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Bankruptcy
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April 24, 2024
Jury Must Decide Law Firms' Fee Dispute Over Nassar Suits
A jury will need to decipher the terms of an agreement in a fee dispute between Andrus Wagstaff PC and Lipton Law Center PC for joint representation of the survivors of former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, a Michigan federal judge ruled Wednesday, partially rejecting Andrus Wagstaff's summary judgment bid.
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April 24, 2024
Kwok Jurors To Be Anonymous Amid Harassment Concerns
Jurors who will decide the criminal fraud and racketeering case against exiled Chinese billionaire Ho Wan Kwok will be anonymous and partially sequestered, a New York federal judge said on Wednesday, ruing that if their identities are revealed they could face the same harassment that befell Kwok's bankruptcy trustee.
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April 24, 2024
Nuclear Fuel Co. Investor Sues Over Hair-Trigger 'Poison Pill'
A Centrus Energy Corp. stockholder on Wednesday hit the company, as well as current and former directors, with a proposed class action in Delaware Chancery Court, challenging allegedly hair-trigger shareholder rights "poison pill" restrictions that activate anti-takeover measures based on a relatively low share ownership percentage.
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April 24, 2024
Bill O'Reilly Can't Duck Canceled Cruise Suit, Customer Says
Bill O'Reilly cannot use his New York ties to shrug off a proposed class action, a man denied refunds for a canceled cruise has told an Arkansas federal court, arguing the former Fox News host and others gave the court jurisdiction when they launched a nationwide marketing campaign for the trip that reached Arkansas residents.
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April 24, 2024
Noteholders Say Chilean Telecom Lacks US Ties For Ch. 11
A group of WOM SA noteholders asked a Delaware bankruptcy judge to dismiss the Chilean cellphone network operator's Chapter 11 case, saying the company has no connections with the United States and courts here don't have jurisdiction over the company's assets.
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April 24, 2024
7th Circ. Revives Suit Over Paper Co.'s ESOP Valuation
The Seventh Circuit reopened a suit claiming executives at a defunct paper company and financial advisers overvalued the business to persuade workers to put retirement savings into an employee stock ownership plan, saying a lower court viewed the allegations too narrowly when it tossed the case.
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April 23, 2024
Israeli Biotech Files Ch. 15 To Implement Take-Private Deal
Gamida Cell Ltd., an Israeli biotechnology company developing immunotherapy products, filed for Chapter 15 protection Monday in Delaware seeking the American court's approval of its foreign take-private proposal with unsecured lenders.
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April 23, 2024
NC Justices Urged To Reject Greg Lindberg Co.'s Review Bid
North Carolina's insurance commissioner urged the state's supreme court to prevent a company controlled by insurance mogul Greg Lindberg from intervening in the liquidation proceedings of two of his life insurance companies, arguing a state appeals panel correctly held that an insurer's directors, but not shareholders, may intervene.
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April 23, 2024
NY Panel Partially Revives Chubb, Archdiocese Abuse Row
A New York state appeals court partially revived Chubb's coverage dispute stemming from sexual abuse claims brought against the Archdiocese of New York, finding Tuesday that a trial court incorrectly based its dismissal on underlying allegations rather than the present action.
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April 23, 2024
Downtown Chicago Hotel Hits Ch. 11 With Up To $50M In Debt
A defunct hotel near Chicago's commercial center has applied for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware bankruptcy court, disclosing between $10 million and $50 million in debt, a few months after the city government converted the property into a shelter for unhoused people.
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April 23, 2024
ABI Names Christopher Ward President, Elects New Directors
Christopher A. Ward of Polsinelli LLP will lead the American Bankruptcy Institute as president for a one-year term, the organization said Tuesday, and U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Bruce Harwood will succeed him next April.
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April 23, 2024
DOJ Unveils $139M Deal For Larry Nassar Victims
The U.S. Department of Justice will pay $138.7 million to settle 139 tort claims accusing the Federal Bureau of Investigation of not doing enough to stop the sprawling, decades-long sexual abuse of hundreds of victims at the hands of USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar, according to a Tuesday announcement.
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April 22, 2024
Alex Jones' InfoWars To Have Key Ch. 11 Plan Hearing In June
A Texas bankruptcy judge on Monday rescheduled to June 14 a key hearing on how the court should handle Alex Jones' media company Free Speech Systems LLC's Chapter 11, adding that he plans to keep the separate but interwoven bankruptcies of Jones and his company moving forward.
