{"id":"court_ctb_157_0","court":"CTB","case_no":"22-50073","doc_number":157,"sub_number":0,"doc_type":"ORDER","filed_date":null,"title":"UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT DIVISION \\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\","summary_zh":null,"summary_en":null,"body_en":"## **UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT DIVISION**\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_ In re : Chapter 11 : Ho Wan Kwok, : Case No. 22-50073 : Debtor.1 : : \\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_:\n\n## **APPLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL COMMITTEE OF UNSECURED CREDITORS FOR AN ORDER PURSUANT TO 11 U.S.C. §§ 328(a) AND 1103 AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING THE EMPLOYMENT AND RETENTION OF PULLMAN & COMLEY, LLC AS COUNSEL TO THE OFFICIAL COMMITTEE OF UNSECURED CREDITORS, EFFECTIVE AS OF MARCH 29, 2022**\n\nPursuant to 11 U.S.C. §328(a) and 1103(b), Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 2014(a) and D. Conn. LBR 2014-1, the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors (the \"Committee\") of the above-named Debtor and Debtor in Possession, Ho Wan Kwok (the \"Debtor'), files this application for an order authorizing and approving the employment of Pullman & Comley, LLC (\"P&C\"), as counsel for the Committee, effective as of March 29, 2022, and in support thereof, respectfully represents as follows:\n\n1. On February 15, 2022 (the \"Petition Date\"), the Debtor filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11, Title 11 of the United States Code (the \"Bankruptcy Code\"). Since that time, the Debtor has remained a debtor-in-possession pursuant to §§1107 and 1108 of the Bankruptcy Code.\n\n2. No trustee or examiner has yet been appointed in the Debtor's bankruptcy case, although on March 19, 2022, the United States Trustee (\"UST\") filed a Motion for Order\n\n<sup>1</sup> The Debtor is known by the following names: Guo Wengui; Miles Guo; Miles Kwok; and Ho Wan Kwok.\n\nDirecting Appointment of an Examiner, or in the alternative, Motion for Order Directing the Appointment of a Chapter 11 Trustee (the \"Examiner/Trustee Motion\"). The Examiner/Trustee Motion is scheduled for hearing on April 13, 2022, and according to the UST's Amended Proposed Order at n. 1 (ECF No. 116), the Debtor has agreed to the Court's directing the UST to appoint an examiner in this case.\n\n3. On March 21, 2022, the Committee was officially appointed by the United States Trustee. The members of the Committee are Rui Ma, Ning Ye and Samuel Dan Nunberg. The Committee has selected P&C to serve as its lead counsel in this case.\n\n## **JURISDICTION AND VENUE**\n\n4. This Court has jurisdiction over this Application pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 157 and 1334. Venue is proper pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1408 and 1409. The statutory predicates for the relief sought herein are 11 U.S.C. §§ 328 and 1103, Fed. R. Bankr. P. 2014, and D. Conn. LBR 2014-1.\n\n## **RELIEF REQUESTED**\n\n5. By this Application, the Committee seeks entry of an Order authorizing and approving the retention and employment of P&C as its counsel to perform services relating to the Debtor's bankruptcy case, effective as of March 29, 2022.