Large Cap
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May 13, 2024
SVB's Bid To Recoup $1.9B Runs 'Counter To Law,' FDIC Says
The bankrupt former parent company of Silicon Valley Bank can't sue to collect $1.9 billion in deposits held by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. when it took receivership over funds after the bank failed, the FDIC told a California federal judge, saying the majority of SVB's latest lawsuit over the funds should be thrown out.
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May 13, 2024
Giuliani Gag Suit, FTX To Pay Up, Victims Seek Sanctions
Poll workers asked a bankruptcy court to bar Rudy Giuliani from making future defamatory statements like the ones that led to a $148 million judgment against him, while FTX said it plans to repay all customers in full in its proposed Chapter 11, and abuse claimants against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse are requesting sanctions for insurers that shared sensitive claims data.
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May 13, 2024
Binance Says Sullivan & Cromwell, FRA To Serve As Monitors
Crypto exchange Binance said Monday that the federal government has selected a Sullivan & Cromwell LLP partner and a Forensic Risk Alliance founding partner to serve as independent third-party monitors overseeing its compliance with the terms of its $4.3 billion settlement and guilty plea over money laundering, bank fraud and sanctions violations.
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May 13, 2024
Kwok Trustee Seeks Expanded Role For BVI Law Firm
The Chapter 11 trustee in Chinese exile Ho Wan Kwok's bankruptcy case has asked a Connecticut judge for permission to hire Harney Westwood and Riegels LP as Cayman Islands counsel, a move that would expand the firm's reach beyond its current status as British Virgin Islands counsel to the estate.
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May 13, 2024
Terraform Asks To Extend Coverage Of Worker Legal Fees
Insolvent cryptocurrency startup Terraform Labs has urged a Delaware bankruptcy court to let it continue to cover legal bills its employees incurred while responding to a government investigation for another six months.
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May 13, 2024
Steward Health's Multifaceted Ride Into Bankruptcy
By the time major U.S. hospital operator Steward Health Care fell into Chapter 11 on May 6, there were plenty of different places for critics to lay the blame: at the feet of its former private equity owners, its lender and landlord, its CEO, a stalled business deal, or the economy itself.
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May 13, 2024
Jackson Walker Seeks Sanctions Over Judge Romance Suit
Jackson Walker LLP asked a Texas federal court Monday to sanction lawyers and their "disgruntled millionaire" client for leveling racketeering allegations in a lawsuit over a former bankruptcy judge's romantic relationship with a former firm lawyer, saying the claims are "frivolous" and "conclusory."
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May 13, 2024
Justices Won't Review Ch. 11 Stay In Asbestos Cases
The U.S. Supreme Court won't review lower courts' decisions allowing the paper-products company Georgia-Pacific to remain shielded from mass tort litigation by way of a subsidiary's Chapter 11 case.
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May 10, 2024
ABI Meeting Debates Purdue, DIPs, Data Breaches And Incora
Lawyers met in Manhattan for the American Bankruptcy Institute's daylong New York City Bankruptcy Conference on Thursday, taking in a packed day of panels on subjects ranging from Purdue Pharma to debtor-in-possession financing trends and the increasingly complicated presumption of transparency in bankruptcy.
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May 10, 2024
Full 4th Circ. Urged To Settle Key 'Texas Two-Step' Questions
A Fourth Circuit panel left critical issues open when it denied permission to an appeal challenging the so-called Texas two-step Chapter 11 of industrial equipment maker Aldrich Pump, asbestos claimants in two separate bankruptcy cases said, asking the full appeals court to reconsider hearing the case and settle questions that have plagued their own bankruptcies in the Western District of North Carolina.
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May 10, 2024
FTX Execs Find Order Amid Chaos To Make Creditors Whole
When cryptocurrency exchange FTX Trading Ltd. hit bankruptcy 18 months ago, its corporate records were a mess, its internal controls were non-existent and tens of billions of dollars in fiat and digital currency were scattered about the globe. Yet, efforts to straighten out the operation have led to a Chapter 11 plan where customers are slated to receive full recoveries.
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May 10, 2024
Baker Donelson Adds Bankruptcy Pro Amid High Demand
Firms are still scouting bankruptcy talent throughout the U.S., with Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz PC announcing Thursday that it has added a former Lugenbuhl Wheaton Peck Rankin & Hubbard attorney focused on bankruptcy and workout law.
