Bankruptcy lawyers rake in dough

"What we've saved already would probably guarantee that's true," he said.

For example, he said, he opposed a US$40 million retention program for essential employees and replaced it with a US$22 million program covering more people. He also blocked payments of more than US$3 million to top executives who have since left, and he prevented a US$7.5 million payment to charity when the company could not meet its severance obligations to dismissed employees.