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Bankruptcy
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July 17, 2024
Fight Over Liberace's Rhinestone Piano Reaches Boston Jury
A lawyer for Gibson Guitars' charitable arm told a Boston federal jury Wednesday that a music store has refused to return a rhinestone-encrusted grand piano once used by Liberace, wrongly claiming it was given as a gift.
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July 17, 2024
Burr & Forman Accused Of Aiding Health Insurance Fraud
Burr & Forman LLP has been hit with a malpractice suit in Georgia federal court by the liquidating trustees of two purported health insurance companies after the firm allegedly aided in a scheme to defraud customers by charging exorbitant fees and denying promised coverage, saying the attorneys helped create a web of LLCs to which it siphoned off millions.
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July 17, 2024
Yellow Corp. Says It Has No Pension Withdrawal Liabilities
Bankrupt trucking firm Yellow Corp. hit back at a motion for summary judgment sought by multiple pension funds including Central States Pension Fund, telling a Delaware bankruptcy court that it has no withdrawal liability for backing out of a multistate pension fund for truckers.
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July 17, 2024
High Court Rulings Don't Nix Judge Romance Suit, Court Told
An investor suing Jackson Walker LLP over an ex-employee's secret romantic relationship with a former Texas bankruptcy judge told the court Tuesday that, despite what the firm says, recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions on standing do not change the fact that he suffered real harm from the firm.
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July 17, 2024
Hogan Lovells, Saul Ewing Exit Camshaft's, Byju's Ch. 11 Fight
Two law firms representing Camshaft Capital Fund LP and principal William Morton in the bankruptcy actions tied to the Chapter 11 of education tech company Byju's Alpha have petitioned a Delaware judge to approve their withdrawal as counsel, citing undisclosed Camshaft party failures to "uphold their obligations."
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July 17, 2024
Insurers Urge Judge To Deny SVB's Ch. 11 Plan
The Chubb Companies have asked a New York bankruptcy judge to tell SVB Financial Group it must change its Chapter 11 plan or have it rejected, saying the scheme doesn't clearly provide that SVB must meet certain obligations in order to keep receiving insurance benefits.
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July 17, 2024
Chief Deputy SDNY Bankruptcy Clerk To Be Bankruptcy Judge
The chief deputy clerk for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York — a former Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP attorney who served as the lead law clerk on the liquidation of Bernie Madoff's investment securities company — is set to become a U.S. bankruptcy judge in Poughkeepsie.
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July 17, 2024
Bruised SPAC Market Pins Revival Hopes On Veteran Backers
More special-purpose acquisition companies are conducting initial public offerings, mostly backed by dealmakers who have completed prior mergers, bringing life to a listings market that was largely barren over the past year.
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July 17, 2024
Kazakhstan Agrees To End Fight Over $506M Award
A decade-long fight between Kazakhstan and Moldovan oil and gas investors who won a half-billion-dollar arbitral award against the country has come to a close, with the parties inking a binding framework to resolve their dispute.
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July 17, 2024
Rising Star: Gibson Dunn's AnnElyse Scarlett Gains
AnnElyse Scarlett Gains of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP has represented ad hoc lender groups for debtors facing off against such companies as Amazon seller Thrasio, podcast company Audacy Inc., chemical manufacturer Venator Materials PLC and drugmaker Akorn Inc., earning her a spot among the bankruptcy law practitioners under age 40 honored by Law360 as Rising Stars.
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July 16, 2024
'Excuse Me?': Judge Vexed By Defamation Claim In Ch. 7 Row
A Connecticut bankruptcy judge on Tuesday appeared skeptical of defamation and tortious interference claims New York-based real estate investor EasyKnock Inc. filed against a trustee handling the Chapter 7 estate of a onetime homeowner, forcing company attorneys to at times to admit they cited no authority to support their case.
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July 16, 2024
7th Circ. Says Foreign Retirement Not Shielded In Bankruptcy
A professor who filed for bankruptcy in Illinois can't protect his Canadian retirement account from creditors because the account is ineligible under a state law shielding accounts that qualify as retirement plans under the Internal Revenue Code, the Seventh Circuit ruled Tuesday.
