AGG’s Bankruptcy, Creditors’ Rights, & Financial Restructuring practice — led by partner Darryl S. Laddin — has been recognized among the nation’s leading restructuring teams. In the newly released 2025 edition of Best Law Firms®, AGG earned 43 total rankings, including a national ranking in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law.

Darryl S. Laddin, chair of AGG’s Bankruptcy, Creditors’ Rights, & Financial Restructuring practice, has been honored as a 2026 Top Lawyer in Georgia by GaBiz Magazine. Selected through an extensive statewide peer-review survey, this recognition underscores Darryl’s long-standing reputation in the industry.

With decades of experience guiding creditors, fiduciaries, and distressed businesses through bankruptcy and complex workouts, Darryl continues to be a trusted leader within Georgia’s restructuring community and a driving force behind AGG’s nationally recognized practice.

Canacol Energy Ltd. announces that the Company and its subsidiaries have obtained an initial order for creditor protection from the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta pursuant to the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act. The order provides for a stay of proceedings for 10 days staying action by creditors and appointed KPMG Inc. as Court-appointed Monitor of the Company and its applicant subsidiaries.

Fast-food/quick-serve restaurants (QSR) operate in a brutally competitive market. That's something commercial real estate firm Matthews addressed in a deep dive into the the recent struggles of two major chains. "QSRs operate in a highly competitive and cost-sensitive environment. Profit margins in the QSR industry typically range from three percent to nine percent of revenue, with most earnings derived from high sales volumes. However, achieving these margins requires maintaining operational efficiency, effective cost management, and continuous innovation to attract and retain customers," Erik Vogelzang wrote for Matthews.

A judge in Texas has dealt litigation funder Burford Capital a setback in its bid to collect on a $35 million investment in antitrust lawsuits brought by bankrupt food distributor Harvest Sherwood. Burford affiliates had sued Harvest Sherwood in July, asserting that their 2022 agreement with the company to fund antitrust claims worth as much as $1.1 billion functioned as a secured loan and gave Burford a first-priority right to proceeds from the cases.

Spirit Aviation Holdings, Inc. announced agreements in principle with its pilots and flight attendants as part of its ongoing Chapter 11 restructuring process. These agreements, pending ratification and court approval, are expected to help Spirit achieve necessary financial savings for its debtor-in-possession financing, reflecting a collaborative effort with its labor unions to secure the airline’s future.

A number of restaurants across the U.S., including some from the biggest chains, have closed, or are planning to close, in 2025. This is despite that fact that the U.S. fast-casual restaurant market is projected to grow significantly and add add about $84.5 billion in revenue between 2025 and 2029, according to OysterLink, a job platform for the restaurant and hospitality industry. In January 2025, restaurant sales revenue reached $98.6 billion, a 5.4 percent year-on-year increase, still according to OysterLink, which notes a portion of this increase was attributed to inflation.