Over the last year, Jim Baller, Sean Stokes and Casey Lide of the Baller Herbst Law Group, P.C., have represented the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors and dozens of municipalities, counties, public power utilities and rural cooperatives in the Adelphia bankruptcy, working with New York bankruptcy counsel Ronald Cohen of Seward & Kissel. The following is an overview of bankruptcy law and practice, with emphasis on the rights of local governments and consumer-owned electric utilities. It is offered merely for general informational purposes is not intended as legal advice.