Contractual Jury Waivers: New Case Before California Supreme Court Presents a Challenge
A closely watched case now before the California Supreme Court will impact the way equipment lessors do business. In <i>Grafton Partners L.P. v. Superior Court,</i> 9 Cal.Rptr.3d 511 (2004), the California Court of Appeal held that predispute contractual jury waivers are unenforceable under the California Constitution. The case has been accepted for review by the California Supreme Court, and a decision is expected next year.
Features
From Cradle to Grave: Using Bankruptcy Skills to Advise Clients on New Deals
Last month, we discussed the fact that of the many hats worn by leasing attorneys, one is of the bankruptcy practitioner. It is a skill set that usually comes into play at the end of a transaction gone bad. This article continues outlining the case for ending this practice and having bankruptcy counsel get involved in lease deals from the outset.
New Leasing Rules under the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004
On Oct. 22, 2004, the President signed the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (AJCA), one of the most significant pieces of tax legislation in recent years. AJCA makes a number of major changes to the tax rules applicable to capital-intensive businesses in general and to the leasing industry in particular. AJCA's major provisions include: 1) limitations on tax-exempt leasing structures; 2) improvement to the rules relating to offshore aircraft leasing and incentives for domestic manufacturing and production activities; 3) the application of "bonus" depreciation to non-commercial aircraft and syndicated lease transactions; 4) increased "Section 179" expensing; and 5) limitations on the depreciation of sport utility vehicles.
Features
In The Marketplace
Highlights of the latest equipment leasing news from around the country.
Features
Landlord & Tenant
The latest rulings for you to review.
Features
Title Insurance for the Mezzanine Lender
Present-day real estate financing is significantly more complex than traditional financing. Sobered by borrower bankruptcies and compelled by rating agency requirements in the modern day era of mortgage securitizations, lenders are now looking to "mezzanine loans" to bridge the gap between senior debt and borrower equity. A mezzanine loan will often cover 50% to 90% of the equity required to acquire a property. In order to secure the repayment of a mezzanine loan, a lender customarily requires a pledge of the partnership or membership interests of the property owning entity.
Development
Recent rulings of interest to you and your practice.
Need Help?
- Prefer an IP authenticated environment? Request a transition or call 800-756-8993.
- Need other assistance? email Customer Service or call 1-877-256-2472.
MOST POPULAR STORIES
- 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 ›
- Why So Many Great Lawyers Stink at Business Development and What Law Firms Are Doing About ItWhy is it that those who are best skilled at advocating for others are ill-equipped at advocating for their own skills and what to do about it?Read More ›
- The Power of Your Inner Circle: Turning Friends and Social Contacts Into Business AlliesPractical strategies to explore doing business with friends and social contacts in a way that respects relationships and maximizes opportunities.Read More ›
- Best Practices for Virtual Internal InvestigationsIn order to ensure that remote internal investigations are probative and effective, companies and their outside counsel should employ a few simple and practical practices.Read More ›
- Hiring Practices and the FCPAWhile laws such as the FCPA do not necessarily prohibit hiring individuals with criminal records or bad credit records or who are former government officials, they do require employers to identify these individuals and assess whether their hire would pose a threat, violate the laws outright or impose an administratively difficult burden due to the need to monitor their activities.Read More ›