The mortgage bond indenture (herein called a “Mortgage”) under which many electric and gas utility companies in the United States issue debt securities (herein generically called “bonds”) may be one of the most unloved...more
The transition from LIBOR represents a potential change in the interest rate on a bond. Background On April 6, 2021, New York Governor Cuomo signed into law legislation aimed to provide legal certainty and curb litigation...more
The euphemistically-named Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (“TEFRA”), that became law on September 3, 1982, required that tax-exempt obligations be in registered form (as well as denying certain tax benefits...more
Judge Kevin Gross of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware handed down an important ruling last week that turned aside most of an unusual challenge to the fees and expenses of an indenture trustee in the...more
While out-of-court restructurings can help companies in need, they can negatively impact minority bondholders. Minority bondholders displeased with out-of-court restructurings looked to a 2015 decision interpreting the Trust...more
In a 2-1 opinion, the Second Circuit overruled the district court in Marblegate Asset Management LLC v. Education Management Corp., finding no violation of the Trust Indenture Act (“TIA”) in connection with an out-of-court...more
On January 17, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued an opinion in Marblegate Asset Management v. Education Management Corp., 15-2124-cv(L), 15-2141-cv(CON) (2nd Cir. Jan. 17, 2017), overturning a...more
The Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “TIA”) codifies a select set of requirements and prohibitions intended to protect perceived “sacred rights” of holders of public bond instruments. When the U.S. District Court for the...more
On Jan. 17, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated the decision of the District Court for the Southern District of New York in Marblegate Asset Management, LLC v. Education Management Finance Corp., finding...more
Trust Indenture Act Section 316(b) Limited to Actual Amendments to An Indenture’s Core Terms - Seyfarth Synopsis: On January 17, 2017, in a 2-1 decision in Marblegate Asset Management, LLC v. Education Management Finance...more
Court holds that TIA § 316(b) prohibits only non-consensual amendments to an indenture’s core payment terms. The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit limited the ability of minority bondholders to challenge...more
Last year, plaintiffs successfully used an obscure provision of the 1939 Trust Indenture Act (the TIA) to challenge restructurings by Education Management, LLC (Marblegate) and Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. (Caesars)...more
The use of liability management transactions in the wake of the financial crisis, along with two important court cases (i.e., Marblegate and Caesars Entertainment Corp.), has brought a renewed focus on the obligations of...more
In December 2014 and January 2015, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York issued two sets of decisions — Marblegate Asset Mgmt. v. Educ. Mgmt. Corp. and MeehanCombs Global Credit Opportunities...more
When a portfolio company underperforms, a sponsor may consider various options to address the perceived performance issues, including changes to a portfolio company’s management team, cost structure, capital structure or...more
Restructuring decision broadly interpreting bondholder protections under the Trust Indenture Act may significantly impact out-of-court restructurings. On December 30, 2014, the US District Court for the Southern...more