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Fourth Circuit invalidates third-party release provision in chapter 11 plan

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.

USA, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP, Debtor, Remand (court procedure), Fourth Circuit, Sixth Circuit
Chapter 11 plan provision allowing individual members of official committee to be reimbursed for professional fees and expenses held invalid, but committee members may be awarded reimbursement for professional fees and expenses incurred in making a

Substantial Contribution to the Case

USA, New York, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP
Eighth Circuit holds that trademark license included in substantially performed integrated asset purchase transaction is not an executory contract subject to rejection

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

USA, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Trademarks, Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP, Eighth Circuit
The Supreme Court clarifies the role of bankruptcy courts in Stern v. Marshall-type proceedings, but leaves consent issue for another day

Background

USA, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP, Tortious interference, United States bankruptcy court
Proposed changes to the UK listing regime

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.

United Kingdom, Capital Markets, Company & Commercial, Insolvency & Restructuring, Telecoms, Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP, Listing Rules, Financial Conduct Authority (UK)
Continuity of enterprise is enough for successor parties to be liable

Successor liability is often a concern for the acquirer when purchasing substantially all of a seller’s assets.  While this risk is well known, the circumstances under which an acquirer will be found liable under the theory of successor liability are less clear.  The recent decision in Call Center Techs., Inc. v Grand Adventures Tour & Travel Pub. Corp., 2014 U.S. Dist. Lexis 29057, 2014 WL 85934 (D. Conn. 2014), sheds helpful light on this issue by defining the continuity of enterprise theory of successor liability.

USA, Corporate Finance/M&A, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
Debt fund enjoined from voting on chapter 11 plan because it is not a “financial institution” under assignment eligibility clause of loan agreement

Assignees of Loan Only Entitled to One Collective Vote on Plan

USA, Washington, Banking, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP, Injunction, Debt, Default (finance), Distressed securities, United States bankruptcy court
How Dodd-Frank impacts creditors of bankrupt banks

Law360, New York (March 25, 2014, 1:21 PM ET) -- On Feb. 11, the three private plaintiff-appellants and 11 state plaintiff-appellants in State National Bank of Big Spring et al. v. Jacob J. Lew et al. filed briefs with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in their appeal of the district court’s decision that the plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge certain provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Pub. L. No. 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010).

USA, Banking, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, Bankruptcy, Liquidation, Systemic risk, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (USA), Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 2010 (USA)
How Dodd-Frank impacts creditors of bankrupt banks

On Feb. 11, the three private plaintiff- appellants and 11 state plaintiff-appellants in State National Bank of Big Spring et al. v. Jacob J. Lew et al. filed briefs with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in their appeal of the district court’s decision that the plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge certain provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Pub. L. No. 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010).

USA, Banking, Insolvency & Restructuring, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, Liquidation, Systemic risk, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (USA), Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 2010 (USA), Title 11 of the US Code
Dodd-Frank’s intersection with the Bankruptcy Code could have significant impact for unsecured creditors

On February 11th, the three private plaintiff-appellants and eleven State plaintiff-appellants in State National Bank of Big Spring, et al. v. Jacob J. Lew, et al. filed briefs with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in their appeal of the District Court’s decision that the plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge certain provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Pub. L. No. 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010) (the “Dodd-Frank Act” or the “Act”).

USA, District of Columbia, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, Liquidation, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (USA), Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 2010 (USA), Title 11 of the US Code