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The Institute of Asian-Pacific Business Law (IAPBL), in collaboration with the Corporate Finance & Digital Asset Law Society at Ohio Northern University, hosted two events this past month as part of the IAPBL Spring 2025 Lecture Series: Topics in Corporate Law. Professor Charles D. Booth and Professor Garrett I. Halydier ’15 (now at Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law) organized the talks, assisted by Anthony Caliano ’26.
On March 27, 2025, thirty-six students from Richardson and Ohio Northern attended a lecture by Professor Emeritus Edward Altman of NYU Stern titled Unlocking the Credit Cycle: Insights into Leveraged Finance and the Rise of Private Debt. Drawing on decades of business acumen, Professor Altman explored recent developments in the private debt market, the rise of high yield bonds, recent bankruptcy trends, and the relevance of his Altman Z-score model in assessing bankruptcy risk in today’s market climate. He shared a wealth of data-driven insights into the shifting credit environment and encouraged students to think critically about how financial cycles influence corporate health, investment decisions, and legal outcomes in restructuring and insolvency.
On April 2, 2025, thirty-seven students from both schools attended a lecture by Mr. Paul Shimomoto, Partner at the Honolulu law firm Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel, titled Hawaiʻi’s Captive Insurance Industry: A Shining Example of True Economic Diversification. Mr. Shimomoto introduced captive insurance as a flexible, cost-effective alternative for businesses–highlighting benefits like lower claims, customized coverage, and improved risk control. He traced the industry’s growth since 1987, emphasizing Hawaiʻi’s status as the second largest captive insurance domicile in the U.S., home to captive subsidiaries of companies like Uber, Nike, Google, and a growing number of Japanese companies. He underscored the industry’s continuing expansion and the growing opportunities for future lawyers.
