Consumer Debt

ACADEMICS WANT CONGRESS TO GIVE CHAPTER 14 A CHANCE

Members of Stanford University's Hoover Institution's "resolution project" say that the environment is right to revisit their proposed modification of the Bankruptcy Code that adds a section, dubbed "Chapter 14," to address large financial institutions, Dow Jones Newswires reported yesterday. When the official debate on Capitol Hill ended in July 2010 with the passage of the Dodd-Frank financial reform, it looked as though the Hoover Institution had lost its battle to keep the job of unwinding a failing financial institution out of the hands of government. Their proposal, presented at a Senate Banking Committee hearing, never gained traction, and Dodd-Frank's Title II tasks the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. with intervening should the collapse of a financial institution threaten the economy. However, the academics now argue in a new book, Bankruptcy Not Bailout: A Special Chapter 14, that their proposal still has a chance at becoming law. The book's authors also have an unlikely supporter: the FDIC. "The FDIC would support improvements to the Bankruptcy Code that would better allow for the failure of a large complex financial institution without broad systemic disruption," said Andrew Gray, a spokesman for the FDIC, characterizing Title II as a last resort. "Constructive efforts to improve the bankruptcy law and reduce the likelihood that Title II would be necessary are positive." Acknowledging that the repeal of all or part of Dodd-Frank is unlikely, the authors argue that Dodd-Frank and chapter 14 could coexist, providing the government and companies with another option. Read more.

REGULATORS TRY TO BEAT THE CLOCK IN RATE PROBE

U.S. prosecutors are seeking more time to complete their investigation of alleged interest-rate fixing, while banks ensnared in the probe are trying to turn the clock to their advantage as they battle lawsuits claiming damages from rate-rigging, the Wall Street Journal reported today. The Justice Department recently asked several banks to sign "tolling" agreements, in which the companies promise they will not challenge any enforcement action on the grounds that the alleged wrongdoing occurred beyond the statute of limitations. The requests were sent to all the major banks under investigation including Citigroup Inc., Deutsche Bank AG, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC and UBS AG. Read more. (Subscription required.)

ANALYSIS: CRIMINAL AND CIVIL MORTGAGE-FRAUD CASES HAVE EXPLODED SINCE HOUSING CRISIS

The problem of mortgage scams involving attorneys is growing, according to experts, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Joseph Dunn, executive director of the State Bar of California, said that more than 100 lawyers in California have been disbarred or otherwise disciplined, while about 200 others are facing charges or are under investigation. The California Bar has received more than 11,000 mortgage-related complaints about lawyers since early 2009. John Berry, director of the legal division of the Florida Bar, calls the involvement of attorneys in alleged mortgage scams "one of the most difficult issues we have had to deal with." In a national database of 25,000 homeowner complaints regarding suspected mortgage-related frauds, more than a quarter relate to activities by lawyers or law firms, said Yolanda McGill, a senior counsel at the nonprofit Washington-based Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights under Law, which began collecting the complaints in 2010. The committee has filed eight lawsuits against parties for allegedly cheating homeowners with false promises of help with their mortgages. Read more. (Subscription required.)

REPORT: PAY GAPS WIDENING AMONG PARTNERS

According to a new survey conducted by legal search consultant Major, Lindsey & Africa and Am Law Daily affiliate ALM Legal Intelligence, partners at Am Law 200, NLJ 350, and American Lawyer Global 100 firms saw their annual compensation rise, on average, 6.4 percent to $681,000 over the past two years. The jump was apparently driven, at least in part, by an uptick in the average rate those partners are billing, from $555 per hour in 2010 to $585 today. The survey, which drew 2,228 responses from attorneys at the firms in question, shows that not all partners have benefited equally from the increase. On average, equity partners are better compensated than their non-equity counterparts, male partners make more than their female colleagues, corporate partners earn more than litigators, and partners in open compensation systems are paid better than those in closed compensation systems. Read more.

