Reading ComprehensionDifficulty: Easy

PT156 S1 P3 Q21 ExplanationBankruptcy Tradeoffs

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Reading Comprehension question.

TopicsApplicationLaw

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Passage

Traditionally, corporate bankruptcy law placed highest priority on the orderly discharge of debts; courts generally ordered failed businesses to pay all creditors a set percentage of the amounts owed. Modern bankruptcy laws, by contrast, allow insolvent companies to apply for "reorganization," which establishes a plan for satisfying liabilities while allowing the company argues, guarantees that claims will be fairly adjudicated and that the collection process will be efficient.

Donald Korobkin and others argue that Jackson's account fails to give due regard to the interests of other parties affected by a corporation's bankruptcy, such as suppliers, employees and their dependents, and the community at large—parties whose interests are not represented in the company's contractual debts. Jackson's position, Korobkin argues, calls for continue benefiting others by producing wealth, providing employment and tax revenue, and so forth.

Korobkin claims that fairness and acceptability to all interested parties, not just to creditors, can be achieved through the application of two principles. First, a principle of inclusion requires that all parties significantly affected by a company's failure be eligible to have their claims considered. Additionally, a principle of rational planning requires as a result of the bankruptcy be protected over the interests of those less badly affected.

But while Korobkin's approach is more equitable than Jackson's, it also has significant weaknesses. First, a fair accounting of the interests of other affected parties represents an increase in risk to creditors, since they are likely to recover less in the event of bankruptcy. Under such a regime, creditors charge more for retain their jobs; Korobkin fails to provide a way of deciding when such trade-offs are warranted.

What this question is testing

Application

Your task

Pin down exactly what the question asks about the passage — a detail, the author's view, the structure, or the main point — before looking at the choices.

Common trap

Answers that restate a true detail from the passage but don't answer the specific question being asked.

Winning move

Anticipate the answer in your own words from the passage, then find the choice that matches that prediction.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
21.

Which one of the following most closely conforms to the moral priorities underlying Korobkin's principle of rational planning (last two sentences

Answer choices, explained

  1. No Match4% picked this

    a peace plan that attempts to balance each concession made by one warring party with a concession from

    Trading concession for concession doesn't match up with either of the two things in our Support Window - salvaging the remaining value of the company - prioritizing those in greatest distress

  2. Correct86% picked this

    an emergency management plan according to which those most badly injured in a disaster are to be evacuated and given medical attention

    Why this is right

    Correct This matches the 2nd element in our Support Window: - salvaging the remaining value of the company - prioritizing those in greatest distress This talks about prioritizing those most badly injured before those not injured as badly.

    Skill tested: Application · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.

  3. No Match5% picked this

    an investment strategy that balances high-risk investments with some less-risky investments in order to protect the

    Diversifying our portfolio so that we don't have to much risk / exposure doesn't match up with either of the two things in our Support Window: - salvaging the remaining value of the company - prioritizing those in greatest distress

  4. No Match3% picked this

    a taxation policy that imposes a substantial luxury tax on very expensive items such as yachts but exempts necessities such as

    Taxing luxury items but exempting necessities doesn't match up with either of the two things in our Support Window: - salvaging the remaining value of the company - prioritizing those in greatest distress

  5. No Match1% picked this

    a public-health initiative that emphasizes the prevention of disease rather than

    Prioritizing prevention over treatment doesn't match up with either of the two things in our Support Window: - salvaging the remaining value of the company - prioritizing those in greatest distress

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