Bankruptcy

  • December 23, 2024

    AI Co. ILearningEngines Hits Ch. 11 With $100M-Plus Debt

    Artificial intelligence software company iLearningEngines has filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware bankruptcy court with up to $500 million in debt after a recent cyberattack and proposed securities class action added to mounting pressures facing the company.

  • December 20, 2024

    High Court Bar's Future: Williams & Connolly's Sarah Harris

    Sarah M. Harris of Williams & Connolly LLP never planned on being a U.S. Supreme Court advocate, or even an appellate one. She stumbled upon that career path after realizing her initial goal of becoming a national security or government lawyer wasn't the right fit.

  • December 20, 2024

    Crypto Trading Co. To Pay SEC $123M Over Terraform Claims

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced Friday that it secured a $123 million settlement with a Jump Trading subsidiary for allegedly misleading investors about the stability of the now-collapsed Terraform ecosystem by effectively propping up the project's flagship token following a trading arrangement made while the token dipped in value.

  • December 20, 2024

    Real Estate Recap: Stats, Multifamily Tech, Pot Shop Pickle

    Catch up on this past week's key developments by state from Law360 Real Estate Authority — including big picture stats for commercial real estate in 2024, how one proptech company is leveraging resident data for multifamily profitability, and a conversation with a BigLaw leader about navigating New York's pot shop crackdown.

  • December 20, 2024

    SEC Sues Silver Point Over Atty's Receipt Of Nonpublic Info

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued investment adviser firm Silver Point Capital LP in Connecticut federal court on Friday, alleging that it failed to establish policies to safeguard material nonpublic information, particularly from a now-deceased former BigLaw attorney.

  • December 20, 2024

    Yellow Corp. Layoff Notices Had Too Little Info, Judge Says

    A Delaware bankruptcy judge has shot down some of trucking company Yellow Corp.'s defenses against claims it failed to give proper notice of more than 25,000 layoffs just before it entered Chapter 11, saying the notices it sent weren't informative enough.

  • December 20, 2024

    Firm's Fee Battle With Pot Co. Could Turn On An Ellipsis

    The fate of Lowenstein Sandler LLP's battle over nearly $800,000 in unpaid legal fees with a cannabis dispensary could hinge on how a judge interprets an ellipsis in a legal brief.

  • December 20, 2024

    Giuliani Calls Sanctions Bid In Defamation Case 'Political'

    Rudy Giuliani is accusing counsel for two Georgia election workers of political bias as they seek to sanction the former Donald Trump adviser and collect on a $148 million defamation judgment.

  • December 20, 2024

    Chilean Phone Co. WOM Gets OK On $500M Takeover Terms

    A Delaware bankruptcy judge on Friday signed off on the framework for Chilean mobile phone operator WOM SA's $500 million restructuring plan, finding the debtor had exercised sound business judgment in selecting the deal to reduce some $650 million in debt.

  • December 20, 2024

    Top North Carolina Cases Of 2024: Bias, Fraud And False Ads

    North Carolina saw a host of heavy-hitting civil trials in 2024, from back-to-back multimillion-dollar jury verdicts in suits over false advertising and employment discrimination, to a substantial bench ruling in a much-watched bias suit against the federal judiciary.

  • December 19, 2024

    Big Lots To Close All Stores After Ch. 11 Sale Falls Through

    Bankrupt discount retail chain Big Lots told a Delaware bankruptcy court Thursday that it will close its 870 remaining stores in the United States and initiate going-out-of-business sales starting Friday, after its $760 million deal for a going-concern sale to California private equity group Nexus Capital Management fell through.

  • December 19, 2024

    Calif. Hotel's Ch. 11 'Highly Likely' To Be Transferred To Del.

    A Delaware bankruptcy judge said Thursday he was "highly likely" to transfer the second Chapter 11 case of a San Jose, California, hotel back to the First State, granting an initial win to a lender that argued the case should be moved and dismissed as a bad faith filing.

  • December 19, 2024

    Restructuring Partner Returns To Willkie From A&O Shearman

    A familiar face has returned to Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP's New York office, the firm announced Thursday, with the addition of a restructuring partner who launched her career with Willkie and now returns from A&O Shearman, bringing a combined 25 years of experience to the new role.

  • December 19, 2024

    DC Apartment Complex Hits Chapter 11 With Over $10M Debt

    The operator of an apartment complex in Washington, D.C., filed for Chapter 11 in Delaware, saying the impact of COVID-19 and the district's affordable housing voucher program have led to diminishing cash reserves.