\n\n6. Section 328(a) of the Bankruptcy Code empowers a committee appointed under 11 U.S.C. § 1102, with the Court's approval, to employ attorneys under 11 U.S.C. § 1103 on any reasonable terms and conditions of employment, including on a retainer, on an hourly basis, or on a contingent fee basis, to perform services for such committee.\n\n7 Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 1103(b), an attorney employed to represent a committee may not, while employed by such committee, represent any other entity having an adverse\n\ninterest in connection with the case. P&C has advised the Committee that except as disclosed in the Declaration of Irve J. Goldman filed with this Application, P&C does not hold or represent any other entity having an adverse interest in connection with the Debtor's bankruptcy case, is a disinterested person as that term is defined in § 101(14) of the Bankruptcy Code, and does not have any connections with the Debtor, the Debtor's creditors, or any other party in interest, their respective attorneys and accountants, the United States Trustee, or any person employed in the Office of the United States Trustee.\n\n8. The Committee has selected P&C because of its attorneys' experience and knowledge. The Committee believes that P&C is well qualified to represent the Committee in the Debtor's bankruptcy case.\n\n9. The professional services that P&C will provide to the Committee include, but are not limited to:\n\na. advising the Committee with respect to its rights, duties, and powers in this chapter 11 case;\n\nb. assisting and advising the Committee in its communications with the Debtor relative to the administration of this chapter 11 case;\n\nc. assisting and advising the Committee in the analysis and recovery of assets or interests in property of the Debtor;\n\nd. assisting the Committee in analyzing the claims of the Debtor's creditors and the Debtor's assets and liabilities, and in negotiating with holders of claims and the Debtor;\n\ne. assisting the Committee in its investigation of the acts, conduct, assets,\n\nliabilities, and financial condition of the Debtor and in the conduct of his business and financial affairs, the desirability, or lack thereof, of the Debtor continuing as a debtor-inpossession, and any other matters relevant to the case and the formulation of a plan of reorganization;\n\nf. assisting the Committee in its analysis of, and negotiations with, the Debtor or any third party concerning matters related to, among other things, financing and use of cash collateral, the assumption or rejection of any leases and executory contracts, asset dispositions, financing of other transactions and the terms of one or more plans of reorganization for the Debtor and accompanying disclosure statements and related plan documents;\n\ng. assisting and advising the Committee as to its communications to unsecured creditors regarding significant matters in this chapter 11 case;\n\nh. representing the Committee at hearings and other proceedings;\n\ni. reviewing and analyzing applications, orders, statements of operations, and schedules filed with the Court and advising the Committee as to their contents;\n\nj. assisting the Committee in requesting the appointment of a trustee or an examiner, or in seeking derivative standing to assert and/or prosecute estate causes of action, should such actions be necessary;\n\nk. preparing, on behalf of the Committee, any pleadings, including without limitation, motions, memoranda, complaints, adversary complaints, objections, or comments in connection with