FORMER GM CEO: TIME FOR "GOVERNMENT MOTORS" TO HIT THE ROAD

Until the government sells its shares of GM, the company won't be master of its own destiny and will remain wrongly tagged a failure, according to a commentary in today's Wall Street Journal by former GM CEO Ed Whitacre. The government has been an active participant in GM's management for more than three years, according to Whitacre, and it is time for Treasury to step out of the way so that GM can fully focus on what it does best: designing, building and selling the world's best vehicles. The government's authority over GM today is not concentrated in the 500 million shares it still owns, which amount to a hefty but not controlling 26.5 percent ownership stake, according to Whitacre. Rather, the government's power comes from the management apparatus of TARP, the Troubled Asset Relief Program, from which the $50 billion bailout originally came. The result: GM spends an awful lot of time checking in with the people who administer TARP over everything from hiring to executive compensation and management. Read more. (Subscription required.)

HIGH-SPEED TRADING IN THE CONGRESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT

An insider of the secretive world of high-frequency trading is set to attack that industry today on Capitol Hill, giving lawmakers a potential road map to address practices that critics say can put ordinary investors at a disadvantage and the financial system at risk, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Since rapid-fire trading firms now provide many of the buy-and-sell orders that support the market, investors are at the mercy of automated systems that can run amok during volatile times, according to Dave Lauer, who last year quit his job as a trader for an elite Chicago high-frequency trading outfit. Lauer is part of a growing chorus of industry insiders blowing the whistle on approved trading techniques that they say are designed by the traders who derive the most benefit. Lauer is now a consultant on market-structure issues for Better Markets, a Washington, D.C., advocacy group funded by a hedge fund. He testified today before the Senate Banking committee about how he came to believe that high-speed trading has made the market less fair for many investors. One way sophisticated firms get an edge over other investors is the use of complex order types, which are commands that traders use to tell exchanges how to handle their buy-and-sell orders, according to Lauer's testimony. Regulators are looking into whether exchanges, in a rush to gain the business of high-frequency firms, have provided advantages to some sophisticated trading firms that allow them to trade profitably at the expense of other investors. High-frequency trading accounts for some two-thirds of all trading volume, experts say. Read more. (Subscription required.)

Click here for prepared testimony from today's Senate Banking Committee hearing.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR STEVEN GOLICK, A FELLOW COLLEAGUE AND ABI MEMBER

Our friend Steven Golick (Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Toronto) is facing a medical crisis. He has been diagnosed with a serious brain tumor, requiring complex surgery and treatment. Steven’s spirits are very strong and he and his family remain optimistic, but he can use our support. A prominent international restructuring attorney and an ABI member since 1994, Steven is also a founding member of the ABI house band, the Indubitable Equivalents. Because the band is important to Steven, his fellow band-mates have organized a new Blog site for Steven's friends and colleagues to show their love and support at this critical time. Please click on this link to enter and share your thoughts, and post as often as you'd like.

ABI IN-DEPTH

ABI LAUNCHES FIFTH ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION FOR LAW STUDENTS; PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE ONE-YEAR ABI MEMBERSHIP

Law school students are encouraged to submit a paper now through March 1, 2013, for ABI’s Fifth Annual Bankruptcy Law Student Writing Competition. ABI will extend a complimentary one-year membership to all students who participate in this year's competition. Eligible submissions should focus on current issues regarding bankruptcy jurisdiction, bankruptcy litigation, or evidence issues in bankruptcy cases or proceedings.

The first-place winner, sponsored by Invotex Group, Inc., will receive a cash prize of $2,000 and publication of his or her paper in the prestigious ABI Journal. The second-place winner, sponsored by Jenner & Block LLP, will receive a cash prize of $1,250 and publication of his or her paper in an ABI committee newsletter. The third-place winner, sponsored by Thompson & Knight LLP, will receive a cash prize of $750 plus publication of his or her paper in an ABI committee newsletter. For competition participation and submission guidelines, please visit http://papers.abi.org.

LATEST CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: STATE OF NEVADA V. MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEM INC. (9TH CIR.)

Summarized by Richard Corbi of Lowenstein Sandler PC

Because the defendants had no "obligation" to record assignments or other documents relating to securing property, the prosecution failed to state a claim of liability under Nevada False Claims Act section 357.040(1)(g).

