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Capital Markets
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August 23, 2024
Hong Kong Relaxes Listing Rules For Tech Startups, SPACs
Hoping to spur more investment into emerging businesses amid a dry spell, Hong Kong's securities watchdog and stock exchange leaders on Friday unveiled relaxed listing rules for technology startups and eased requirements needed to clear mergers involving special purpose acquisition companies.
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August 23, 2024
Split 9th Circ. Says Ponzi Schemes Don't Need Proof Of Intent
A split Ninth Circuit panel affirmed Friday a jury's finding in a fraudulent-transfer fight that a now-bankrupt company was a Ponzi scheme, with the majority writing that jurors didn't need to find an intent to defraud, while a dissenting judge slammed the majority's reasoning as "circular."
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August 23, 2024
Conn. Adviser Wants FINRA Complaint Records Deleted
An investment adviser has sued the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority in Connecticut state court, saying a complaint on his FINRA registration record is not valid and should be removed because, after filing it, the customers who complained realized they were in error and withdrew the complaint.
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August 23, 2024
CFTC Says Gemini's Appeal Bid Wouldn't Nix Need For Trial
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has told a New York federal judge that even if the Second Circuit found crypto exchange Gemini Trust Co. didn't have ultimate responsibility over allegedly misleading statements about a proposed bitcoin futures contract, there would still be disputed facts requiring a trial.
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August 23, 2024
Cantor, Lutnick OK $12M Deal To End View Inc. Suit In Del.
Cantor Fitzgerald LP and its billionaire Chair and CEO Howard Lutnick on Thursday agreed to a $12 million settlement to resolve stockholder challenges to a special purpose acquisition company transaction that took window company View Inc. public, with a Delaware Court of Chancery hearing set for Dec. 6.
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August 23, 2024
Canada Mining Biz Seeks US Listing Via $589M SPAC Merger
Canadian rare-earth miner Tactical Resources Corp. plans to go public in the U.S. by merging with special purpose acquisition company Plum Acquisition III Corp. at an estimated value of $589 million, both parties announced on Friday, through a deal guided by four law firms.
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August 23, 2024
SPAC Investors Ask Full 9th Circ. To Rethink Lucid Merger
Investors have urged the full Ninth Circuit to rethink a panel's refusal to revive their proposed class action alleging that Lucid duped them into buying stock in a special purpose acquisition company ahead of the electric vehicle maker's $11.75 billion merger, arguing that the panel's holding misconstrues U.S. Supreme Court precedent, among other issues.
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August 23, 2024
Wachtell Reps As MLB's Braves Announce Executive Shakeup
The parent company of the Atlanta Braves on Friday announced that Chairman and CEO Terry McGuirk will have increased voting power, representing a major shift in control after Liberty Media Corp. split off from the MLB team and its associated real estate development company in November 2022 to become a separate publicly traded entity.
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August 23, 2024
Polsinelli Brings On Ex-MoFo Venture Capital Atty In Denver
Polsinelli PC has boosted its venture capital and emerging growth companies practice with a new shareholder in its Denver office.
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August 22, 2024
2 Biotech Firms File Plans To Go Public As IPO Pipeline Grows
Drug developers Bicara Therapeutics Inc. and Zenas Biopharma Inc. filed plans with regulators on Thursday for initial public offerings that could tap the market as early as September, signaling a potential boost in post-Labor Day IPOs, under the combined guidance of three law firms.
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August 22, 2024
New SEC Rule Provides Break To Smaller Venture Funds
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has approved rules that would raise thresholds before certain venture capital funds can be regulated as investment companies, enacting a congressional mandate aimed at easing costs for small funds.
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August 22, 2024
Ex-Avaya Execs Snag Early Exit From Investor Suits In NC
Three former executives at telecom giant Avaya Inc. have escaped separate lawsuits in the North Carolina Business Court accusing them of painting an inaccurately rosy picture for investors before finances tanked and the company was forced to declare bankruptcy.
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August 22, 2024
Feds Ask For $395M Forfeiture In Bitcoin Fog Case
A D.C. federal judge said he was inclined to side with prosecutors seeking a $395 million forfeiture order for convicted Bitcoin Fog operator Roman Sterlingov, at least as a preliminary step ahead of the 35-year-old's sentencing for money laundering.