any of the foregoing as may be necessary in furtherance of the Committee's interests and objectives in\n\nthis chapter 11 case, including without limitation, the preparation of retention papers and fee applications for the Committee's professionals including, P&C; and\n\nl. performing such other legal services as may be required or are otherwise deemed to be in the interests of the Committee in accordance with the Committee's powers and duties as set forth in the Bankruptcy Code, Bankruptcy Rules, or other applicable law.\n\n10. The Committee advises that in the future it may seek authority to retain other professionals in furtherance of executing its duties and responsibilities, such as special counsel for the investigation of transferred or concealed assets pursuant to § 327(e) of the Bankruptcy Code, as well as a financial advisor under §§ 328(a) and 1103(b) of the Bankruptcy Code.\n\n11. Subject to the Court's approval and pursuant to §§ 330 and 331 of the Bankruptcy Code, the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, the Local Bankruptcy Rules for the District of Connecticut (the \"Local Rules\") and the rules and other procedures which this Court may fix, the Committee requests that P&C be compensated on an hourly basis, plus reimbursement of its actual and necessary expenses incurred, in connection with representing the Committee in this chapter 11 case. The Committee has been advised that P&C's compensation shall be in accordance with the ordinary and customary rates which are in effect on the date the services are rendered or the expenses are incurred.\n\n12. P&C's legal services will be billed at its normal hourly rates, and the current effective standard hourly billing rates range from \\$285 to \\$675 per hour for attorneys and \\$250 to \\$305 per hour for paralegals. The principal attorneys of P&C who will be responsible for representation of the Committee in this case are Irve J. Goldman, Esq., whose hourly rate is\n\n\\$565.00, Steven J. Stafstrom, Esq., whose hourly rate is \\$435, and Jonathan A. Kaplan, Esq., whose hourly rate is \\$425. P&C's hourly rates are customarily adjusted on an annual basis.\n\n 13. The Committee requests that the Application be approved *nunc pro tunc* to March 29, 2022, the date on which P&C began rendering services for the Committee, as is authorized by D. Conn. LBR 2014-1(b)(1).\n\n14. No prior application for the relief requested herein has been made to this Court.\n\n**WHEREFORE**, the Committee respectfully requests that an order be entered authorizing it to retain and employ P&C to represent it as lead counsel in the above-captioned case and granting such other and further relief as may be deemed just and proper.\n\nDated: March , 2022 31\n\nRespectfully submitted, **THE OFFICIAL COMMITTEE OF UNSECURED CREDITORS OF HO WAN KWOK, BY ITS CHAIRMAN,**\n\nBy: */s/Samuel Dan Nunberg*\n\n> Samuel Dan Nunberg, not in his individual capacity but solely in his capacity as Chairperson of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors","body_zh":"美国破产法院 康涅狄格区 布里奇波特分院\n\n________________________________________________\n关于：第 11 章\nHo Wan Kwok（郭文贵），案件编号：22-50073\n债务人。1\n________________________________________________\n\n无担保债权人官方委员会依据《美国法典》第 11 篇第 328(a) 条和第 1103 条申请发布裁定以授权并批准聘用并留任 Pullman & Comley, LLC 作为无担保债权人官方委员会的法律顾问（自 2022 年 3 月 29 日起生效）之申请书\n\n根据《美国法典》第 11 篇第 328(a) 条和第 1103(b) 条、《联邦破产程序规则》第 2014(a) 条以及《康涅狄格区破产本地规则》第 2014-1 条，上述命名的债务人及自行管理的债务人 Ho Wan Kwok（郭文贵）（下称“债务人”）的 Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors（无担保债权人官方委员会，下称“委员会”）特此提出本申请，请求发布一项裁定，授权并批准聘用 Pullman & Comley, LLC（下称“P&C”）作为委员会的法律顾问，自 2022 年 3 月 29 日起生效，并为此恭敬陈述如下：\n\n1. 