There are more than 600 appellate opinions summarized on Volo, and summaries typically appear within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: SECOND CIRCUIT SUMMARILY REVERSES CLAIMS-TRADING DECISION

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks 35 bankruptcy-related blogs. A recent blog post examines a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Longacre Master Fund v. ATS Automation Tooling Systems. The Second Circuit summarily reversed a district court decision that will likely strengthen the hand of specialized firms that look to buy claims in large chapter 11 cases, according to the post.

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

ABI Quick Poll

Bankruptcy courts should have unfettered discretion in adjusting fee applications, even when no party-in-interest has raised objections.

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

HAVE YOU TUNED IN TO BLOOMBERG LAW'S VIDEO PODCASTS?

Bloomberg Law's video podcasts feature top experts speaking about current bankruptcy topics. The podcasts are available via Bloomberg Law's YouTube channel so that you can access the programs from your computer or device of your choice! Click here to view the Bloomberg Law video podcasts.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL

INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 37 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

Have a Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn Account?

Join our networks to expand yours.

September
- "When Is an Individual Chapter 11 the Best Fit?" Live Webinar
     September 27, 2012
- American College of Bankruptcy's "Bankruptcy: Back to the Future" Program
     September 28, 2012 | Chicago, Ill.

October
- Nuts & Bolts for Young and New Practitioners - KC
     October 4, 2012 | Kansas City, Mo.
- Midwestern Bankruptcy Institute Program, Midwestern Consumer Forum
     October 5, 2012 | Kansas City, Mo.
- Bankruptcy 2012: Views from the Bench
     October 5, 2012 | Washington, D.C.
- Chicago Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
     October 8, 2012 | Chicago, Ill.
- "Trending Issues: Examiners and Select Plan Confirmation Issues" Webinar
October 15, 2012
- ABI/Bloomberg Distressed Lending Conference
October 16, 2012 | New York, N.Y..
- International Insolvency and Restructuring Symposium
     October 18, 2012 | Rome, Italy

November
- U.S./Mexico Restructuring Symposium
     November 7, 2012 | Mexico City, Mexico
- Professional Development Program
     November 9, 2012 | New York, N.Y.
- Detroit Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
     November 12, 2012 | Detroit, Mich.
- Winter Leadership Conference
     November 29 - December 1, 2012 | Tucson, Ariz.

December
- Forty-Hour Bankruptcy Mediation Training
     December 4-8, 2012 | New York, N.Y.

2013

February
- Kansas City Advanced Consumer Bankruptcy Practice Institute
     February 17-19, 2013 | Kansas City, Mo.

FOURTH CIRCUIT RULES THAT BORROWER MAY SUE AFTER THREE YEARS TO RESCIND MORTGAGE LOAN

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has held that a lawsuit seeking rescission is timely where the consumer provided notice of rescission to the subservicer within three years of closing but did not file suit until after the three-year deadline had passed, according to a Ballard Spahr Legal Alert today. The May 3, 2012, decision in Gilbert v. Residential Funding LLC is the first by a federal appellate court to hold that a borrower need only send notice of rescission within the three-year period to validly exercise a right to rescind. The majority of courts to consider the question—including the Third and Ninth Circuits—have held that the requirement for the borrower to file suit within the three-year period is consistent with the language of §1635 of the Truth in Lending Act and prior precedent, including the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Beach v. Ocwen Federal Bank. In its opinion, the Fourth Circuit rejected the subservicer’s reliance on Beach, observing that Beach "did not address the proper method of exercising a right to rescind or the timely exercise of that right" but only addressed whether §1635 was a statute of limitations that operated to extinguish the right after three years. Click here to read the full analysis.

For more on this case, including a full copy of the opinion, make sure to visit ABI’s Volo site.

LAWMAKERS PUSH TO EASE HOME REFINANCING

Senate Democrats today tried to drum up support for a plan that aims to boost the number of struggling homeowners able to refinance by allowing those with government-backed loans to win new loans, Reuters reported. Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) circulated a draft bill outlining proposed changes to the Obama administration's Home Affordable Refinance Program during a Senate Banking Committee hearing today on the topic of home refinancing. The draft bill would provide streamlined financing options for homeowners who are current on their payments and have loans owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government-controlled companies that have been propped up by more than $150 billion in taxpayer aid. However, it excludes a key piece of the White House plan that would let homeowners refinance into loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, the U.S. government mortgage-insurer, even if their current loans are not backed by the government. More than 17.5 million borrowers with loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac currently pay more than 5 percent interest, according to the draft, while mortgage rates are averaging under 4 percent currently nationwide. Many of those borrowers have been unable to access government initiatives such as HARP. Read more.

