Leasing Fraud
In its recent decision in <i>SEC v. Apuzzo</i>, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that to prevail on a claim of aiding and abetting securities fraud under § 20(e) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. § 78t(e), the Securities and Exchange Commission need not demonstrate that the defendant's conduct proximately caused the primary violation.
A Lease Is a Lease Is a ' Loan? Avoiding Recharacterization
This article explores the impact of recharacterization, and discusses the tests developed by courts to determine whether a lease will be considered to be a secured loan. Then, a review of the most recent cases shows the characterization tests in practice.
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Case Briefs
Highlights of the latest insurance cases from around the country.
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Avoiding the Excess Layers
Several courts have recently held that an insured bears the burden of demonstrating proper exhaustion of underlying policies, including where multiple policies are involved in a settlement. These decisions have prevented insureds from accessing millions of dollars in excess coverage based on the unambiguous exhaustion language included in the operative excess policies.
Henkel (Almost) 10 Years Later
The meaning of "anti-assignment" clauses has been hotly disputed since 2003, when the California Supreme Court interpreted the clause in a manner that restricted the transfer of coverage rights in certain corporate transactions. This article examines how other courts have resolved the anti-assignment issue in the last decade.
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The 'Unfinished Business' of Failed Law Firms
Recently, two New York federal district courts reached conflicting decisions in the Coudert Brothers LLP and Thelen LLP bankruptcy cases with respect to a law firm's purported ownership interest in future profits from its former clients' matters pending on the date of the law firm's dissolution, or "unfinished business.
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MOST POPULAR STORIES
- The 'Sophisticated Insured' DefenseA majority of courts consider the <i>contra proferentem</i> doctrine to be a pillar of insurance law. The doctrine requires ambiguous terms in an insurance policy to be construed against the insurer and in favor of coverage for the insured. A prominent rationale behind the doctrine is that insurance policies are usually standard-form contracts drafted entirely by insurers.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 ›
- 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 ›
- Abandoned and Unused Cables: A Hidden Liability Under the 2002 National Electric CodeIn an effort to minimize the release of toxic gasses from cables in the event of fire, the 2002 version of the National Electric Code ("NEC"), promulgated by the National Fire Protection Association, sets forth new guidelines requiring that abandoned cables must be removed from buildings unless they are located in metal raceways or tagged "For Future Use." While the NEC is not, in itself, binding law, most jurisdictions in the United States adopt the NEC by reference in their state or local building and fire codes. Thus, noncompliance with the recent NEC guidelines will likely mean that a building is in violation of a building or fire code. If so, the building owner may also be in breach of agreements with tenants and lenders and may be jeopardizing its fire insurance coverage. Even in jurisdictions where the 2002 NEC has not been adopted, it may be argued that the guidelines represent the standard of reasonable care and could result in tort liability for the landlord if toxic gasses from abandoned cables are emitted in a fire. With these potential liabilities in mind, this article discusses: 1) how to address the abandoned wires and cables currently located within the risers, ceilings and other areas of properties, and 2) additional considerations in the placement and removal of telecommunications cables going forward.Read More ›
- The New York Uniform Commercial Code Comes of AgeParties in large non-consumer transactions with no connection whatsoever to New York often choose its law to govern their transactions, and New York statutes permit them to do so. What most people do not know is that the New York Uniform Commercial Code is outdated.Read More ›