In the Courts
Recent rulings of interest to you and your practice.
Features
Reducing White-Collar Sentences Through the Second Chance Act
An analysis of the Second Chance Act of 2007, Pub. L. No. 110-199, 122 Stat. 657 (2008), which provides opportunities for white-collar offenders to reduce the amount of time spent in prison.
Features
New DOJ Guidelines on Prosecuting Businesses
After much pressure from the defense bar, the judiciary and Congress, the DOJ issued new guidelines on prosecuting businesses on Aug. 28, 2008. A close look at the fine print, however, shows that not much has changed.
Features
The KPMG Tax Shelter Case and the Right Against Self-Incrimination
In a much anticipated opinion, the Second Circuit has affirmed the dismissal of an indictment against 13 former partners and employees of the accounting firm KPMG, who were charged with creating fraudulent tax shelters. <i>United States v. Stein.</i> This article discusses the case in depth.
A Liquidating Trustee's Principal Tools for Resolving Tax Issues in Bankruptcies
As part of making distributions to allowed claimants of a bankrupt entity, a liquidating trustee must decide the best way to handle potential outstanding tax liabilities. This article discusses the benefits of Section 505.
How to Avoid Insider Preference Liability
The Tenth Circuit held on July 15, 2008, that a major creditor with a seat on the debtor's board of directors and a 10.6% equity interest was not an insider in a bankruptcy preference suit. As shown in this article, the decision contains a road map for corporate insiders on how to avoid preference liability.
The Financial State of the Automotive Industry
Despite all the recent media attention focused on bankruptcy concerns among the domestic three automakers, we do not anticipate any domestic OEM filing for bankruptcy protection. However, we anticipate increased bankruptcy activity within the supplier base in the latter part of 2008 and into 2009.
Features
Auction Web Site Off the Hook
At one time or another, every trademark holder must deal with infringement on the Internet. After years of chasing individual infringers, many brand owners seek relief from those who provide the means for infringement. Yet these efforts have had limited success, at least in the United States. In some jurisdictions, search engines have avoided liability for sales of trademarks as keywords, under the doctrine of non-trademark use.
Rambus
Part One of this article provided background relating to IP disclosures in standard setting and discussed the <i>Rambus</i> decision. This month's installment addresses the impact of <i> Rambus</i>.
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MOST POPULAR STORIES
- The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance ProgramsThe parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.Read More ›
- The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year LaterThe DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.Read More ›
- Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar InvestigationsThis article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.Read More ›
- Don't Sleep On Prohibitions on the Assignability of LeasesAttorneys advising commercial tenants on commercial lease documents should not sleep on prohibitions or other limitations on their client's rights to assign or transfer their interests in the leasehold estate. Assignment and transfer provisions are just as important as the base rent or any default clauses, especially in the era where tenants are searching for increased flexibility to maneuver in the hybrid working environment where the future of in-person use of real estate remains unclear.Read More ›
- A Lawyer's System for Active ReadingActive reading comprises many daily tasks lawyers engage in, including highlighting, annotating, note taking, comparing and searching texts. It demands more than flipping or turning pages.Read More ›