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April 22, 2024
Atty Says Class Bid Over Bankrupt Firm's Hurricane Ads Fails
A proposed class action against troubled Houston law firm MMA Law Firm, a former partner and others accused of participating in an illegal scheme to scare up profitable litigation following a hurricane doesn't offer enough evidence for certification and didn't meet a filing deadline, the ex-partner told a Texas federal judge.
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April 22, 2024
Opioid Marketer Completes $1.5M Damages Settlement With Del.
Delaware's chancellor signed off Monday on a $1.5 million payment to the state by a company that helped Purdue Pharmaceuticals market its opioid products, the latest step in a $358 million, 50-state damages settlement reached with Publicis Health LLC.
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April 22, 2024
Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court
Last week, Delaware's Chancery Court news included a Tesla announcement about moving to Texas, a midcase appeal of Tripadvisor's move to Nevada, and United Airlines' escape from a stockholder suit. Disputes about board entrenchment, squeeze-out mergers, co-founder fallouts and deadly ice cream moved ahead.
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April 22, 2024
SEC Says Terraform, Founder Owe $5.3B After Fraud Verdict
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has asked a Manhattan federal judge to order bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange Terraform Labs and its founder to pay roughly $5.3 billion, weeks after a jury found them liable for a massive fraud.
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April 22, 2024
Clothing Retailer Express Inc. Hits Ch. 11 With Sale Offer
Fashion retailer Express Inc. filed for Chapter 11 protection Monday in Delaware to help tame roughly $1.2 billion in debt, saying it has an offer from a group of buyers for the majority of its assets, including its retail store locations.
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April 19, 2024
SBF Inks Deal To Help FTX Investors Go After Promoters
Investors who launched multidistrict litigation over cryptocurrency exchange FTX's collapse asked a Florida federal judge Friday to bless their settlement with founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who has agreed to assist in their case against celebrities who promoted the platform and other defendants alleged to be part of the fraud scheme.
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April 19, 2024
Casino SPAC Can Return Money, Not Shares, Chancery Rules
Stockholders in a blank-check company that failed to merge with a Philippines-based casino are entitled to a distribution from $37.5 million sitting in trust, but the company may not redeem any shares until an investor's Delaware lawsuit plays out, a Chancery Court vice chancellor said Friday.
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April 19, 2024
Creditor Committee Backs Yellow In Pension Fund Fight
The official committee of unsecured creditors in Yellow Corp.'s Chapter 11 bankruptcy has largely backed an objection from the debtor to several pension plans' claims for retirement-fund withdrawal liability, while saying it hopes the issues can be resolved quickly to reduce costs.
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April 19, 2024
NY Diocese Claims Rep Warns Of 'Disaster' If Ch. 11 Scrapped
The future claims representative for sex abuse victims in the bankruptcy case of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre told a New York judge Friday he could not "stand mute while this case barrels on toward disaster," after the organization moved to dismiss its case earlier this month.
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April 19, 2024
Bankruptcy Bill Seeks To Aid Sex Abuse Victims
A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would help sexual abuse victims by limiting the ability of their abusers to shield themselves by filing for bankruptcy, according to the bipartisan pair backing the proposed legislation.
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April 19, 2024
Quinn Emanuel Faces Class Action Over Fla. Fee Agreements
The wife of luxury home developer Nir Meir, who was charged with falsifying records and defrauding investors, is hoping to avoid paying more than $360,000 in attorney fees to Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP in a proposed class action, saying her husband forged her signature on a fee agreement with the firm.
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April 19, 2024
Tex-Mex Chain Tijuana Flats' New Owner Puts It In Ch. 11
Fast-casual Tex-Mex dining chain Tijuana Flats said Friday it has changed ownership and filed for Chapter 11 protection in Florida bankruptcy court with more than $10 million in debt.
Expert Analysis
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Think Like A Lawyer: Forget Everything You Know About IRAC
The mode of legal reasoning most students learn in law school, often called “Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion,” or IRAC, erroneously frames analysis as a separate, discrete step, resulting in disorganized briefs and untold obfuscation — but the fix is pretty simple, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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A Former Bankruptcy Judge Talks 'Undue Hardship'
Former U.S. bankruptcy judge Robert Gordon reflects on his journey from student borrower to judicial observer, highlighting the challenges faced by modern students burdened with student loan debt and advocating for reform in bankruptcy laws, particularly regarding the "undue hardship" element of discharge.
