While the financial world was obsessed with the sub-prime mortgage crisis that resulted in a staggering loss of at least $380 billion dollars, a related and equally potent occurrence in the auction rate securities market did not catch the attention of the American public. The reason for the public’s non-interest in auction rate securities may be because it is not well known to the general public outside of financial and legal institutions, or because it was intentionally advertised as something else--cash equivalents. The market failure of auction rate securities has affected the liquidity of approximately $330 billion dollars. Continue Reading >
The Supreme Court of the United States affirmed the judgment of the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit by denying an injured investor‘s private right of action against aiders and abettors of the primary actor because the investor did not rely on the secondary actors‘ actions. Continue Reading >
The uproar of the Court of First Instance’s decision in Microsoft Corp. v. Commission in September of 2007 has shadowed the importance of another decision issued by the same tribunal on the same day that actually has much more impact than the former because it involves the entire legal community. The Akzo Nobel Chemicals and Akros Chemicals Ltd. v. Commission decision demonstrates that, despite the intervention of numerous lawyer associations, the European trend of the Court of Justice negating the attorney-client privilege with respect to communications between the corporation and its in-house counsel remains. Continue Reading >
The enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (the “Act”) was a seminal event in American securities regulation. Prompted by the spectacular collapse of Enron and other corporate scandals, the Act further developed the United States shareholder-oriented corporate governance mechanisms: a more independent, accountable board, and more technical proficiency in the auditing of company financials. Continue Reading >
The Supreme Court of the United States affirmed the Ninth Circuit on alternative grounds and remanded to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to evaluate whether the contractual rates were harmful to the public interest, and whether unlawful market manipulation existed. Continue Reading >
The United States Supreme Court found in favor of the Petitioner holding that the Bankruptcy Code’s stamp- tax exemption, § 1146(a), applies only to transfers made under the authority of a Chapter 11 plan that has been previously confirmed. Continue Reading >
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that under the Public Employe Relations Act (PERA), the essence test is applicable to judicial review of grievance arbitration awards and is no longer subject to the core functions exception, but is now subject to a new public policy exception. Continue Reading >