Forward Thinking Conference – Call for papers

The Insolvency Service are pleased to announce this year’s Forward Thinking conference will be held on Friday, 20 November 2026, in partnership with the University of Leeds, hosted in the heart of Leeds city centre. 

We are now calling for academic and technical papers to be featured at the conference. We welcome papers on all insolvency-related matters, and are particularly interested in the following subject matters:

1. Employee Rights in Insolvency:  It was three decades ago when employee rights in insolvency were substantially shaped, yet insolvency practice and procedure have evolved considerably since then.  We welcome papers examining the adequacy of contemporary protections for employees when employers enter rescue or terminal insolvency processes, and considering whether the current legal and institutional framework remains fit for purpose in light of these developments.
2. Public Interest in Insolvency:  A small number of insolvency cases can give rise to matters of significant public interest, including, for example, far-reaching social, economic, environmental, or security concerns.  Papers exploring the interaction between insolvency law and these matters of significant public interest are welcomed.
3. AI in Insolvency:  The use of Artificial Intelligence has rapidly changed the ways of working, being viewed as both beneficial and a disruptor to the sector. AI is constantly evolving, becoming more embedded in working practices, increasing access to information and creating new challenges to overcome.  We welcome papers that explore the legal impact of AI use.  Examination of the intersection between AI and insolvency, particularly its alignment with the insolvency rules, and how the sector has responded to this.
4. Deregulation and Modernisation of the Insolvency Framework:  It has been 40 years since the introduction of the Insolvency Act 1986.  The Insolvency Service has shared our upcoming program of policy projects.  Now we are ready to ask, ‘What’s next?’  We are looking for papers exploring opportunities to embrace innovative working practices, how we could further reduce administrative and regulatory burdens whilst retaining necessary protections, and the changes needed to successfully embrace the realities of what a world-leading Insolvency framework looks like in 2030 and beyond.
5. SMEs and Insolvency:  Does the insolvency framework do enough to encourage company rescue, rather than business rescue?  To what extent does company size play a part in the options available to rescue a company?  Does this matter?
6. Destigmatising corporate restructuring and insolvency:  In a vibrant and dynamic economy, the insolvency framework is a key tool to encouraging the responsible risk taking necessary to generate growth.  However, all too often the word ‘insolvency’ becomes synonymous with financial bad faith, wrongdoing, and leads to stigma and fear for directors. What does ‘good’ look like in corporate insolvency, and does fear of failure get in the way of successful rescue?  Or are there other factors that contribute to directors not seeking help?  How could the framework better support businesses to ‘fail well’, maximising stakeholder outcomes with early intervention and expanding market share for viable entities?

The deadline and full details on how to submit an abstract can be found here.

Oriana Casasola is Associate Professor in Commercial, Corporate and Banking Law, University of Leeds.

Sarah Littlehales is a Policy Advisor, The Insolvency Service.