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May 09, 2024
V&E Defends Its Enviva Work From Trustee's Conflict Claim
Vinson & Elkins LLP urged a Virginia bankruptcy court on Thursday to reject "outrageous claims" by the U.S. Trustee's Office that the law firm shouldn't be allowed to represent Enviva in the wood-pellet maker's Chapter 11 because the firm also works for one of the debtor's major equity holders, arguing that there is no conflict of interest.
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May 09, 2024
Bally Sports Parent Seeks OK For Renewed DirecTV Deal
The parent company of sports network operator Bally Sports has asked a Texas bankruptcy judge to approve renewed multiyear contracts with DirecTV, saying the revenue from the deal is a "critical component" of its post-Chapter 11 business plan.
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May 09, 2024
Syracuse Diocese Creditors Urge Contempt On Insurer Leaks
Unsecured creditors of the bankrupt Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse have asked a New York judge to hold insurers Interstate and an affiliate of Allianz in contempt for sharing confidential sex abuse survivors' claim information with third parties and failing to inform the debtor or the court.
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May 09, 2024
Five Retailers That May Face Bankruptcy In 2024
Clothing stores, a discount retailer and a prominent fabrics business have already filed for bankruptcy protection this year, each struggling in their own way in the post-pandemic economy. Here are five more companies that may be at risk of filing for bankruptcy in 2024.
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May 09, 2024
Hospital REIT Sees $736M Loss After Tenant's Ch. 11 Filing
Medical Properties Trust, a healthcare real estate investment trust, lost $736 million in the first quarter of the year from the financial collapse of Steward Health Care, a major tenant, and the write-off of an international joint venture, executives said on May 9.
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May 09, 2024
Texas Court Urged To Keep Alive Judge Romance Suit
In a flurry of filings, a former shareholder in an engineering company has pushed a Texas federal court to reject bids to throw out his lawsuit over an ex-bankruptcy judge's secret relationship with a former Jackson Walker LLP attorney.
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May 08, 2024
NY AG Says $6M NRA Verdict Should Stand
A New York state court should not undo a jury's finding that the National Rifle Association allowed its officers to misappropriate $6.4 million of donor money, the state's attorney general has argued, saying trial evidence abundantly laid out evidence of misconduct and organizational failures.
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May 08, 2024
FTX Says Full Recovery Coming Based On 2022 Crypto Price
Bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX Trading Ltd. has claimed its proposed Chapter 11 plan would be able to pay creditors in full with a $13 billion distribution that exceeds the estimated allowable $11.2 billion in claims, but the payout is based on the value of cryptocurrency in November 2022, when the exchange filed for bankruptcy protection.
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May 08, 2024
Bill To Undo SEC Crypto Accounting Bulletin Passes House
Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to overturn the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's controversial cryptocurrency accounting guidance despite protests from Democrats to take a more targeted approach to amend the directive and a White House pledge to veto the bill.
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May 08, 2024
99 Cents Beats Creditor Objection To Get OK On $61M DIP
A Delaware bankruptcy judge on Wednesday approved discount store 99 Cents Only's full $60.8 million Chapter 11 financing deal after rejecting a group of noteholders' objection to the relief, finding an intercreditor agreement barred the group from blocking debtor-in-possession funding.
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May 08, 2024
FTX Spurs Corporate Sleuths Nardello Into Ch. 11 Probes
Corporate investigations firm Nardello & Co. is known for probing corporate scandals and financial crime, but since being tapped in 2022 to investigate fraud at fallen crypto giant FTX, the firm has been expanding more into the potentially lucrative realm of bankruptcy.
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May 08, 2024
Rite Aid Can Sell Analytics Arm Health Dialog For $2.75M
Pharmacy retail chain Rite Aid got the green light Wednesday from a New Jersey bankruptcy judge to sell most of its coaching and analytics division, Health Dialog, to healthcare technology firm Carenet Health for $2.75 million as it works towards confirming a Chapter 11 plan.
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May 07, 2024
Federal Courts Choosing To Stay Out Of Texas Grid Fights
The Fifth Circuit has again refused to wade into fights over actions taken by Texas' grid operator during a 2021 winter storm, further underscoring federal courts' reluctance to disturb the historic independence of the Lone Star State's electricity sector, attorneys say.