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July 16, 2024
Platinum Co-Founder Dodges Prison For Bond Fraud Rap
Platinum Partners co-founder Mark Nordlicht on Tuesday was spared prison time for his five-year-old conviction over a purported scheme to defraud bondholders of a Texas oil and gas company, as a New York federal judge doubted that "such a weird case" would have any deterrent value.
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July 16, 2024
California Atty Accused In $282M Theft Put On Inactive Status
A California lawyer who's accused of stealing as much as $282 million from debt relief clients has been placed on involuntary inactive status, and bar discipline authorities say he deserves to lose his license permanently.
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July 16, 2024
States, Legal Orgs. Urge Justices To Halt Biden's Debt Relief
A U.S. Supreme Court challenge to the Biden administration's latest student debt relief program received backing from seven Republican-led states and a trio of legal groups that assert the estimated $475 billion plan exceeds the executive branch's authority.
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July 16, 2024
Chinese Exile Guo Guilty On Most Counts In $1B Fraud Case
A Manhattan federal jury on Tuesday convicted prominent Chinese Communist Party critic Miles Guo on most charges alleging he operated a vast fraud that solicited more than $1 billion worth of sham investments from his supporters.
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July 16, 2024
The 2024 Diversity Snapshot: What You Need To Know
Law firms' ongoing initiatives to address diversity challenges have driven another year of progress, with the representation of minority attorneys continuing to improve across the board, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years. Here's our data dive into minority representation at law firms in 2023.
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July 16, 2024
Rising Star: Kirkland's Emily Geier
Emily Geier of Kirkland & Ellis LLP has shepherded distressed companies through some of the largest and most complex restructurings in recent history, including leading the wind-downs of toy retailer Toys R Us and clothing seller Express Inc. in challenging global circumstances, earning her a spot among the bankruptcy attorneys under age 40 honored by Law360 as Rising Stars.
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July 16, 2024
These Firms Have The Most Diverse Equity Partnerships
Law360’s law firm survey shows that firms' efforts to diversify their equity partner ranks are lagging. But some have embraced a broader talent pool at the equity partner level. Here are the ones that stood out.
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July 16, 2024
Brazilian Cement Giant Seeks Ch. 15 With Over $1B In Debt
InterCement, the third-largest cement and concrete supplier in Brazil, is seeking Chapter 15 recognition from a New York bankruptcy court, saying it filed for mediation procedures in Brazil to stave off creditor litigation while it works to sell assets and address over a billion dollars in debt.
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July 15, 2024
Fed. Circ. Rejects FEMA Contractor's Water Restocking Fees
The Federal Circuit on Monday upheld the rejection of an embattled government contractor's claim for $13.5 million in restocking fees after the Federal Emergency Management Agency sharply reduced the amount of bottled water the agency ordered in response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
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July 15, 2024
Owner Of Bankrupt Gov't Contractor Charged With Perjury
The owner of a bankrupt government water contractor has been indicted on perjury charges, accused of falsifying the company's bankruptcy filings by failing to report millions in assets transferred to her and other company insiders.
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July 15, 2024
Pump Co. Execs Must Face Trustee's $59.7M Transfer Suit
A Connecticut federal judge won't toss a Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee's lawsuit claiming that three former engineering company executives transferred $59.7 million to a holding entity and sent the company into ruin to avoid paying asbestos claims, ruling Monday that the suit plausibly alleges that the executives had conflicts of interest and concealed their conduct.
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July 15, 2024
NRA's Policies Called 'Dumpster Fire' As 2nd NY Trial Opens
The New York attorney general cast the National Rifle Association as unrepentant and unreformed as a second-phase bench trial began in state court Monday, after a jury had found the group and its ex-officers liable for misspending millions.
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July 15, 2024
Yellow Corp. Denied Redo In $137M Teamsters Fight
A Kansas federal judge held firm Monday on her decision to throw out Yellow Corp.'s $137 million lawsuit against the Teamsters, in which the trucking company accused the union of driving it into bankruptcy by fighting a necessary corporate restructuring.