LOCKHART: FANNIE MAE REFUSED TO PUNISH COUNTRYWIDE FOR BAD DEBT

James Lockhart, who led the Federal Housing Finance Agency until 2009 and its predecessor, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, said that Fannie Mae refused to seek large amounts of mortgage repurchases from Countrywide Financial Corp. as the housing market began to crash, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. Lockhart said that he spent a lot of time pushing Fannie Mae executives to seek more “putbacks” on Countrywide loans that failed to match their promised quality. "They didn’t want to offend their largest customer," Lockhart, now the vice chairman at investment firm WL Ross & Co., said yesterday. "If people had known how bad the repurchases were going to get, we’d certainly have had a lot more disciplined underwriting," Lockhart said. Read more.

CONSUMER CREDIT INCREASES BY MOST IN 10 YEARS

Consumer borrowing in the U.S. surged in March by the most in more than a decade on growing demand for educational financing and autos, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. Credit rose by $21.4 billion, the biggest gain since November 2001, to $2.54 trillion, according to Federal Reserve figures released yesterday. The advance was paced by a $16.2 billion jump in non-revolving debt, including student and car loans. Read more.

SENATE BALKS AT TAKING UP STUDENT LOAN BILL

With federal student loan interest rates set to double July 1, the Senate failed yesterday to get enough votes to take up a bill to extend low 3.4 percent rates for another year, CNNMoney.com reported. The vote was 52-45 to take up the bill, 8 fewer than the 60 needed to officially start debating the bill. Senate Republicans and Democrats are still negotiating a compromise, and the Senate could vote again this week. Many lawmakers in both parties agree that they would like to extend the current 3.4 percent rates for another year. They disagree, however, on how to offset the $6 billion it would cost to do so. House Republicans passed a measure that would pay for extending the lower student loan rate by cutting from a health care fund that promotes preventive care. President Obama vowed to veto that bill. President Obama and Senate Democrats want to pay for the measure by eliminating some tax benefits for small business owners. Read more.

In related news, a report found that the U.S. Education Department must step up its oversight of private student-loan debt collectors, improving the tracking of borrower complaints and changing its commission system to reward customer service, the San Francisco Chronicle reported today. Contractors hired by the government to chase defaulted borrowers fail to maintain "fair and efficient" systems to track complaints, according to the report, released yesterday by the National Consumer Law Center, a nonprofit advocacy group. The department weighs collection, rather than complaints, too heavily in awarding contracts, it said. With $67 billion of student loans in default, the Education Department has hired 23 private debt-collection companies to chase borrowers. They include Pioneer Credit Recovery, a unit of SLM Corp., the largest student-loan company, also known as Sallie Mae. In the year ended in September, the department received 1,406 complaints against the debt collectors, up 41 percent from the year before. Read more.

REGULATORS SEEK ALTERNATE PLANS ON MONEY MARKET FUNDS

Federal regulators are increasingly worried that the Securities and Exchange Commission could fail to complete more-stringent rules on money-market mutual funds, forcing officials to confront how else to rein in the $2.6 trillion industry, the Wall Street Journal reported today. While financial regulators would prefer the SEC to act on its own, some officials behind the scenes have started to investigate whether the Financial Stability Oversight Council, a special panel created by the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial overhaul, could act if the SEC can't agree on a proposal to shore up funds or reduce risk. Regulators' consideration of alternatives comes as the SEC has met internal and external snags in its efforts to complete a proposal aimed at reducing both money funds' vulnerability to credit shocks and investor incentives to flee the funds at the first sign of trouble. SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro has directed the campaign, which comes on top of an initial round of rule-tightening for the funds in 2010. Her proposals would limit investors' ability to sell all their funds immediately and change how the funds are priced. Read more. (Subscription required.)

