Among the many financial innovations that came out of the COVID era, non-pro rata uptier transactions as a liability management exercise (“LMEs”) are among the more controversial. While lawsuits challenging non-pro rata uptier transactions are making their way through the courts, two important decisions were recently issued by the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the New York Appellate Division.
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Long-anticipated U.S. Supreme Court decision in Purdue Pharma shakes up the scope of bankruptcy releases
Insurers get increased ability to participate in bankruptcy cases
Overpayment of bankruptcy fees is not refundable to Chapter 11 debtors
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that because Indian tribes are indisputably governments, the Bankruptcy Code unmistakably abrogates their sovereign immunity to bankruptcy court proceedings.
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The Supreme Court held Section 363(m) is only a “statutory limitation” to accessing appellate relief in disputed bankruptcy sales that requires parties to take certain procedural steps to be effective
The Supreme Court also addressed mootness arguments and held that as long as parties have a concrete interest, however small, in the outcome of an appeal, the appeal should remain alive
The ruling provides insight as to how the Supreme Court may tackle the controversial doctrine of “equitable mootness”
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Counterparties should continue to follow their current contractual obligations
Silicon Valley Bank’s parent company bankruptcy filing will not impact contractual rights
Counterparties should be vigilant and consider alternate financing arrangements
On January 23, the NY DFS released updated guidance with regard to better protecting consumers in the event of virtual currency insolvency. This updated guidance applies to entities that DFS has licensed or chartered to hold or maintain virtual currency assets on behalf of their customers.
Recreational cannabis is now legal in 19 states and Washington D.C., driving the growth of legal cannabis sales estimated at $33 billion this year—up 32% from 2021—and expected to reach $52 billion by 2026.[1] This movement signals that financial investment in cannabis is not abating but accelerating notwithstanding the impact of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic.
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On Jan. 10, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear three cases, which present the following three questions:
Does a motion for relief from a final judgment that is premised on a legal error fall under Rule 60(b)(1) or 60(b)(6)?
Does the Constitution's provision for “uniform” bankruptcy laws permit Congress to implement Chapter 11 fee increases in different ways in different regions of the country?
As of November 1, 2021, dealers in security-based swaps (“SBS”) whose dealing activity exceeds certain de minimis thresholds (e.g., gross notional amount of $3 billion for credit default SBS, $150 million for other SBS, and $25 million for SBS where the counterparty is a special entity) are required to register with the SEC as a security-based swap dealer (“SBSD”) and to comply with the SEC’s regulations applicable to SBS.