 Box 37 Folder 6 Box 37 Folder 7
Conference Files on HR 8200 and S 2266, 1978.
Box 38 Folder 3 Box 38 Folder 4 Box 38 Folder 1 Box 38 Folder 2
95th Congress, House Amendments, 1978.
Box 38 Folder 5 Box 39
DeCocini Amendments and Congressional Records, 1978.
Box 40 Folder 1 Box 40 Folder 4 Box 40 Folder 2 Box 40 Folder 3
95th Congress Correspondence and Reports, 1976-1978.
Box 41 Folder 2 Box 40 Folder 6 Box 41 Folder 1 Box 40 Folder 5
Notes on Bankruptcy Legislation, 1974-1977.
Box 41 Folder 5 Box 41 Folder 3 Box 41 Folder 4
Los Angeles General HR 8200 Files, 1978.
Box 42 Folder 2 Box 41 Folder 8 Box 42 Folder 1 Box 41 Folder 6 Box 41 Folder 7
Tax Files, 1977.
Box 42 Folder 4 Box 43 Folder 3 Box 42 Folder 5 Box 43 Folder 1 Box 43 Folder 2 Box 42 Folder 3 Box 42 Folder 6 Box 42 Folder 7
Legislative History, 1977-1981.
Box 43 Folder 6 Box 43 Folder 7 Box 43 Folder 4 Box 43 Folder 5 Box 44 Folder 4 Box 44 Folder 5 Box 44 Folder 2 Box 44 Folder 3 Box 44 Folder 1
Emergency Rule Research Materials, 1973-1986.
Box 46 Box 47 Folder 3 Box 47 Folder 4 Box 44 Folder 6 Box 47 Folder 1 Box 47 Folder 2 Box 45
Miscellaneous Correspondence, Drafts and Reports, 1934, 1967-1978.
Box 48 Box 47 Folder 5 Box 49

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