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August 22, 2024
Ameriprise Benefits Most From Cash Sweeps, Customer Says
Ameriprise was hit with a proposed class action in Minnesota federal court by a customer over its cash sweep program that allegedly yields low interest for customers and high fees for the bank, adding to a growing list of customer and regulatory scrutiny financial institutions are facing over the account type.
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August 22, 2024
Israeli Tech Co. Cancels SPAC Deal Amid Market Rout
Pomvom, an Israeli software maker that caters to theme parks, and a special purpose acquisition company announced Thursday they have nixed their planned $125 million merger, which would've taken the tech firm public, citing a "change in global market conditions."
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August 22, 2024
Deals Rumor Mill: Saudi Fund, Disney-Reliance, Repligen
Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund wants to launch a new cargo airline, India’s antitrust regulators worry about power over cricket rights if the $8.5 billion merger of Walt Disney’s Indian business with Reliance Entertainment is allowed, and drug manufacturing provider Repligen is eyeing Maravai LifeSciences. Here, Law360 breaks down these and other notable deal rumors from the past week.
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August 22, 2024
Mining Firm USA Rare Earth Inks $870M SPAC Merger
Mining and magnet firm USA Rare Earth LLC, advised by King & Spalding LLP, on Thursday announced plans to go public at a pro forma enterprise value of $870 million by merging with White & Case LLP-led special purpose acquisition company Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. II.
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August 22, 2024
Crypto Lobbyist Hit With FTX Campaign Finance Charges
Manhattan federal prosecutors announced Thursday that Michelle Bond, a crypto industry lobbyist and the girlfriend of convicted former FTX executive Ryan Salame, has been charged with getting the now-defunct digital asset exchange to illegally finance her unsuccessful 2022 congressional campaign.
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August 21, 2024
FTX's Salame Says Feds Broke Deal Not To Probe Girlfriend
Former FTX executive Ryan Salame urged a New York federal judge Wednesday to either vacate his May conviction or stop federal prosecutors from investigating his domestic partner Michelle Bond for related political campaign-finance offenses, saying prosecutors induced his guilty plea by promising not to probe Bond.
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August 21, 2024
Ga. Justices Look Ready To Kill $20M Garnished Judgment
The Supreme Court of Georgia appeared inclined Wednesday to toss a $20 million default judgment that a state court judge slapped on a financial advisory after the firm failed to respond to a summons in an underlying case it claims it had zero stake in.
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August 21, 2024
Ex-Vitol Oil Trader Pleads Out To Texas FCPA Case In NY
A former Vitol oil trader on Wednesday admitted in New York federal court to charges brought in Texas accusing him of bribing Mexican officials to obtain business for the energy and commodities company, months after he was convicted in New York over similar conduct with Ecuadorian officials.
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August 21, 2024
TD Bank Designates $2.6B For Anti-Money Laundering Fines
A U.S. subsidiary of Canada's Toronto-Dominion Bank said Wednesday that it has designated an additional $2.6 billion to cover the fines it expects to pay by the end of the year to resolve civil and criminal investigations into its compliance with anti-money laundering regulations.
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August 21, 2024
Student Loan Trusts Rip 'Aggressive' CFPB In High Court Bid
Fifteen Delaware student loan trusts have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to rescue them from a long-running Consumer Financial Protection Bureau enforcement lawsuit, asking to appeal a Third Circuit decision that said the securitization vehicles were subject to the agency's authority.
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August 21, 2024
Kurdish Telecom Co. Investor Says $490M Judgment Is Valid
An investor in a Kurdish mobile phone operator has asked a New York federal court to enforce a $490 million judgment it claims it won against Iraqi Kurdistan, saying the Kurd government is trying to relitigate issues that were already rejected by a Kuwait court.
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August 21, 2024
Fla. Real Estate Co.'s Assets Frozen After $56M Ponzi Claims
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has secured an asset freeze in its suit against a Florida-based real estate investment company whose managers misused tens of millions of investor proceeds, including by paying investors "in a Ponzi-like fashion."
Expert Analysis
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Opinion
SEC Should Be Allowed To Equip Investors With Climate Info
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's new rule to require more climate-related disclosures will provide investors with much-needed clarity, despite opponents' attempts to challenge the rule with misused legal arguments, say Sarah Goetz at Democracy Forward and Cynthia Hanawalt at Columbia University’s Sabin Center for Climate Change.
