Bankruptcy

  • May 16, 2024

    Rue21 Seeks To Reject 51 Leases As Stores Close

    Bankrupt teen retailer rue21 has asked a Delaware bankruptcy court for approval to reject its leases at 51 store locations where going-out-of-business sales have already wrapped up or aren't planned, saying the move would represent "a significant cost savings" to the bankruptcy estate.

  • May 16, 2024

    DOL Unveils Long-Delayed Abandoned Retirement Plan Rules

    After being sidelined for more than a decade, a plan for expanding U.S. Department of Labor rules for terminating retirement plans abandoned by employers are moving forward again, the agency reported Thursday, along with a long-delayed role in the process for bankruptcy trustees.

  • May 16, 2024

    Colombian Consumer Lender Hits Ch. 11 To Trim $55M Of Debt

    Colombian consumer lending giant Credivalores-Crediservicios filed for bankruptcy in New York on Thursday, with a prepackaged Chapter 11 plan to cut $55 million from its balance sheet and emerge from bankruptcy next month.

  • May 16, 2024

    Fracking Services Co. Nitro Hits Ch. 11 After IP Trial Loss

    Oil and gas fracking services provider Nitro Fluids LLC filed for Chapter 11 protection in a Texas bankruptcy court with more than $50 million in debt, months after a jury found it had infringed another company's patents.

  • May 15, 2024

    'Not Enough Money': Atty. Objects To Plan For Dead Law Firm

    An attorney representing a small group of creditors of failed California debt relief law firm Litigation Practice Group raised concerns at a hearing Wednesday that once the bankruptcy estate pays professional fees and administrative claims, little money will be left.

  • May 15, 2024

    MLB, NHL, NBA Doubt Bally Sports Parent Can Reorganize

    The bankrupt parent of Bally Sports-branded regional sports networks touted the extension of a carriage contract with DirecTV Wednesday in Texas bankruptcy court, at the same time that the parent company's partners in major American sports leagues expressed skepticism about its ability to successfully reorganize.

  • May 15, 2024

    Ollie's Can Make $14.6M Stalking-Horse Bid For 99 Cents Only

    Discount retail chain 99 Cents Only received approval Wednesday from a Delaware bankruptcy judge for a $14.6 million stalking-horse bid for 11 of its properties in Texas from Ollie's Bargain Outlet Inc., another discount retailer.

  • May 15, 2024

    Ex-FTX Exec Seeks Leniency, Saying He Was Kept In The Dark

    A former top FTX official has asked a Manhattan federal judge for a lenient 18-month sentence, saying he was not part of company co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried's inner circle and was as shocked as everyone else to learn that the crypto exchange was operating a fraud that siphoned billions in customer funds.

  • May 15, 2024

    AI Job Recruiter Joonko Blames CEO Fraud For Ch. 11 Filing

    AI-powered employee recruitment venture Joonko Diversity Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 protection in a Delaware bankruptcy court, saying its business had rested almost entirely on fraudulent claims made by its ex-CEO.

  • May 15, 2024

    Grocery Chain Outfox Files Ch. 7 After Closing All Locations

    The parent company of Foxtrot Market and Dom's Kitchen & Market filed for Chapter 7 in Delaware, less than a month after the grocery chain announced it would be closing its 35 stores in Illinois, Texas and the Washington, D.C., area.

  • May 14, 2024

    5th Circ. Nixes Catholic Abuse Claimants' Ch. 11 Appeal

    Sex abuse claimants removed from a Catholic archdiocese's bankruptcy unsecured creditors committee don't have grounds for an appeal because they couldn't show the removal was a sanction on them that cost the claimants anything, the Fifth Circuit said.

  • May 14, 2024

    Giuliani, For Now, Can't Appeal Defamation Verdict In Ch. 11

    A New York bankruptcy judge on Tuesday denied Rudy Giuliani's bid to lift his bankruptcy's automatic stay so he can challenge a $148 million defamation verdict, saying the Republican firebrand needs to make more progress in his Chapter 11 and chiding him for repeating false accusations about two former Georgia poll workers.

