The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware has held that policy proceeds were not part of the insured entity’s bankruptcy estate because previous entity claims were dismissed with prejudice, it was highly speculative that the bankruptcy trustee would approve indemnification of directors and officers and the policy’s priority of payment provision provided that entity coverage was only available after payment of proceeds for direct coverage to insured persons. In re Downey Fin. Corp., 428 B.R. 595 (D. Del. Bankr. May 7, 2010).

The Federal Trade Commission has had a full mailbox recently. It received a request to investigate caffeine-infused malt beverages and a request for a new privacy law. And the FTC sent a cautionary letter to a magazine addressing privacy issues in a consumer bankruptcy.

The District Court for the Northern District of Ohio recently clarified the applicable requirements for post-petition severance payments to a debtor’s former officers. In the case of In re: Forum Health, et al.1, the debtor sought authorization from the Court to make a severance payment in the amount of $18,126.00 to its former Chief Executive Officer. The Trustee objected, asserting that the debtor’s motion was not based on a program that was generally applicable to all full-time employees as required by 11 U.S.C. § 503(c)(2)(A).

In this memorandum opinion, the Court of Chancery considered a motion to dismiss claims brought on behalf of Insilco Technologies, Inc. (“Insilco”) by the plaintiff, a bankruptcy court appointed Creditor Trustee. Among other claims, plaintiff brought claims for breach of fiduciary duty against Insilco’s controlling stockholder, a group of affiliated funds (the “DLJ Funds”) allegedly dominated and controlled by DLJ, Inc. and DLJ Merchant Banking, Inc. (“DLJMB”) (collectively, “DLJ”), and a group of DLJ-affiliated directors who comprised a majority of Insilco’s board.

With the August 4, 2010 auction of the division leading Texas Rangers looming and the memory of last year's bankruptcy sale of the Phoenix Coyotes fresh in our minds, there has been a lot of discussion among bankruptcy professionals about the unique issues that arise when a sports club files for bankruptcy. Generally, sports clubs file bankruptcy for the same reasons as other businesses — as a last resort to save going concern value and/or to avail themselves of some strategic advantage under the Bankruptcy Code.

The following is a list of some recent larger US bankruptcy filings in various industries. To the extent you are a creditor to any of these debtors, or other entities which may have filed for bankruptcy protection, you as a creditor are entitled to certain protections under the Bankruptcy Code.

GAMING

Riviera Holdings Corp., owner of Las Vegas’ Riviera Hotel & Casino, has filed for Chapter 11 protection.

RAZORS AND BLADES

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission announcedamendments to the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) relating to the telemarketing of debt relief services, including new restrictions on advance fees charged by debt relief companies.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has announced that it will amend its Regulation 190.04(d)(2) regarding the operation of a commodity broker in bankruptcy. Currently, a bankruptcy trustee is prohibited, immediately upon the commencement of the commodity broker’s bankruptcy case, from processing any new trades on behalf of customers of the commodity broker, with limited exceptions.

Bankruptcy headlines in 2007 were awash with tidings of controversial developments in the chapter 11 cases of Northwest Airlines and its affiliates that sent shock waves through the "distressed" investment community. A New York bankruptcy court ruled that an unofficial, or "ad hoc," committee consisting of hedge funds and other distressed investment entities holding Northwest stock and claims was obligated under a formerly obscure provision in the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure—Rule 2019—to disclose the details of its members' trading positions, including the acquisition prices.

Receiverships are becoming a popular tool for creditors to manage distressed real estate and to realize upon their collateral. Lenders are looking at receiverships as a faster and more efficient and cost effective strategy than forcing a debtor into bankruptcy. They offer the lender flexibility as opposed to well established procedures under bankruptcy. The current economy is also resulting in increased use of receiverships to complete unfinished buildings.