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How EB-5 Regional Centers Can Prepare For USCIS Audits
In response to the recently announced U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services guidelines that require EB-5 regional center audits every five years to verify their compliance with immigration and securities laws, regional centers should take steps to facilitate a seamless audit process, say Jennifer Hermansky and Miriam Thompson at Greenberg Traurig.
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Don't Use The Same Template For Every Client Alert
As the old marketing adage goes, consistency is key, but law firm style guides need consistency that contemplates variety when it comes to client alert formats, allowing attorneys to tailor alerts to best fit the audience and subject matter, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.
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Series
Walking With My Dog Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Thanks to my dog Birdie, I've learned that carving out an activity different from the practice of law — like daily outdoor walks that allow you to interact with new people — can contribute to professional success by boosting creativity and mental acuity, as well as expanding your social network, says Sarah Petrie at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
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Navigating SPAC Market Challenges For Microcap Issuers
For microcap issuers, the special-purpose acquisition vehicle market tells a cautionary tale in which few targets attain the advantages they seek, and important considerations for companies with market capitalization of under $300 million include negotiating costs and expenses upfront to avoid becoming saddled with debt, say attorneys at Lucosky Brookman.
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Expect Tougher Bank Exams 1 Year After Spring 2023 Failures
With federal banking agencies still implementing harsher examinations with swifter escalations a year after the spring 2023 bank failures, banks can gain insight into changing expectations by monitoring how the Federal Reserve Board, Office of the Comptroller of Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. are coordinating and updating their exam policies, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Follow The Iron Rule Of Trial Logic
Many diligent and eager attorneys include every good fact, point and rule in their trial narratives — spurred by the gnawing fear they’ll be second-guessed for leaving something out — but this approach ignores a fundamental principle of successful trial lawyering, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Circuit Split Brews Over Who's A Securities Seller Under Act
A Securities Act section that creates private liability for the sale of an unregistered security is rapidly becoming a favored statute for plaintiffs to wield against participants in both the digital asset and traditional securities markets, but the circuit courts have diverged on who may be held liable for these violations, say Jeffrey L. Steinfeld and Daniel Aronsohn at Winston & Strawn.
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Banks Have Won Syndicated Loan Battle, But Not The War
Though the U.S. Supreme Court's recent denial of certiorari in Kirschner v. JPMorgan preserves the status quo that syndicated loans are not securities, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's discomfort suggests that the underlying issues have not been fully resolved, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.
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The Art Of Asking: Leveraging Your Contacts For Referrals
Though attorneys may hesitate to ask for referral recommendations to generate new business, research shows that people want to help others they know, like and trust, so consider who in your network you should approach and how to make the ask, says Rebecca Hnatowski at Edwards Advisory.
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The Drawbacks Of Banking Regulators' Merger Review Plans
Recent proposals for bank merger review criteria by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. share common pitfalls: increased likelihood of delays, uncertainties, and new hurdles to transactions that could impede the long-term safety and soundness of the banks involved, say attorneys at WilmerHale.
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SEC Off-Channel Comms Action Hints At Future Enforcement
Although the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s recent enforcement action against Senvest does not shed light on how the agency will calibrate penalties related to off-channel communications violations, it does suggest that we may see more cases against standalone investment advisers, say attorneys at Sidley.
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Chancery's Carvana Suit Toss Shows Special Committee Value
The Delaware Chancery Court’s recent dismissal of a stockholder complaint against Carvana illustrates how special litigation committees can be a powerful tool for boards to regain control after litigation alleging a breach of fiduciary duty, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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Series
Being An Equestrian Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Beyond getting experience thinking on my feet and tackling stressful situations, the skills I've gained from horseback riding have considerable overlap with the skills used to practice law, particularly in terms of team building, continuing education, and making an effort to reset and recharge, says Kerry Irwin at Moore & Van Allen.
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4 Ways To Refresh Your Law Firm's Marketing Strategy
With many BigLaw firms relying on an increasingly obsolete marketing approach that prioritizes stiff professionalism over authentic connection, adopting a few key communications strategies to better connect with today's clients and prospects can make all the difference, say Eric Pacifici and Kevin Henderson at SMB Law.