LJN Newsletters

There are many sections of the new Bankruptcy Act that address various tax issues; some of the most important and relevant corporate changes are explored in this article.

Under ' 546(e) of the Bankruptcy Code (the so-called "stockbroker defense" to select voidance actions), Congress has exempted from avoidance any "settlement payment" that is made "by or to a commodity broker, forward contract merchant, stockbroker, financial institution, or securities clearing agency, that is made before the commencement of the case," except where the transfer is fraudulent under ' 548(a)(1)(A) of the Bankruptcy Code. 11 U.S.C. ' 546(e). So what exactly is a "settlement payment"? Prior to the BAP decision in In re Grafton Partners, the answer to this question was surprisingly unclear.

This Special Issue focuses on all-important custody issues every family law attorney should know.

Custody matters are addressed to the court, either as an initial Petition regarding custody, or as a Petition to Modify an existing custody order. Custody petitions may be brought by a parent, and under certain circumstances by a grandparent or by a third party. "It is axiomatic that in custody disputes, 'the fundamental issue is the best interest of the child.'" Charles v. Stehlik, 560 Pa. 334, 339, 744 A.2d 1255, 1258 (2000), quoting Ellerbe v. Hooks, 490 Pa. 363, 416 A.2d 512, 513 (1980). "Custody cases are unique in that they involve disputes between two people (generally parents) regarding the upbringing of their children. There is little applicability of substantive law from other fields into custody cases. Custody law and analysis will not be applied in situations other than those regarding children." DeSanctis v. Pritchard, 803 A.2d 230, (Pa. Super. 2002) (custody of a dog).

Highlights of the latest equipment leasing news from around the country.

On June 30, 2004 an Involuntary Petition under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code was filed against NorVergence, Inc., the New Jersey telecommunications company. While this filing represented the likely end of a telecommunications company which, at its zenith, employed 1500 people, with more than 11,000 equipment leases in effect worth some $200 million, it also marked the beginning of litigation arising out of those leases now being waged in various state and federal courts across the country involving thousands of lessees, scores of finance companies and dozens of governmental agencies.

An increasing number of state legislatures are deciding that there is a need to recycle computer components and other electronic waste, also known as "e-waste," and thus are proposing diverse laws intended to encourage or require such recycling. Equally diverse, to the point of creating conflicts and confusion, are the ways in which the various state legislatures propose to raise the funds to pay for such programs. Two states, California and Maine, have enacted such legislation and, at press time, 14 states have proposed such legislation. On Jan. 1, 2005, California's law was the first to go into effect. This article describes the Equipment Leasing Association's policy on legislation requiring advanced recycling fees. The article reviews California's new e-waste law and highlights some of the concerns to the leasing industry with regard to California's law.

Patent portfolio managers face a number of logistical challenges in developing, analyzing and deploying their organizations' patent assets. First, they need to be able to define the scope and content of portfolios under management or review. Second, they need to be able to organize and store information about those portfolios in a way that is repeatable, durable, and accessible. Finally, they need to be able to aggregate and communicate that information to drive budgeting, reporting, and strategy development.