On March 3, 2022, the bankruptcy court granted the Committee’s application to employ Berkeley Research Group, LLC (“BRG”) as the Committee’s financial advisor. The Court authorized BRG to assist the Committee with analyzing the financial condition of the debtor, among other things. BRG’s analysis will provide insight into the scope of the Debtor’s assets and the Debtor’s ability to compensate survivors.  

At a hearing on December 9, 2021, the bankruptcy court allowed several survivor claims filed after the proof of claim deadline, but prior to the New York Child Victims Act deadline of August 14, 2021. Both the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors and the Diocese of Syracuse supported the allowance of these claims. While the bankruptcy court allowed these claims, survivors who have not yet filed a claim should not necessarily expect that the bankruptcy court will do so in the future. That said, the Committee’s perspective is that all survivors should file a claim, even if they have not done so yet. More information regarding filing a proof of claim can be found on the FAQ page.

On September 7, 2021, the bankruptcy court granted the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors’ (the “Committee”) application to employ Burns Bowen Bair LLP as the Committee’s special insurance counsel. The Committee sought to employ Burns Bowen Bair LLP to provide insurance litigation services in the insurance coverage adversary proceeding.

On June 24, 2021, the bankruptcy court granted the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors’ (the “Committee”) application to employ Cushman Wakefield as the Committee’s real estate appraiser. The Committee sought to employ Cushman Wakefield to assist with valuing real property held by the Diocese of Syracuse that may be available to fund a settlement to pay the claims of sexual abuse survivors.