The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York recently issued an opinion in the case of In re Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. that significantly restricts the scope of setoff rights for energy traders and other participants in derivatives and forward commodity markets. Traditionally, bankruptcy law has required mutuality between the debtor and a creditor as a prerequisite for the exercise of setoff rights by the creditor.
This paper is designed to provide a brief update of recent decisions of note that concern various ethical issues bankruptcy attorneys often encounter, focusing on conflicts of interest and privilege issues.
Following an initial FINRA arbitration award holding Steven Singer liable to Hartford Financial Holdings for compensatory damages, Mr. Singer filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy. After a complicated procedural history, the Bankruptcy Court granted relief from the automatic stay and allowed Hartford to proceed with this action in US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
On Friday, the Michigan Department of Financial and Insurance Services closed the Bank of Ann Arbor, headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and appointed the FDIC as receiver. As receiver, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Bank of Ann Arbor, headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to assume all of the deposits of New Liberty Bank.
On Friday, Washington Mutual Inc. (WMI), the holding company that owned Washington Mutual Bank (WMB), filed a disclosure statement and amended reorganization plan with the U.S.
In a recent decision, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York distinguished excusable neglect in filing a claim before the expiration of a clear bar date. In a written opinion issued on May 20, 2010 in the case of In re Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc., et. al, Case No. 08-13555 (JMP), Judge Peck denied seven motions for leave to file late claims finding none satisfied the Second Circuit’s strict standard to find excusable neglect.
The failure of an FDIC-insured commercial bank, savings association or industrial loan company (collectively referred to as a “bank”) is traumatic and economically devastating to both stakeholders in the institution, as well as the local economy served by that entity.
On April 5, 2010, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida denied motions filed by Black Crow's secured creditor that would have likely ended the company's chance to reorganize its operations under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.