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Keep Your Lease A Lease: Seventh Circuit Finds the Severability of a Contract Defeats Re-characterization
In the December 2005 issue of this publication, this author reviewed the Seventh Circuit's decision in United Air Lines, Inc. v. HSBC Bank USA, N.A., 416 F.3d 609 (7th Cir. 2005) ('United I'). In that decision, the Seventh Circuit was asked to determine whether a transaction involving land at the San Francisco airport that was denominated as a lease in the agreement would be treated as a lease for bankruptcy purposes. The Seventh Circuit held that it would look at the substance of the transaction and beyond the form and labels imposed by the parties' documentation.
Recently, the Seventh Circuit issued another opinion regarding the potential re-characterization of a lease in the United Airlines case. United Airlines, Inc. v. HSBC Bank USA, 453 F.3d 463 (7th Cir. 2006) ('United II'). Like United I, this case involves a ground lease of land at an airport and a financing transaction to build facilities for United's use, but this time in Denver. The results of United II are opposite to United I. What is the court's major distinction? Unlike United I, the ground lease and the financing transaction in United II were part of one inseverable document instead of two separate contracts. This holding presents a potentially, surprisingly simple safeguard to lessors/financing providers in the documentation of their agreements.
Characterization of a Transaction and Its Importance in the Bankruptcy Context
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws
This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.
The Article 8 Opt In
The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.
Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin
With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.
The Stranger to the Deed Rule
In 1987, a unanimous Court of Appeals reaffirmed the vitality of the "stranger to the deed" rule, which holds that if a grantor executes a deed to a grantee purporting to create an easement in a third party, the easement is invalid. Daniello v. Wagner, decided by the Second Department on November 29th, makes it clear that not all grantors (or their lawyers) have received the Court of Appeals' message, suggesting that the rule needs re-examination.
Legal Possession: What Does It Mean?
Possession of real property is a matter of physical fact. Having the right or legal entitlement to possession is not "possession," possession is "the fact of having or holding property in one's power." That power means having physical dominion and control over the property.