  • December 19, 2024

    The Year In Legal Ethics: AI, Judicial Scandal And More

    A number of legal ethics topics dominated the conversation in 2024, including artificial intelligence and the fallout of an undisclosed relationship between a Texas bankruptcy judge and an attorney whose firm appeared before him for years.

  • December 18, 2024

    Girardi Gets Sentencing Delayed For Dementia Probe

    A Los Angeles federal judge pushed back Tom Girardi's sentencing for his embezzlement conviction on Wednesday, ordering a psychiatric evaluation and special hearing to determine whether the 85-year-old disbarred attorney should be committed to a medical facility instead of prison due to his dementia diagnosis.

  • December 18, 2024

    High Court Bar's Future: McDermott's Paul Hughes

    Paul W. Hughes of McDermott Will & Emery LLP knows U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments are unpredictable — you can end up as the butt of a justice's joke or have the whole bench fully embrace your novel legal theory — so he focuses on what he can control: being overprepared for any version of the court he meets.

  • December 18, 2024

    FDIC Moves Closer To Suing Ex-Brass Of Silicon Valley Bank

    Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. leaders have given a green light for the agency to potentially sue former top brass of Silicon Valley Bank for alleged mismanagement of the bank that led to its collapse last year.

  • December 18, 2024

    Yellow Corp. Gets Del. Court OK For Ch. 11 Asset, Lease Sales

    Bankrupt trucking venture Yellow Corp. secured a Delaware judge's approval Wednesday for a $192.5 million series of deals to sell or lease a dozen properties owned or leased by Yellow in California, Miami, Ohio and other states.

  • December 18, 2024

    Toolmaker Hardinge Gets OK On Ch. 11 Liquidation Plan

    A Delaware bankruptcy judge on Wednesday approved tool manufacturer Hardinge Inc.'s Chapter 11 liquidation plan after the debtor settled disputes with creditors, its investment fund backer and other parties by agreeing to drop potential claims in exchange for a cash payment.

  • December 18, 2024

    Lowenstein Sandler Dispensary Fee Suit Must Fail, Court Told

    Lowenstein Sandler LLP sunk its own $766,000 breach of contract and unjust enrichment suit by failing to give proper notice prior to filing, a New Jersey cannabis dispensary told the state court, hitting back against the firm's claims that its complaint is a continuation of an "ancillary legal action" — a bankruptcy proceeding.

  • December 18, 2024

    Greenberg Traurig Faces DQ Bid In NJ Cosmetics Spat

    A New Jersey cosmetics company suing a former investor alleging breach of contract has asked a federal court to disqualify Greenberg Traurig LLP as defense counsel, telling the court that it previously consulted with the firm about suing the investor and gave away its "playbook" for the litigation.

  • December 17, 2024

    Miss America-Tied Ch. 11 Tossed Amid Ownership Spat

    A Florida bankruptcy judge on Tuesday dismissed the Chapter 11 case of an entity connected to the Miss America pageant, after the debtor noted it realized it owns none of the operations or debt associated with the competition, punting questions over who owns pageant-related assets to a state court.

  • December 17, 2024

    Franchise Group Can Keep Exclusive Control Of Its Ch. 11

    A Delaware bankruptcy judge on Tuesday denied a motion to end the plan exclusivity window and other bankruptcy rights for debtors in Franchise Group Inc.'s Chapter 11, saying possible intercompany claims don't justify relief that the debtor argued would plunge the case into chaos.

  • December 17, 2024

    2nd Circ. Says Sears Trustee Can Keep Mall Of America Lease

    The Second Circuit has upheld a district court order obliging the return of bankrupt Sears Holding Corp.'s lease in Minnesota's Mall of America to SHC's liquidating trustee, finding in part the mall's earlier lease was not a "true" contract.

Expert Analysis

  • Loper Bright Limits Federal Agencies' Ability To Alter Course

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to dismantle Chevron deference also effectively overrules its 2005 decision in National Cable & Telecommunications Association v. Brand X, greatly diminishing agencies' ability to change regulatory course from one administration to the next, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.

  • Series

    Teaching Scuba Diving Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    As a master scuba instructor, I’ve learned how to prepare for the unexpected, overcome fears and practice patience, and each of these skills – among the many others I’ve developed – has profoundly enhanced my work as a lawyer, says Ron Raether at Troutman Pepper.

