Among the first things we learn as defense attorneys is to keep informed and alert about events that may spawn or affect actions taken by prosecutors. This article sets forth an example of how one stays sensitive to what may be happening in the closed venues of prosecutors' offices.
In September 2016, a national title company invoked the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) when it raised an exception on a title commitment for the sale of real property upon which a grocery store was a tenant. The title company asked the owner to execute an affidavit and indemnity in the title company's favor with regard to any PACA liens incurred by the tenant. This new exception has elicited a fair amount of confusion as to why an 86-year-old statute would suddenly present a cloud on title.
Data security in the financial and legal industries is a tale of two sectors. While the financial industry is heavily regulated and constantly watched by federal agencies, law has at times operated in an almost laissez-faire environment, more ruled by a culture of confidentiality and secrecy than hard regulatory rules.
When the Supreme Court last year agreed to hear the defendant's appeal in United States v. Salman, it raised expectations in some quarters that it might significantly change insider trading law by curtailing liability for trading on tips from family members. But when it issued its opinion in December, it disappointed those expectations by unanimously reaffirming liability for trading on family tips, even where the tipper receives no monetary gain.
It is expected that equipment and software investment for 2016 will ultimately close down 1.1%, including three consecutive quarters of declining growth. This trend is expected to reverse in the new year, however, as investment in equipment and software is expected to grow 3.0% in 2017, according to the Annual 2017 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook released by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation.
The Mysteries and The Risks
The triple net lease, or NNN (also known as a bondable lease), is a common lease structure used in commercial real estate. Even though it has become widely popular, the most seasoned investors and their advisers do not always fully understand the details.
Abbott Laboratories' $5.8 billion proposed purchase of Alere, a Massachusetts medical testing company, is in trouble now that multiple criminal allegations have been leveled against Alere.
A jury in the Southern District of Texas awarded over $92 million in damages to the United States in a case against mortgage lenders who fraudulently granted and underwrote loans insured by the Federal Housing Authority and then reaped massive payouts when those loans went into default.
According to the recently released U.S. Equipment Finance Market Study 2016-2017, conducted for the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, 78% of respondents used at least one form of financing when acquiring equipment in FY 2015. This is up from 72% of respondents from the previous Foundation market study released in 2012, and represents an increase in the overall propensity to finance.
Greater Clarity Needed
The new HVCRE rules require banks to assign a 150% risk weight to any HVCRE exposure (up from the 100% risk weight assigned under general risk-based capital rules) and cover all acquisition, development or construction (ADC) loans unless an exception applies.