REGISTER FOR THE LABOR & EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE'S "EVOLVING LABOR ISSUES IN CHAPTER 11" WEBINAR

Make sure to mark your calendars for May 23 from 2-3 p.m. ET for the ABI Labor and Employment Committee's "Evolving Labor Issues in Chapter 11" Webinar. A panel of experts will be discussing recent developments in several large complex bankruptcy cases, including Hostess, Kodak, Nortel and American Airlines. The expert panel includes Babette A. Ceccotti of Cohen, Weiss & Simon LLP (New York), former chief counsel of the PBGC Jeffrey B. Cohen of Bailey & Ehrenberg PLLC (Washington, D.C.), Marc Kieselstein of Kirkland & Ellis LLP (New York) and Ron E. Meisler of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Issues to be discussed include:

• Hostess' efforts to eliminate their multi-employer pension plan contribution liability through motions to reject their labor agreements under Section 1113.
• Kodak's attempt to terminate retiree health benefits.
• The effect of the automatic stay upon efforts by the U.K. Pension Protection Fund and the U.K. Nortel Pension Plan to enforce its powers under the U.K. Pensions Act.
• American Airlines' efforts to reduce legacy costs in bankruptcy.

Click here to register.

U.S. TRUSTEE PROGRAM RE-OPENS COMMENT PERIOD ON PROPOSED GUIDELINES FOR ATTORNEY COMPENSATION IN LARGE CHAPTER 11 CASES

The U.S. Trustee Program has re-opened the comment period until May 21, 2012, on proposed guidelines for reviewing applications for attorney compensation in large chapter 11 cases ("fee guidelines"). The USTP also scheduled a public meeting for June 4, 2012, at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. on the proposed fee guidelines. Click here for more information on submitting comments or attending the public hearing.

ABI IN-DEPTH

LATEST CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: GILBERT V. RESIDENTIAL FUNDING LLC (4TH CIR.)

Summarized by ABI Deputy Executive Director Amy Quackenboss

A lawsuit seeking rescission of a mortgage loan is timely under the Truth in Lending Act where the consumer provided notice of rescission to the subservicer within three years of closing but did not file suit until after the three-year deadline under the TILA had passed. The Fourth Circuit rejected the subservicer's reliance on the U.S. Supreme Court's desicion in Beach v. Ocwen Federal Bank, observing that Beach "did not address the proper method of exercising a right to rescind or the timely exercise of that right" but only addressed whether 15 U.S.C. §1635 was a statute of limitations that operated to extinguish the right after three years.

Nearly 500 appellate opinions are summarized on Volo typically within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: CONGRESS ASKING TOO MUCH OF BANK REGULATORS

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks 35 bankruptcy-related blogs. A recent blog post discusses whether Congress is piling on too many rules for regulators to enforce without proportionately increasing the number or competence of examiners in the aftermath of the financial crisis.

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

ABI Quick Poll
The debtor-in-possession model has proven too susceptible to abuse; a trustee should be appointed in every chapter 11 case, at least as a check on a DIP with more limited management authority. Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL

INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 37 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

Have a Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn Account?

Join our networks to expand yours.

May
- New York City Bankruptcy Conference
     May 9, 2012 | New York, N.Y.
- ABI Labor and Employment Committee's "Evolving Labor Issues in Chapter 11" Webinar
     May 23, 2012

June
- Memphis Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
     June 1, 2012 | Memphis, Tenn.
- Central States Bankruptcy Workshop
     June 7-10, 2012 | Traverse City, Mich.

July
- Northeast Bankruptcy Conference and Northeast Consumer Forum
     July 12-15, 2012 | Bretton Woods, N.H.
- Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop
     July 25-28, 2012 | Amelia Island, Fla.

August
- Mid-Atlantic Bankruptcy Workshop
     August 2-4, 2012 | Cambridge, Md.