Expert Analysis
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Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age
As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing
When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Series
Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer
There are many ways that chess skills translate directly into lawyer skills, but for me, the bigger career lessons go beyond the direct parallels — playing chess has shown me the value of seeing gradual improvement in and focusing deep concentration on a nonwork endeavor, says attorney Steven Fink.
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9th Circ. Clarifies ERISA Preemption For Healthcare Industry
The Ninth Circuit's recent ruling in Bristol SL Holdings v. Cigna notably clarifies the broad scope of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act's preemption of certain state law causes of action, standing to benefit payors and health plan administrators, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians
Although litigation won’t earn anyone an Olympic medal in Paris this summer, it can be worthy of the same lasting honor if attorneys exercise focused restraint — seeking both their clients’ interests and those of the court — instead of merely pursuing every advantage short of sanctionable conduct, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
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Lean Into The 'Great Restoration' To Retain Legal Talent
As the “great resignation,” in which employees voluntarily left their jobs in droves, has largely dissipated, legal employers should now work toward the idea of a “great restoration,” adopting strategies to effectively hire, onboard and retain top legal talent, says Molly McGrath at Hiring & Empowering Solutions.
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NY Combined Hearing Guidelines Can Shorten Ch. 11 Timeline
The Southern District of New York’s recently adopted guidelines on combining the processes for Chapter 11 plan confirmation and disclosure statement approval may shorten the Chapter 11 timeline for companies and reduce associated costs, say Robert Drain and Moshe Jacob at Skadden.
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Opinion
Bankruptcy Judges Can Justly Resolve Mass Tort Cases
Johnson & Johnson’s recent announcement of a prepackaged reorganization plan for its talc unit highlights that Chapter 11 is a continually evolving living statute that can address new types of problems with reorganization, value and job preservation, and just treatment for creditors, says Kenneth Rosen at Ken Rosen Advisors PC.
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Series
Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge at Robinson Bradshaw.
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A Healthier Legal Industry Starts With Emotional Intelligence
The legal profession has long been plagued by high rates of mental health issues, in part due to attorneys’ early training and broader societal stereotypes — but developing one’s emotional intelligence is one way to foster positive change, collectively and individually, says attorney Esperanza Franco.
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To Make Your Legal Writing Clear, Emulate A Master Chef
To deliver clear and effective written advocacy, lawyers should follow the model of a fine dining chef — seasoning a foundation of pure facts with punchy descriptors, spicing it up with analogies, refining the recipe and trimming the fat — thus catering to a sophisticated audience of decision-makers, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.
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Circuit Judge Writes An Opinion, AI Helps: What Now?
Last week's Eleventh Circuit opinion in Snell v. United Specialty Insurance, notable for a concurrence outlining the use of artificial intelligence to evaluate a term's common meaning, is hopefully the first step toward developing a coherent basis for the judiciary's generative AI use, says David Zaslowsky at Baker McKenzie.
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Perspectives
Trauma-Informed Legal Approaches For Pro Bono Attorneys
As National Trauma Awareness Month ends, pro bono attorneys should nevertheless continue to acknowledge the mental and physical effects of trauma, allowing them to better represent clients, and protect themselves from compassion fatigue and burnout, say Katherine Cronin at Stinson and Katharine Manning at Blackbird.
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5th Circ. Bond Claim Ruling Shows Creditors Must Be Vigilant
In Raymond James & Associates v. Jalbert, the Fifth Circuit recently held that the bankruptcy debtor's indemnification obligations were discharged by the confirmed plan because the indemnified party failed to speak up, demonstrating that creditors must proactively protect their rights, says Joshua Lesser at Bradley Arant.
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Series
Playing Music Makes Me A Better Lawyer
My deep and passionate involvement in playing, writing and producing music equipped me with skills — like creativity, improvisation and problem-solving — that contribute to the success of my legal career, says attorney Kenneth Greene.