Reflections on the Life Partners Holding Inc. Bankruptcy
November 02, 2017
Many bankruptcy practitioners are at least somewhat familiar with the highly publicized proceedings involving Life Partners Holdings Inc. (LPHI), a company that sold fractional ownership interests in life insurance policies — referred to as life settlements. This case was as complex as any could imagine and, as the Trustee appointed to manage this bankruptcy, the author had a front-row seat.
New Sources of Discoverable Evidence
November 02, 2017
<b><i>Part Two of a Two-Part Article</i></b><p>Last month, the author discussed some of the technologies people are using today, such as fitness trackers and intelligent personal assistants, and the e-discovery implications they entail. Like these, automotive "Black Boxes" and drones could yield important information for those seeking evidence in a legal action.
Is Electricity a 'Good' Under Article 9?
November 02, 2017
Can a creditor obtain a security interest in electricity under UCC Article 9? It covers security interests in fixtures and personal property. Clearly, electricity is not real property or a fixture. But what kind of personal property is it?
'Healthy' Food Labeling
November 02, 2017
In 2017-2018, the food industry can expect to see fundamental change in the regulations regarding use of the word "healthy" in food packaging, and showdowns over class actions challenging food label claims.
<b><i>Marketing Tech:</i></b> Data Science for the Law
November 02, 2017
"Data Science" and "Artificial Intelligence" are terms being thrown around in every field, including legal. But what are they? Why are they generating so much excitement these days? There are many definitions out there, but Data Science is really just statistics of the real world, including business and customer data. The question is how do you get the right statistics?
Retail Restructuring
November 02, 2017
Various debt-burdened retailers are looking to their intellectual property assets as a source of untapped value for refinancing transactions. While it remains to be seen which strategies will be most successful, IP assets will play a key role in future retail restructurings.
Law Firms, Partners Await Answers on Trump Tax Plan
November 02, 2017
Will big law firms and their partners benefit from the new Republican tax plan promoted by President Donald Trump? Not necessarily, according to tax experts who say some gains may be eroded by loss of crucial deductions.
Bit Parts
November 02, 2017
No Trademark Protection for <i>Dirty Dancing</i> Phrase Used in Financial Services Ad
The Modified Anchor Tenant in Enclosed Regional Malls
November 02, 2017
<b><i>A Tenant's Perspective</i></b><p>As traditional department stores and so-called "anchor" tenants in enclosed regional malls are closing stores and limiting their expansion in the marketplace, landlords are seeking alternatives to the traditional department store or anchor store to occupy space in their shopping centers.
