This paper provides a thorough examination of important topics related to commercial bankruptcies and proposals, with statutory references and a full bibliography. Topics include: the fundamentals of commercial insolvency, invoking the bankruptcy process, the scope and operation of the stay of proceedings in bankruptcy, property and the debtor company, the administration of the bankruptcy estate, distribution of dividends, commercial proposals, initiation of commercial proposal proceedings, proofs of claim and meeting of creditors, and secured creditors.

Added bonus: Bankruptcy 101 Glossary of terms by Craig McMahon, Field LLP, providing an alphabetical list of typical bankruptcy-related terms and a concise explanation of each.

This paper was presented at the Bankruptcy Seminar in January, 2014.