U.S. MORTGAGE, CREDIT CARD DELINQUENCY RATES DECLINE

TransUnion Corp. reported today that the delinquency rates for mortgages and credit cards declined during the second quarter, and the firm predicts mortgage-delinquency rates will maintain their downward trajectory for the remainder of 2012, according to Dow Jones Newswires. The national mortgage delinquency rate--or the rate of borrowers at least 60 days past due--dropped for the second consecutive quarter, to 5.49 percent from the 5.78 percent mortgage delinquency rate in the first quarter. Between the first and second quarters of 2012, all but five states experienced decreases in their mortgage-delinquency rates, and 76 percent of metropolitan areas saw improvement in their mortgage-delinquency rates during the second quarter. Meanwhile, the national credit card delinquency rate--or the ratio of borrowers at least 90 days past due--dropped to 0.63 percent in the second quarter from 0.73 percent in the previous quarter. The credit card delinquency rate is at its lowest level since reaching 0.6 percent a year earlier. Read more.

COMMENTARY: THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD LOOK TO MASS MORTGAGE REFINANCING

With principal writedown no longer an option, the government needs to find a new way to facilitate mass mortgage refinancings, according to a commentary in today's New York Times by Prof. Joseph E. Stiglitz of Columbia University and Mark Zandi of Moody's Analytics. Refinancing at the current low rates would allow homeowners to significantly reduce their monthly payments, and a mass refinancing program would work like a potent tax cut. Refinancing would also significantly reduce the chance of default for underwater homeowners, according to the commentary. With fewer losses from past loans burdening their balance sheets, lenders could make more new loans, and communities plagued by mass foreclosures might see relief from blight. Read the full commentary.

DURBIN SEES VISA ACCORD THWARTING PUSH TO CAP CREDIT CARD FEES

Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.)'s office told retailers that their efforts to have Congress rein in credit card swipe fees would be imperiled if they support a $6.6 billion antitrust settlement with Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc., Bloomberg News reported yesterday. "This is going to foreclose the prospect of good legislation for the foreseeable future," Dan Swanson, senior judiciary counsel for Durbin, said in a conference call with the Food Marketing Institute. Durbin, the Senate Majority Whip, won the inclusion of limits on debit-card swipe fees, or interchange, in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act. That trimmed annual revenue for the biggest U.S. banks by about $8 billion and benefited retailers including Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Target Corp. Credit-card swipe fees are higher and generate about $40 billion a year for lenders such as JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp. and Citigroup Inc. The Food Marketing Institute, a trade group whose members include Target, Sears Holdings Corp. and Wal-Mart, does not have a position on the settlement. Visa, MasterCard and banks agreed last month to resolve the seven-year-old case, one of the largest class actions in history. The deal, which requires the approval of U.S. District Judge John Gleeson in Brooklyn, N.Y., may be nullified if enough merchants refuse to join the proposed class action. Read more.

MUNICIPAL BOND RULE MIRED IN LEGISLATIVE LIMBO

A provision of the Dodd-Frank Act that would require municipal bond advisers to put the interests of taxpayers first has been bogged down in a rule-making quagmire in Washington, D.C., the New York Times reported today. As part of the wide-ranging regulatory changes that followed the financial crisis of 2008, the Dodd-Frank Act included a provision that would make municipal advisers "fiduciaries," meaning they must put local residents’ interests ahead of their own. Making advisers fiduciaries would be “the first time in the history of the securities laws that issuers of the securities have been protected,” said Robert W. Doty, president of AGFS, a consulting firm in Sacramento. He is a registered municipal adviser and favors the fiduciary mandate. But before that provision can take effect, the law calls for the Securities and Exchange Commission to define "municipal adviser." The SEC proposed a definition 20 months ago, but it was swiftly beaten back by the banking, brokerage and engineering industries, among others. Opponents argued that the SEC was overreaching and that they were already regulated and should not be given a new mandate. Additionally, Rep. Robert J. Dold (R-Ill.) introduced a bill last year that would eliminate the measure. Read more.

ANALYSIS: HARD TIMES SPREAD FOR CITIES

Fiscal woes that have caused high-profile bankruptcies in California are surfacing across the country as municipalities struggle with uneven growth and escalating health and pension costs following the worst recession since the 1930s, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Budget crunches already have prompted Michigan lawmakers to authorize emergency fiscal managers, and led the mayor of Scranton, Pa., to temporarily cut the pay of all city workers to the minimum wage. In a majority of the nation's 19,000 municipalities—urban and rural, big and small—stagnant property tax revenues, diminish aid from states and rising costs are forcing less dramatic but still difficult steps. Moody's Investors Service recently said that while municipal bankruptcies are likely to remain rare, it warned of a "a small but growing trend in fiscally troubled cities unwilling to pay their debt obligations." Read more. (Subscription required.)