  • May 14, 2024

    Biotech Co. Hits Bankruptcy With Creditor Deal In Hand

    Biotech company Gamida Cell Inc. filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware bankruptcy court after reaching a take-private deal with its largest creditor to extend up to $45 million in new capital and forgive more than $4 million in secured debt.

  • May 14, 2024

    Sullivan & Cromwell Seeks To Ax Claims Of Aiding FTX Fraud

    Sullivan & Cromwell LLP wants a Florida federal court to dismiss a proposed class action alleging the firm knew about and helped facilitate the massive fraud by FTX, saying customers of the cryptocurrency exchange platform fail to claim anything beyond a "series of speculative allegations with no factual basis."

  • May 14, 2024

    Jackson Walker Wants Out Of Texas Judge Romance Suit

    Law firm Jackson Walker told a Texas federal court it wants out of a lawsuit accusing it of harming a tug boat company whose case was pending before a bankruptcy judge engaged in a romantic relationship with a firm attorney.

  • May 13, 2024

    Kabbage Inks 2 FCA Deals With Feds Totaling $120M

    Bankrupt online lender Kabbage Inc. has agreed to pay $120 million in two separate deals to resolve allegations it submitted thousands of false claims for loan forgiveness and operated without adequate fraud controls in place, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday.

  • May 13, 2024

    50 Cent, GC Accused Of Federal Wiretap Violations

    A liquor business consultant has told a New York state court that Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and the rapper's general counsel violated federal and New Jersey wiretap statutes, after the court dismissed an earlier counterclaim lodged under the Illinois Eavesdropping Act.

  • May 13, 2024

    Eletson Creditors Seek Over $1M Cut In Reed Smith Fees

    Unsecured creditors of shipping company Eletson Holdings have asked a New York bankruptcy judge to cut more than $1 million from the fees being sought by Eletson counsel Reed Smith LLP, saying the firm overstaffed the case and wasted money on needless and meritless fights.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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."

  • May 13, 2024

    Ga. Election Workers Ask Court To Stop Giuliani's Lies

    Two Georgia poll workers have asked a New York federal bankruptcy judge to bar Rudy Giuliani from continuing to repeat the same "malicious" false claims that led a jury to award them $148 million last year because of the former New York City mayor's lies that the pair committed ballot fraud during the 2020 presidential election.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • May 10, 2024

    JLM Couture Nears Settlement With Bridal Dress Designer

    Dressmaker JLM Couture told Delaware's bankruptcy court Friday it reached an agreement in principle with a bridal dress designer, who was sued by the company and had sought to convert its Chapter 11 case into a Chapter 7 liquidation.

Expert Analysis

  • Why Delaware ABCs Are No Longer As Easy As 1-2-3

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    In light of the Court of Chancery's recent focus on additional disclosures, the assignment for the benefit of creditors process in Delaware may no longer be as efficient as it once was, and companies should be prepared to provide significantly more information leading up to an ABC, say attorneys at Goodwin.

  • Diamond Sports Cases Shed Light On Executory Contracts

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    Recent Texas bankruptcy cases involving telecast fees payable by Diamond Sports to certain Major League Baseball teams provide a window into the dynamic relationship that can develop between debtors and counterparties under some executory contracts, say Joseph Badtke-Berkow and Robin Spigel at Allen & Overy.

  • Series

    Playing In A Rock Cover Band Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Performing in a classic rock cover band has driven me to hone several skills — including focus, organization and networking — that have benefited my professional development, demonstrating that taking time to follow your muse outside of work can be a boon to your career, says Michael Gambro at Cadwalader.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Espinosa On 'Lincoln Lawyer'

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    The murder trials in Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer” illustrate the stark contrast between the ethical high ground that fosters and maintains the criminal justice system's integrity, and the ethical abyss that can undermine it, with an important reminder for all legal practitioners, say Judge Adam Espinosa and Andrew Howard at the Colorado 2nd Judicial District Court.