Expert Analysis
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Legal Profession Gender Parity Requires Equal Parental Leave
To truly foster equity in the legal profession and to promote attorney retention, workplaces need to better support all parents, regardless of gender — starting by offering equal and robust parental leave to both birthing and non-birthing parents, says Ali Spindler at Irwin Fritchie.
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How Cannabis Cos. Are Adapting In Shifting Bankruptcy Arena
Recent bankruptcy cases show that federal courts have begun to demonstrate more openness to downstream businesses in the cannabis industry, and that even though receivership can be a viable option for those denied access to the bankruptcy system, it is not without its own risks and complexities, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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Pa. City Ch. 9 Ruling Raises Municipal Financing Concerns
A Pennsylvania district court’s recent ruling in a Chapter 9 case filed by the city of Chester, Pennsylvania, strengthens the foundations of the municipal bond market, but also demonstrates that bankruptcy courts continue to struggle with some of the features of municipal revenue bonds and issue rulings that contradict market expectations, say attorneys at Cadwalader.
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Writing Thriller Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Authoring several thriller novels has enriched my work by providing a fresh perspective on my privacy practice, expanding my knowledge, and keeping me alert to the next wave of issues in an increasingly complex space — a reminder to all lawyers that extracurricular activities can help sharpen professional instincts, says Reece Hirsch at Morgan Lewis.
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What Lawyers Must Know About Calif. State Bar's AI Guidance
Initial recommendations from the State Bar of California regarding use of generative artificial intelligence by lawyers have the potential to become a useful set of guidelines in the industry, covering confidentiality, supervision and training, communications, discrimination and more, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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Industry Must Elevate Native American Women Attys' Stories
The American Bar Association's recent research study into Native American women attorneys' experiences in the legal industry reveals the glacial pace of progress, and should inform efforts to amplify Native voices in the field, says Mary Smith, president of the ABA.
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Pa. Ruling Shows Why Term Sheet Can Be Worth The Wait
A Pennsylvania bankruptcy court’s recent In re: Legarde ruling, holding that a settlement term sheet was enforceable, reminds litigants that it’s crucial to draft a written agreement before leaving mediation in order to resolve potential evidentiary issues and protect against buyer’s remorse, says Brian Shaw at Cozen O'Connor.
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Understanding Discovery Obligations In Era Of Generative AI
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Attorneys and businesses must adapt to the unique discovery challenges presented by generative artificial intelligence, such as chatbot content and prompts, while upholding the principles of fairness, transparency and compliance with legal obligations in federal civil litigation, say attorneys at King & Spalding.
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Asserting 'Presence-Of-Counsel' Defense In Securities Trials
As illustrated by the fraud trial of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, defense attorneys in securities trials might consider arguing that counsel had some involvement in the conduct at issue — if the more formal advice-of-counsel defense is unavailable and circumstances allow for a privilege waiver, say Joseph Dever and Matthew Elkin at Cozen O'Connor.
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Crypto Has Democratized Trading In Bankruptcy Claims
Following the pandemic, there has been a wave of cryptocurrency bankruptcies and a related increase in access to information, allowing nontraditional bankruptcy investors to purchase claims and democratizing a once closed segment of alternative investing, says Joseph Sarachek at Strategic Liquidity.
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The Case For Post-Bar Clerk Training Programs At Law Firms
In today's competitive legal hiring market, an intentionally designed training program for law school graduates awaiting bar admission can be an effective way of creating a pipeline of qualified candidates, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.
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5 Key Tips For Attorneys In The Subchapter V Arena
Subchapter V cases present unique challenges for the nondebtor parties-in-interest, and habits developed by attorneys in typical Chapter 11 cases do not necessarily translate, meaning creditors and their counsel should quickly take a proactive role in their cases to protect their interests, which can be done by attending the 341 meeting, analyzing the plan, and more, says Kelly Singer at Squire Patton.
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Attorneys Have An Ethical Duty To Protect The Judiciary
The tenor of public disagreement and debate has become increasingly hostile against judges, and though the legislative branch is trying to ameliorate this safety gap, lawyers have a moral imperative and professional requirement to stand with judges in defusing attacks against them and their rulings, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.