2022 年 2 月 15 日（下称“申请日”），债务人根据《美国法典》第 11 篇（下称“《破产法典》”）第 11 章提交了自愿救济申请。自那时起，根据《破产法典》第 1107 条和第 1108 条，债务人一直保持自行管理的债务人身份。\n\n2. 债务人的破产案件中尚未指定受托人或调查员，但在 2022 年 3 月 19 日，United States Trustee（美国受托人，下称“UST”）提交了一份《关于指令指定调查员的裁定动议，或在备位上请求指令指定第 11 章受托人的裁定动议》（下称“《调查员/受托人动议》”）。1 债务人以下列姓名为人所知：Guo Wengui（郭文贵）；Miles Guo；Miles Kwok；以及 Ho Wan Kwok。《调查员/受托人动议》定于 2022 年 4 月 13 日举行听证会，且根据 UST 的修订拟议裁定第 1 条脚注（ECF No. 116），债务人已同意法院指令 UST 在本案中指定一名调查员。\n\n3. 2022 年 3 月 21 日，委员会由美国受托人正式指定成立。委员会的成员为 Rui Ma（马锐）、Ning Ye（叶宁）和 Samuel Dan Nunberg。委员会已选定 P&C 担任其在本案中的首席法律顾问。\n\n管辖权与审判地\n\n4. 根据《美国法典》第 28 篇第 157 条和第 1334 条，本法院对本申请具有管辖权。根据《美国法典》第 28 篇第 1408 条和第 1409 条，审判地正当。在此寻求救济的法定依据为《美国法典》第 11 篇第 328 条和第 1103 条、《联邦破产程序规则》第 2014 条以及《康涅狄格区破产本地规则》第 2014-1 条。\n\n请求的救济\n\n5. 通过本申请，委员会请求作出一项裁定，授权并批准留任并聘用 P&C 作为其法律顾问，以执行与债务人破产案件相关的服务，自 2022 年 3 月 29 日起生效。\n\n6. 《破产法典》第 328(a) 条授权根据《美国法典》第 11 篇第 1102 条指定的委员会在经法院批准的情况下，根据《美国法典》第 11 篇第 1103 条以任何合理的聘用条款和条件（包括按预付定金、按小时收费或按风险代理费基础）聘用律师为该委员会提供服务。\n\n7. 根据《美国法典》第 11 篇第 1103(b) 条，受聘代表委员会的律师在受聘于该委员会期间，不得代表与该案相关的具有利害冲突的任何其他实体。P&C 已告知委员会，除随本申请提交的 Irve J. Goldman 声明书中所披露的内容外，P&C 未持有亦未代表与债务人破产案件相关的具有利害冲突的任何其他实体，是《破产法典》第 101(14) 条所定义的无利害关系人，且与债务人、债务人的债权人或任何其他利害关系方、其各自的律师和会计师、美国受托人或美国受托人办公室雇用的任何人员均无任何关联。\n\n8. 委员会选择 P&C 是基于其律师的经验与知识。委员会认为 P&C 完全有资格在债务人的破产案件中代表委员会。\n\n9. P&C 将向委员会提供的专业服务包括但不限于：\n\na. 就委员会在本第 11 章案件中的权利、职责和权力向委员会提供法律意见；\n\nb. 在委员会与债务人就本第 11 章案件的管理事宜进行沟通时提供协助和建议；\n\nc. 在分析和追回债务人的资产或财产权益方面向委员会提供协助和建议；\n\nd. 协助委员会分析债务人债权人的债权以及债务人的资产和负债，并与债权持有人及债务人进行谈判；\n\ne. 协助委员会调查债务人的行为、作为、资产、负债和财务状况，以及其业务和财务事务的开展情况，评估债务人继续作为自行管理的债务人的适当性（或缺乏适当性），以及与本案和制定重组计划相关的任何其他事项；\n\nf. 协助委员会与债务人或任何第三方进行分析和谈判，涉及的事项包括但不限于：融资和现金担保的使用、任何租赁和待履行合同的承担或拒绝、资产处置、其他交易的融资以及债务人的一项或多项重组计划的条款及附带的信息披露声明和相关计划文件；\n\ng. 就本第 11 章案件中的重大事项向无担保债权人发送沟通函件事宜协助委员会并提供建议；\n\nh. 代表委员会出席听证会和其他程序；\n\ni. 审查并分析向法院提交的申请书、裁定、运营报告和资产负债表，并就其内容向委员会提供意见；\n\nj. 协助委员会请求指定受托人或调查员，或者在必要时寻求派生诉讼资格以主张和/或提起破产财团诉由；\n\nk. 代表委员会准备任何诉状，包括但不限于动议、备忘录、起诉状、对抗性诉讼起诉状、异议或意见，凡为了推进委员会在本第 11 章案件中的利益和目标所必需的上述任何相关文书，包括但不限于为委员会的专业人员（包括 P&C）准备留任文书和费用申请书；以及\n\nl. 根据《破产法典》、《破产规则》或其他适用法律中规定的委员会权力和职责，提供可能需要的或被认为符合委员会利益的其他法律服务。\n\n10. 委员会陈述，其未来可能会根据《破产法典》第 327(e) 条寻求授权留任其他专业人员以进一步履行其职责，例如负责调查已转让或隐匿资产的特别法律顾问，以及根据《破产法典》第 328(a) 条和第 1103(b) 条留任财务顾问。\n\n11. 在经法院批准的前提下，根据《破产法典》第 330 条和第 331 条、《联邦破产程序规则》、《康涅狄格区破产本地规则》（下称“《本地规则》”）以及本法院可能确定的规则和其他程序，委员会请求按小时计费向 P&C 支付报酬，并报销其因在本第 11 章案件中代表委员会而产生的实际和必要的费用。委员会已被告知，P&C 的报酬应按照提供服务或发生费用之日有效的常规和惯常费率计算。\n\n12. P&C 的法律服务将按其正常小时费率计费，目前生效的标准小时计费费率范围为：律师每小时 $285 至 $675，律师助理每小时 $250 至 $305。负责在本案中代表委员会的 P&C 主要律师为：Irve J. Goldman 律师，其小时费率为 $565.00；Steven J. Stafstrom 律师，其小时费率为 $435；Jonathan A. Kaplan 律师，其小时费率为 $425。P&C 的小时费率通常按年进行调整。\n\n13. 委员会请求本申请自 2022 年 3 月 29 日（即 P&C 开始为委员会提供服务之日）起追溯生效（nunc pro tunc）予以批准，正如《康涅狄格区破产本地规则》第 2014-1(b)(1) 条所授权的那样。\n\n14. 此前未曾就本申请所请求的救济向本法院提出过任何申请。\n\n为此，委员会恭敬地请求作出一项裁定，授权其留任并聘用 P&C 在上述标题案件中作为其首席法律顾问代表委员会，并给予可能被视为公正和适当的其他及进一步救济。\n\n日期：2022 年 3 月 31 日\n\n恭敬提交，\nHO WAN KWOK（郭文贵）无担保债权人官方委员会，由其主席代表，\n\n签署人：/签名/ Samuel Dan Nunberg\nSamuel Dan Nunberg，非以个人身份，仅以无担保债权人官方委员会主席身份签署","key_entities":["Kwok","Ho Wan Kwok","Je","Guo","Miles Guo","CIPA"],"ecf_references":[{"doc_number":116,"court":"CTB"}],"word_count":1484,"status":"published","published_at":null,"created_at":null,"updated_at":"2026-08-23 12:53:27"}