  • Balancing Justice And Accountability In Opioid Bankruptcies

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    As Rite Aid joins other pharmaceutical companies in pursuing bankruptcy following the onslaught of state and federal litigation related to the opioid epidemic, courts and the country will have to reconcile the ideals of economic justice and accountability against the U.S. Constitution’s promise of a fresh start through bankruptcy, says Monique Hayes at DGIM Law.

  • Proactive Measures While NY Foreclosure Law Is In Limbo

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    While questions about the scope and constitutionality of New York's Foreclosure Abuse Prevention Act might not be resolved by courts for years, lenders, borrowers and other interested parties can take action to protect their rights and potentially expedite appellate review, say Allison Schoenthal and Andrew Kim at Goodwin.

  • Unearthing The Lesser-Known 'Buried Facts' Doctrine

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    A New York federal judge’s recent suggestion that the “buried facts” doctrine may be applicable in the fraud trial of FTX cofounder Sam Bankman-Fried should serve as a reminder to attorneys in all kinds of cases involving corporate disclosures that this lesser-known rule could torpedo their defense, say Corban Rhodes and Li Yu at DiCello Levitt.

  • Opinion

    Newman Suspension Shows Need For Judicial Reform

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    The recent suspension of U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman following her alleged refusal to participate in a disability inquiry reveals the need for judicial misconduct reforms to ensure that judges step down when they can no longer serve effectively, says Aliza Shatzman at The Legal Accountability Project.

  • 9th Circ. Ruling Expands The Horizons Of Debt Discharge

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    The Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel’s recent ruling in RS Air v. NetJets demonstrates that creditors should not be quick to conclude that their recoveries are limited if a debtor commences bankruptcy and receives a discharge, and should instead consider other potential paths for recovery, like alter ego claims, say Dania Slim and Claire Wu at Pillsbury.

  • How And Why Your Firm Should Implement Fixed-Fee Billing

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    Amid rising burnout in the legal industry and client efforts to curtail spending, pivoting to a fixed-fee billing model may improve client-attorney relationships and offer lawyers financial, logistical and stress relief — while still maintaining profit margins, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.

  • Opinion

    Judicial Independence Needs Defense Amid Political Threats

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    Amid recent and historic challenges to the judiciary from political forces, safeguarding judicial independence and maintaining the integrity of the legal system is increasingly urgent, says Robert Peck at the Center for Constitutional Litigation.

  • How Law Firms Can Use Account-Based Marketing Strategies

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    Amid several evolving legal industry trends, account-based marketing can help law firms uncover additional revenue-generating opportunities with existing clients, with key considerations ranging from data analytics to relationship building, say Jennifer Ramsey at stage LLC and consultant Gina Sponzilli.

  • Why Bankruptcy Is A Budding Alternative For Cannabis Cos.

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    A set of recent decisions from a California bankruptcy court regarding The Hacienda Co. signal a retreat from a zero-tolerance policy requiring dismissal of any bankruptcy case involving a cannabis-related business, and show why cannabis companies could benefit from having full access to the bankruptcy system, say George Singer and Rachel Gillette at Holland & Hart.

  • Leveraging Municipal Bonds For Green Energy Finance

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    The U.S.'s transition to renewable energy will require collaboration between public and private capital sources — and that means that lawyers used to working in corporate finance must understand how the municipal bond market functions differently, due to its grounding in the U.S. Constitution, says Ann Fillingham at Dykema.

  • Strategic Succession Planning At Law Firms Is Crucial

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    Senior partners' reluctance to retire, the rise of the nonequity partner tier and generational differences in expectations are all contributing to an increasing number of departures from BigLaw, making it imperative for firms to encourage retirement among senior ranks and provide clearer leadership pathways to junior attorneys, says Laura Leopard at Leopard Solutions.

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