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Roundup
Former Bankruptcy Judges Talk Restructuring Trends
In this Expert Analysis series, former U.S. bankruptcy judges draw from their experiences to discuss how bankruptcy law is evolving amid shifting economic landscapes and technological innovations.
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How Firms Can Ensure Associate Gender Parity Lasts
Among associates, women now outnumber men for the first time, but progress toward gender equality at the top of the legal profession remains glacially slow, and firms must implement time-tested solutions to ensure associates’ gender parity lasts throughout their careers, say Kelly Culhane and Nicole Joseph at Culhane Meadows.
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Regulatory Trends Offer 4 Lessons For Debt Relief Providers
A string of enforcement actions, including a New York lawsuit filed last month by seven states and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, underscore the regulatory scrutiny that debt relief and credit repair companies face and offer important lessons on telemarketing and deceptive practices compliance, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.
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7 Common Myths About Lateral Partner Moves
As lateral recruiting remains a key factor for law firm growth, partners considering a lateral move should be aware of a few commonly held myths — some of which contain a kernel of truth, and some of which are flat out wrong, says Dave Maurer at Major Lindsey.
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Series
Cheering In The NFL Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Balancing my time between a BigLaw career and my role as an NFL cheerleader has taught me that pursuing your passions outside of work is not a distraction, but rather an opportunity to harness important skills that can positively affect how you approach work and view success in your career, says Rachel Schuster at Sheppard Mullin.
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Opinion
J&J Bankruptcy Could Thwart Accountability For Victims
Johnson & Johnson's latest attempt at a "Texas Two-Step" bankruptcy proceeding exemplifies the way in which corporate defendants can use bankruptcy to evade accountability, limit resources available to victims, and impose flawed, one-size-fits-all resolutions on diverse groups of plaintiffs, says Michelle Simpson Tuegel at Simpson Tuegel Law.
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6 Pointers For Attys To Build Trust, Credibility On Social Media
In an era of information overload, attorneys can use social media strategically — from making infographics to leveraging targeted advertising — to cut through the noise and establish a reputation among current and potential clients, says Marly Broudie at SocialEyes Communications.
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A Post-Mortem Analysis Of Stroock's Demise
After the dissolution of 147-year-old firm Stroock late last year shook up the legal world, a post-mortem analysis of the data reveals a long list of warning signs preceding the firm’s collapse — and provides some insight into how other firms might avoid the same disastrous fate, says Craig Savitzky at Leopard Solutions.
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Don't Sit On Bankruptcy Sidelines, 5th Circ. Ruling Reminds
The Fifth Circuit’s recent In re: Louisiana Pellets decision, holding that a creditor couldn’t assert indemnification defenses in a suit brought by the trustee of a liquidation trust, highlights the risks faced by creditors and other contract parties that choose not to participate in a bankruptcy, say Gregory Hesse and Kaleb Bailey at Hunton.
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2nd Circ. Ruling Will Guide Social Media Account Ownership
The Second Circuit’s recent decision in JLM Couture v. Gutman — which held that ownership of social media accounts must be resolved using traditional property law analysis — will guide employers and employees alike in future cases, and underscores the importance of express agreements in establishing ownership of social media accounts, says Joshua Glasgow at Phillips Lytle.
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Texas Ruling Clarifies That Bankruptcy Shields LLC Rights
A Texas bankruptcy court’s recent ruling in In re: Envision makes it clear that the Bankruptcy Code preempts a section of Delaware state law that terminates a member’s interest in an LLC upon a bankruptcy filing, clarifying conflicting case law, say Larry Halperin and Joon Hong at Chapman and Cutler.
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Series
Coaching High School Wrestling Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Coaching my son’s high school wrestling team has been great fun, but it’s also demonstrated how a legal career can benefit from certain experiences, such as embracing the unknown, studying the rules and engaging with new people, says Richard Davis at Maynard Nexsen.
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Debt Collector Compliance Takeaways From An FDCPA Appeal
A Consumer Financial Protection Bureau amicus brief last month in an ongoing First Circuit appeal focusing on an interpretation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act can serve as a reminder for debt collectors to understand how their technologies, like bankruptcy scrubs and letter logic, can prevent litigation, says Justin Bradley at Womble Bond.