Features
Avoiding Product Liability Traps in the New Dietary Supplement Regime
A year ago, manufacturers and marketers of dietary supplements benefited when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implemented a new regulation allowing such companies to make unproven health claims on their labels. Under the new relaxed FDA requirements regulating the marketing and promotion of dietary supplements, manufacturers have more leeway to tout the healthfulness of products by making "qualified health claims" on dietary supplement labels, even if there is no "significant scientific agreement" over the validity of these claims. Under the former policy, supplement manufacturers that had scientific support for their claims, but lacked conclusive evidence, were prohibited from marketing their potential health benefits, thus losing out on important marketing opportunities. The new, more flexible dietary supplement regime enables companies to market their products more aggressively and increase sales.
Features
The Bankruptcy Hotline
Recent rulings of importance to you and your practice.
Circuit Court Win Sets Up Conflict over Bankruptcy Code
A recent circuit court decision regarding the interpretation of section 365 of the Bankruptcy Code has set up a conflict between two circuits. On March 15, 2004, the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued an opinion regarding whether bankruptcy debtors are required to cure non-monetary defaults prior to assuming unexpired leases under section 365 of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. ' 365. The First Circuit found -- expressly contrary to a holding of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals -- that debtors are not required to cure such defaults, resulting in a split in the circuits over a very widely used section of the code.
Features
Supreme Court Disappoints Secured Lenders
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent <i>Till</i> decision on the proper cramdown interest rate will disappoint secured lenders. <i>Till v. SCC Credit Corp.</i>, 124 S. Ct. 1951 (2004). As we show below, Till should be limited to its narrow fact pattern, but is still bad news for lenders. They now will be forced to fight an uphill battle to prove that a higher risk premium should be added to the prime rate applicable to their crammed down secured claim. In Till, the plurality accepted a risk adjustment premium in the range of 1% to 3% (Justice Thomas, concurring, could accept no premium at all). Commercial lenders will thus have to overcome Till by showing that they are entitled to a truly "market" interest rate.
Strategies for Lenders
It has become conventional wisdom that bankruptcy -- even Chapter 11 -- is now largely a process controlled by secured lenders. Whatever the merits of this view, the undersecured lender is still in an unenviable position as a result of the Supreme Court's holding in <i>Timbers</i> that undersecured creditors who are stayed from foreclosing on their collateral during bankruptcy are not entitled to accrue or collect interest on their claims during the bankruptcy case or otherwise be compensated for their loss.
What Constitutes a 'Security'?
The definition of what constitutes a "security" has broadened and changed dramatically over the years under both case and statutory law. Attorneys concentrating in securities law (whether by virtue of litigation or transactional work), as well as governmental and self-regulatory organizations, ranging from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) to various exchanges, have been dealing with the increasingly complex question of what constitutes a "security." This question is often posed to resolve particular claims in specialized venues, testing the acumen of even the most sophisticated securities practitioners and industry members. This two-part article describes the transfer process and offers sample forms as examples.
New York Court Allows Two Bites of the Apple
In a decision that caused a stir among the bench and bar, New York State's highest court, the Court of Appeals, sanctioned a highly controversial practice that enables custodial spouses to draw child support twice from the same income stream.
Features
Can a Fit Mother Block Grandparents' Visits?
The California Supreme Court is struggling to decide whether state law allows courts to grant visitation rights to grandparents over the objections of parents who have not been declared unfit. There is widespread interest in the case, with <i>amici curiae<i> including the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, the Coalition for Restoration of Parental Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union and two gay and lesbian groups.
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
- Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the RoughThere is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.Read More ›
- Removing Restrictive Covenants In New YorkIn Rockwell v. Despart, the New York Supreme Court, Third Department, recently revisited a recurring question: When may a landowner seek judicial removal of a covenant restricting use of her land?Read More ›
- Professional Development: How to Be An Ally In the Legal ProfessionLast year law firms sent out announcements about their commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in response to racial tensions. One of the initiatives firms stated they implemented is a formal allyship program. However, allyship in not a program or a mindset. It is a verb.Read More ›
- Digital Dibs: Rival Views of Generative AI CopyrightsGAI platforms like ChatGPT and OpenAI often require very little human input, shattering this legal landscape's framework by posing a simple question: Who authored the material? We'll explore how two countries are answering this question in different ways.Read More ›
- The Brave New World of Cybersecurity Due Diligence in Mergers and Acquisitions: Pitfalls and OpportunitiesLike poorly-behaved school children, new technologies and intellectual property (IP) are increasingly disrupting the M&A establishment. Cybersecurity has become the latest disruptive newcomer to the M&A party.Read More ›