Large Cap
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October 21, 2024
Giuliani Tries To Nix Dominion Suit, FTX Exec Seeks Leniency
Colorado judges are skeptical of Rudy Giuliani's attempt to throw out a defamation lawsuit from a former Dominion Voting Systems executive amid ongoing bankruptcy proceedings, the former head of engineering at FTX is fighting for leniency from a Manhattan federal judge, and a former bankruptcy judge is challenging a subpoena for banking records in an investigation over a secret relationship. This is the week in bankruptcy.
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October 21, 2024
Clifford Chance Continues NY Growth With O'Melveny Duo
Clifford Chance LLP is continuing its growth in New York, announcing on Monday the hiring of two former O'Melveny & Myers LLP attorneys to its private equity practice, as well as the firm's restructuring and insolvency group.
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October 18, 2024
Law360 MVP Awards Go To Top Attys From 74 Firms
The attorneys chosen as Law360's 2024 MVPs have distinguished themselves from their peers by securing hard-earned successes in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters and record-breaking deals.
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October 18, 2024
Under The Radar: Bankruptcy News You May Have Missed
Johnson & Johnson, Imerys Talc, Cyprus Mines, Takeoff Technologies and SunPower Corp. all fielded objections to their Chapter 11 bankruptcies, from their creditors' committees or the Office of the U.S. Trustee or both, with the U.S. Trustee largely raising concerns about overbroad releases.
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October 18, 2024
Chancery Calls For Status Quo Order In Del Monte Loan Suit
A Delaware vice chancellor has given the nod for a hold-the-status quo order sought by a collateral agent accusing Del Monte Foods Inc. officials of carrying out a corporate restructuring and "lien-stripping" said to have jeopardized lender claims under a $725 million term loan agreement.
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October 18, 2024
Bally Sports Owner Gets OK For FanDuel Rebrand
Bally Sports Networks will be rebranded as FanDuel Sports Networks after a Texas bankruptcy judge approved an agreement between Diamond Sports Group and the betting platform.
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October 18, 2024
More Than Just Superheroes: Marvel Inked Ch. 11 Legacy
The nearly three-decade-old bankruptcy and reorganization of comic book giant Marvel produced a company that has become a major force in Hollywood, but it also led to an enduring legal precedent on conflict-of-interest standards for bankruptcy professionals that is still cited today.
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October 18, 2024
SunPower Corp. Gets OK For Chapter 11 Plan
A Delaware bankruptcy judge Friday approved residential solar technology company SunPower Corp.'s plans to distribute the proceeds of its asset sales to the creditors in its Chapter 11 case after hearing all objections had been resolved or put off.
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October 18, 2024
Judge Won't Delay Pitney Bowes Spinoff's Ch. 11 Timeline
A Texas bankruptcy judge on Friday said he will not push back a Chapter 11 plan confirmation for the former e-commerce unit of shipping group Pitney Bowes in order to buy the creditors' committee more time for contract analysis, keeping a mid-November hearing in place.
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October 18, 2024
Judge Denies SmileDirect Trustee's Litigation Funding Ask
A Texas bankruptcy judge on Friday denied a request from the Chapter 7 trustee overseeing SmileDirectClub's liquidation to fund litigation against company insiders by giving the trustee's special litigation attorneys liens on any money they recover, saying a debtor-in-possession funding order precluded such an arrangement.
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October 18, 2024
Sweden's Intrum Plans To File For Bankruptcy In The US
Swedish debt collector Intrum said Friday that it plans to file for Chapter 11 protection in the U.S. along with a reorganization in its home country with eyes set on refinancing $4.9 billion in debt with a lock-up agreement with creditors.
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October 17, 2024
Atty's 'Groundhog Day' Motion Trims Ex-Girardi Client's Suit
A California state judge on Thursday trimmed a family's $1.8 million malpractice lawsuit against an attorney that represented it in recovering millions lost in Girardi Keese's embezzlement scandal, calling a bid to nix one of the suit's claims a "Groundhog Day" motion because she already granted a similar one from the attorney's firm.
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October 17, 2024
Meet The Skadden Attorneys Behind True Value's Ch. 11
Hardware store supplier True Value Co., limping from the vicissitudes of the COVID-19 pandemic and an increasingly short leash from lenders, has hired lawyers from Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP to help see it through Chapter 11.
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October 17, 2024
Colorado Judges Doubt Giuliani Shielded For 2020 Lies
Colorado appellate judges appeared skeptical Thursday of Rudy Giuliani's bid to escape a defamation lawsuit by a former executive for Dominion Voting Systems, noting that they already found Giuliani's statements weren't protected in a related appeal.
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October 17, 2024
FTX Insider Cites 'Limited' Fraud Role In Bid To Avoid Prison
The former head of engineering at FTX asked a Manhattan federal judge to spare him prison time in light of his cooperation with prosecutors and what he said was a relatively "limited" role in the crypto exchange's billion-dollar fraud.