  • Lawyers Can Take Action To Honor The Voting Rights Act

    Author Photo

    As the Voting Rights Act reaches its 59th anniversary Tuesday, it must urgently be reinforced against recent efforts to dismantle voter protections, and lawyers can pitch in immediately by volunteering and taking on pro bono work to directly help safeguard the right to vote, says Anna Chu at We The Action.

  • 3rd Circ. Ruling Shows Benefits Of IP Licenses In Bankruptcy

    Author Photo

    The Third Circuit’s recent ruling in Mallinckrodt’s Chapter 11 filing, which held that Mallinckrodt could sever its obligations to pay Sanofi royalties on sales of an autoimmune disease drug, highlights the advantages of structuring transactions as nonexclusive licenses for developers of intellectual property, say Gregory Hesse and Kaleb Bailey at Hunton.

  • Opinion

    Congress Must Increase Small Biz Ch. 11 Debt Cap

    Author Photo

    Congress must act to reinstate Subchapter V, which recently sunsetted when the debt threshold to qualify reverted from $7.5 million to just over $3 million, meaning thousands of small businesses will no longer be able to use the means of reorganization, says Daniel Gielchinsky at DGIM Law.

  • How To Grow Marketing, Biz Dev Teams In A Tight Market

    Author Photo

    Faced with fierce competition and rising operating costs, firms are feeling the pressure to build a well-oiled marketing and business development team that supports strategic priorities, but they’ll need to be flexible and creative given a tight talent market, says Ben Curle at Ambition.

  • Series

    Rock Climbing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Rock climbing requires problem-solving, focus, risk management and resilience, skills that are also invaluable assets in my role as a finance lawyer, says Mei Zhang at Haynes and Boone.

  • Ch. 11 Ruling Clarifies Cross-Border 'Alternative A' Scope

    Author Photo

    A New York bankruptcy court’s recent ruling in airline holding company SAS’s Chapter 11 case — addressing the applicability of Alternative A, which is similar to Section 1110 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code — is a cautionary tale for contracting European Union member states that have adopted Alternative A domestically but have not made a formal declaration, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Dance The Legal Standard Two-Step

    Author Photo

    From rookie brief writers to Chief Justice John Roberts, lawyers should master the legal standard two-step — framing the governing standard at the outset, and clarifying why they meet that standard — which has benefits for both the drafter and reader, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Series

    Being A Luthier Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    When I’m not working as an appellate lawyer, I spend my spare time building guitars — a craft known as luthiery — which has helped to enhance the discipline, patience and resilience needed to write better briefs, says Rob Carty at Nichols Brar.

  • Lead Like 'Ted Lasso' By Embracing Cognitive Diversity

    Author Photo

    The Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso” aptly illustrates how embracing cognitive diversity can be a winning strategy for teams, providing a useful lesson for law firms, which can benefit significantly from fresh, diverse perspectives and collaborative problem-solving, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.

  • Ambiguity Ruling Highlights Deference To Arbitral Process

    Author Photo

    A New York federal court’s recent ruling in Eletson v. Levona, which remanded an arbitral award for clarification, reflects that the ambiguity exception’s analysis is not static and may be applied even in cases where the award, when issued, was unambiguous, says arbitrator Myrna Barakat Friedman.

  • Justices' Ch. 11 Ruling Is A Big Moment For Debtors' Insurers

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Truck Insurance v. Kaiser Gypsum ruling upends decades of Chapter 11 bankruptcy jurisprudence that relegated a debtor’s insurer to the sidelines, giving insurers a new footing to try and avoid significant liability, say Stuart Gordon and Benjamin Wisher at Rivkin Radler.

  • SVB Ch. 11 Shows Importance Of Filing Proof Of Claim Early

    Author Photo

    After a New York bankruptcy court’s recent ruling in SVB’s Chapter 11 case denied late claims filing requests related to post-bar date events, parties with potential claims against a debtor may need to seriously consider filing protective proofs of claim, says Kyle Arendsen at Squire Patton.

  • Opinion

    Now More Than Ever, Lawyers Must Exhibit Professionalism

    Author Photo

    As society becomes increasingly fractured and workplace incivility is on the rise, attorneys must champion professionalism and lead by example, demonstrating how lawyers can respectfully disagree without being disagreeable, says Edward Casmere at Norton Rose.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Bankruptcy archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!