P.R. Laws tit. 13, § 111x

2019-02-20 00:00:00+00
§ 111x. Special counsel, professional disclosure, and retainers

(a) To the extent, if any, that two public sector obligors seeking relief under this chapter and represented by the same legal professionals have one or more disputes between such public sector obligors, or a public sector obligor seeking relief under this chapter and GDB represented by the same legal counsel have one or more disputes between them, in each case, the disputes shall be handled by special counsel for each of the parties to the dispute.

(b) Each professional firm retained, respectively, by or for the public sector obligor(s) seeking relief under this chapter or by one or more creditors’ committees shall file with the Court no later than fourteen (14) days after its retention a written disclosure of its then current representation of entities in related or unrelated matters, which entities, to the best of the professional’s actual knowledge, are (1) a Commonwealth entity or (2) based on a reasonable review of the books and records of the eligible obligor or petitioner, hold claims against or other economic interests in respect of such eligible obligor or petitioner. Each professional shall promptly update its disclosures contemplated by this subsection as it obtains additional information or as facts change.

(c) Notwithstanding any other Commonwealth law, a retainer may be advanced to any financial and legal advisors of the eligible obligor, the petitioner, and GDB.

(d) In the event that the rules regarding conflicts of interests set forth in Canon 21 of the Canons of Professional Ethics and its interpretative jurisprudence make it impractical for a public sector obligor to obtain legal representation of the highest level of competency to represent such public sector obligor in a proceeding under §§ 112-112f of this title or §§ 113-113nn of this title involving more than one hundred (100) creditors (including beneficial owners of publicly traded debt) that does not have a conflict or potential conflict, such public sector obligor may file a petition with the Supreme Court for a waiver of the rules regarding conflicts of interests set forth in Canon 21 of the Canons of Professional Ethics or for the approval of a special rule, setting forth the reasons supporting the request. In considering the merits of any such petition, the Supreme Court may take into consideration the special rules and accompanying jurisprudence regarding conflicts of interest set forth in section 327 of title 11 of the United States Code and Rule 2014 of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, including, but not limited to, those permitting the designation of one or more conflict counsel who would represent the public sector obligor in those matters that could represent a conflict for the attorneys representing the public sector obligor in a proceeding under §§ 112-112f of this title or §§ 113-113nn of this title.

History —June 28, 2014, No. 71, § 125.