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October 17, 2024
A&O Shearman Taps Governance Veteran To Co-Lead Practice
A&O Shearman said Thursday that it has tapped a longtime partner to co-head the firm's compensation, employment, pensions and governance practice, bringing it under the joint leadership of alum from each of its two legacy firms after the merger between New York-based Shearman & Sterling and London-based legacy firm Allen & Overy became official last May.
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October 17, 2024
Boy Scouts Ch. 11 Runs Up $295M Professional Fee Bill In Q3
Boy Scouts of America has filed a post-confirmation report in its Chapter 11 case, reporting it has incurred $295 million in professional fees in the third quarter ending Sept. 30.
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October 16, 2024
True Value Hammered By Economy, Lenders' Tight Screws
The pull-forward effect of the COVID-19 pandemic claimed another victim when hardware wholesaler True Value Company LLC filed for bankruptcy on Monday, succumbing to the lull in demand for new drills, drywall and drains now that Americans have finished the home improvement projects that consumed them in the early days of that time.
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October 16, 2024
Profs Urge 3rd Circ. To Rethink Reopening Shipbuilder Ch. 11
A group of law professors have asked the Third Circuit to grant shipbuilder Bath Iron Works' request for a rehearing on its bid to reopen the Chapter 11 case of its former affiliate in order to allocate responsibility for a number of environmental remediation costs, saying it is of "central importance" a bankruptcy court and not a civil court adjudicate the issue.
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October 16, 2024
True Value Strikes Bridge Deal To Fund Ch. 11 Case With Cash
Hardware store supplier True Value Co. is "laser focused" on closing a $153 million sale, attorneys for the company Wednesday told a Delaware bankruptcy judge who agreed to approve a two-week deal the debtor struck with a lender to use cash on hand to fund the Chapter 11 case.
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October 16, 2024
Bally Sports Owner Seeks Court Approval Of FanDuel Rebrand
The parent company of Bally Sports-branded regional sports networks has asked a Texas bankruptcy judge for permission to change naming rights partners, revealing it has a short-term deal in which fantasy sports and betting platform FanDuel would take over the sponsorship agreement.
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October 16, 2024
Catching Up With New Bankruptcy Case Action
Several companies including True Value, Accuride and Jordan Health filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy over the past week, citing financial strains from inflation, supply-chain issues and market changes.
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October 16, 2024
Brazilian Electricity Biz Seeks US Ch. 15 Recognition
Light SA, parent to a major Brazilian electrical utility, has asked a Texas bankruptcy judge to grant U.S. recognition of its foreign insolvency proceedings, saying a Brazilian court had approved a restructuring plan for the company to deal with roughly $2 billion in debt that has high creditor support.
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October 16, 2024
Ex-Judge Aims To Shield Bank Records In Romance Probe
A former U.S. bankruptcy judge is hoping to sink a subpoena from the U.S. Trustee's Office for his banking records in connection with its inquiry into his concealed romantic relationship with a former Jackson Walker LLP partner who appeared before him in a number of cases.
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October 16, 2024
Big Lots Protections For $760M Bid Draw US Trustee Protest
The U.S. Department of Justice's bankruptcy watchdog has objected to Big Lots' proposed protections for the prospective buyer of the bankrupt retailer's assets, saying a break-up fee and expense repayments aren't justified as part of the $760 million deal.
Expert Analysis
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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.
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Why The Debt Maturity Wall Is Still A Figment, For Now
While the phenomenon of the debt maturity wall — a growing wall of staggered corporate debt maturities — has been considered a looming problem since the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, it’s unlikely to have significant consequences before 2025 due to factors such as quantitative easing and evolved lending practices, says Michael Eisenband at FTI Consulting.
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AI Can Help Lawyers Overcome The Programming Barrier
Legal professionals without programming expertise can use generative artificial intelligence to harness the power of automation and other technology solutions to streamline their work, without the steep learning curve traditionally associated with coding, says George Zalepa at Greenberg Traurig.
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10 Essential Bankruptcy Litigation Tips For In-House Counsel
Bankruptcy litigation is a complex and multifaceted area of law that poses unique challenges for in-house counsel, and there are several tools at legal professionals' disposal, like appraisals and understanding jurisdictions, to stay well-informed and protect their companies' interests, says Alison Ashmore at Dykema.
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Preparing Law Students For A New, AI-Assisted Legal World
As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the legal landscape, law schools must integrate technology and curricula that address AI’s innate challenges — from ethics to data security — to help students stay ahead of the curve, say Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics, Ryan Abbott at JAMS and Karen Silverman at Cantellus Group.
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Sellers Seeking Best Deal Should Focus On Terms And Price
Rising interest rates and a decline in the automotive mergers and acquisitions market mean that a failed deal carries greater stakes, and sellers therefore should pursue not only the optimum price but also the optimum terms to safeguard their agreement, says Joseph Aboyoun at Fox Rothschild.
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General Counsel Need Data Literacy To Keep Up With AI
With the rise of accessible and powerful generative artificial intelligence solutions, it is imperative for general counsel to understand the use and application of data for myriad important activities, from evaluating the e-discovery process to monitoring compliance analytics and more, says Colin Levy at Malbek.