Bill on Bankruptcy: What's in the $83M ResCap Examiner's Report?
In Gordon v. Gordon, a couple created a revocable trust and named a friend, who provided financial advice, as successor trustee. No. 03-22-00454-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 3611 (Tex. App.—Austin May 23, 2024, no pet. history)....more
Imagine for a moment that you’re a shareholder in a closely held corporation. In most jurisdictions, that status as a shareholder obligates you to a heightened fiduciary duty to your fellow shareholders. Now imagine that your...more
Whitestone REIT Operating Partnership L.P. v. Pillarstone Capital REIT, C.A. No. 2022-0607-LWW (Del. Ch. Jan. 25, 2024) - In Delaware, the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing is inherent in all contracts and...more
The distinction between direct and derivative claims pervades business divorce litigation. Whether a dissident owner’s claim against his or her co-owners is a direct claim (one that the owner can assert in their individual...more
On August 24, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Kirschner unanimously held that notes evidencing syndicated loans do not plausibly qualify as “securities” covered by state and federal securities laws...more
There are many ways that an owner of a closely-held business can use their superior financial resources to gain an advantage over their co-owners in a dispute. One common way is the use of a capital call provision to dilute...more
On April 12, 2023, a Manhattan judge in the lawsuit regarding the sale of golf legend Jack Nicklaus’s intellectual property portfolio narrowed the claims against Nicklaus. In 2007, Nicklaus sold his intellectual property...more
Shareholder agreements often include an obligation that the shareholders must act with “good faith” in their dealings with one another and with the company. However, what does that actually mean? In this insight, we consider...more
In Foster v. PNC Bank, National Association, the Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) claim, but determined that plaintiff lacked standing because he could not show that...more
LLC managers owe fiduciary duties of loyalty, care, and good faith and fair dealing to both the LLC and the LLC’s members. (Corp Code §17704.09.) One of the most common claims in LLC litigation is “breach of fiduciary duty”...more
Just like a bride and groom vow to join together for better or for worse, commercial parties joining together through a joint venture must make a similar promise to share in profits and losses. ...more
Servaas v. Ford Smart Mobility LLC, C.A. No. 2020-0909-LWW (Del. Ch. Aug. 25, 2021) - Delaware common law requires that contracts be read on their own terms. Accordingly, contracts cannot be “combined” to supply missing...more
Last week, Peter Mahler blogged about a recent decision holding that a minority shareholder’s claim against its majority co-owners for breach of fiduciary duty in connection with a sale of the business to a third party...more
Smith v. Scott, C.A. No. 2020-0263-JRS (Del. Ch. Apr. 23, 2021) - The Delaware LLC Act provides that fiduciary duties may be expanded or limited by the provisions of an LLC agreement. If the agreement is silent, then...more
Can contracting parties waive all common law fiduciary duties? That was one of the questions presented to the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department (the “Court”) in 111 West 57th Investment LLC, on...more
On May 22, Judge Gardephe granted a motion to dismiss in Kirschner v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a case that, among other things, considered whether the origination and distribution of a syndicated bank loan is subject to...more
During an interview with Bloomberg TV on March 6th, Lawrence Summers, former Secretary of the U.S. Treasury, observed: “Economic time has stopped but financial time has not stopped.” An incisive summary as any of the current...more
In Garcia v. Communities in Schools of Brazoria County, a director sued a nonprofit’s board for breach of fiduciary duty arising from his removal. 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 97017 (S. D. Tex. June 10, 2019)....more
The Nevada Legislature and Gov. Steve Sisolak have recently approved Assembly Bill No. 207 (AB 207), a bill passed under the leadership and guidance of Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson. AB 207 makes certain meaningful changes...more
Klein v. Wasserman, C. A. No. 2017-0643-KSJM (Del. Ch. May 29, 2019). The typical claim for breach of fiduciary duty arises out of a single transaction or event, or several closely-related transactions or events. ...more
When the Nevada legislature enacted the state's limited-liability company act, it did not prescribe the fiduciary duties, if any, owed by managers. As I observed...more
Switching from defense to offense, Zillow Group, Inc., best known for its residential real estate marketplace technology, recently filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington alleging a...more
It is no secret that LLC managers enjoy a lot of discretion regarding how they operate the LLC. Members of the LLC often find it difficult to challenge the manager’s decisions on key transactions, investments, and other...more
Often, a closely-held company comprises a large portion of a person’s wealth. In some instances, the company initially generated much of the person’s wealth. And in others, the company is formed as a vehicle to pass wealth...more
Over the last several years, the books-and-records proceeding and its corresponding shareholder rights of inspection seem to have entered a bit of renaissance period in the courts. ...more