On August 26, 2014, the Honorable Robert D. Drain, Bankruptcy Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, issued several bench rulings (the “Bench Rulings”) in connection with confirmation of a plan of reorganization in the chapter 11 cases of MPM Silicones, LLC, et al.

On June 27, 2014, in National Heritage Foundation, Inc. v. Highbourne Foundation, 1 the United States  Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, agreeing with decisions by the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern  District of Virginia and the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, which were issued upon  remand from a prior appeal, held that the third-party non-debtor release provision in the chapter 11 plan  of reorganization of National Heritage Foundation, Inc.  was invalid.

Substantial Contribution to the Case

On June 6, 2014, in Lewis Brothers Bakeries Incorporated and Chicago Baking Company v.

Background

Yesterday the UK Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”) published  the final text of some significant changes to the Listing Rules.1 The changes, which will come into force on 16 May 2014, are intended to enhance the effectiveness of the UK listing regime, particularly in situations where the rights of minority shareholders are at risk of being abused, and to address concerns in relation to the potential influence of 

controlling shareholders on UK listed companies, while ensuring that London remains an attractive listing 

venue.

The US District Court for the Western District of Washington (the "District Court") recently affirmed a bankruptcy court decision that prohibited a transferee of a secured lender's interest in a loan from voting on a debtor's plan of reorganization on the grounds that such transferee, a distressed debt investor, was not an Eligible Assignee under the applicable loan agreement.Meridian Sunrise Village, LLC v. NB Distressed Debt Investment Fund Ltd., et al., No. 13-5503 (W.D. Wash. March 6, 2014) (In re Meridian Sunrise Village, LLC).

Background

Assignees of Loan Only Entitled to One Collective Vote on Plan

The US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit recently issued the first appellate decision holding that, in actions brought by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the officers and directors of failed banking institutions can assert affirmative defenses relating to the FDIC’s post-receivership conduct.

In a decision of significance to the distressed claims trading community, the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in In re KB Toys Inc.[1] recently held that any risk or “cloud” of disallowance under the Bankruptcy Code resulting from a creditor’s receipt of an avoidable transfer cannot be separated from a claim, even when such claim is in the possession of a subsequent transferee.