ABI MEMBERS WELCOME TO ATTEND ACB'S FREE HALF-DAY "BANKRUPTCY: BACK TO THE FUTURE" PROGRAM IN SEPTEMBER

The American College of Bankruptcy invites you to attend a free half-day program on Sept. 28 in Chicago for a discussion of many of the challenging topics facing current bankruptcy and reorganization professionals. Topics to be addressed include recent decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, important work of the Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules, and developments in the field of bankruptcy ethics. The nation’s leading judges, academics and bankruptcy professionals are among the speakers for the program. While there is no cost to attend, seating is limited, so early reservation is suggested. For more information and to register, please click here.

ABI IN-DEPTH

LATEST CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: FIRST PREMIER CAPITAL LLC V. REPUBLIC BANK OF CHICAGO (IN RE EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION RESOURCES; 7TH CIR.)

Summarized by Allen Guon of Shaw Gussis Fishman Glantz Wolfson & Towbin LLC

Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's ruling, which affirmed the bankruptcy court's ruling, that the granting of the settlement motion was not an abuse of discretion.

There are 600 appellate opinions summarized on Volo typically within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: FIFTH CIRCUIT HOLDS STATE AGENCY PROCEEDINGS EXEMPT FROM AUTOMATIC STAY

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks 35 bankruptcy-related blogs. A recent post examines the Fifth Circuit’s ruling on June 18 in Halo Wireless, Inc. v. Alenco Communications, Inc., et al., affirming a bankruptcy court order that various state public utility commission proceedings initiated against Halo could proceed despite Halo’s subsequent chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

ABI Quick Poll
The Twombly/Iqbal rule for pleading ‘plausible’ claims has been applied too stringently in dismissing avoidance actions for failure to state a claim.

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

HAVE YOU TUNED IN TO BLOOMBERG LAW'S VIDEO PODCASTS?

Bloomberg Law's video podcasts feature top experts speaking about current bankruptcy topics. The podcasts are available via Bloomberg Law's YouTube channel so that you can access the programs from your computer or device of your choice! Click here to view the Bloomberg Law video podcasts.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL

INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 37 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

Have a Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn Account?

Join our networks to expand yours.

September
- 7th Annual Golf and Tennis Outing
     September 11, 2012 | Maplewood, N.J.
- Complex Financial Restructuring Program
     September 13-14, 2012 | Las Vegas, Nev.
- Southwest Bankruptcy Conference
     September 13-15, 2012 | Las Vegas, Nev.
- 38th Annual Lawrence P. King and Charles Seligson Workshop on Bankruptcy & Business Reorganization
     September 19-20, 2012 | New York, N.Y.
- American College of Bankruptcy's "Bankruptcy: Back to the Future" Program
     September 28, 2012 | Chicago, Ill.

October
- Nuts & Bolts for Young and New Practitioners - KC
     October 4, 2012 | Kansas City, Mo.
- Midwestern Bankruptcy Institute Program, Midwestern Consumer Forum
     October 5, 2012 | Kansas City, Mo.

- Bankruptcy 2012: Views from the Bench
     October 5, 2012 | Washington, D.C.
- Chicago Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
     October 8, 2012 | Chicago, Ill.
- "Trending Issues: Examiners and Select Plan Confirmation Issues" Webinar
     October 15, 2012
- International Insolvency and Restructuring Symposium
     October 18, 2012 | Rome, Italy

November
- U.S./Mexico Restructuring Symposium
     November 7, 2012 | Mexico City, Mexico
- Professional Development Program
     November 9, 2012 | New York, N.Y.
- Detroit Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
     November 12, 2012 | Detroit, Mich.

REPORT: BIG BANKS ENGAGING IN PAYDAY LENDING

A new report from the Center for Responsible Lending found that some of the nation's largest banks are providing short-term loans with interest rates of up to 300 percent, driving borrowers into a cycle of debt, the Washington Post reported today. The study that was released today gives an updated look at the perils of advance-deposit loans offered by Wells Fargo, U.S. Bancorp, Regions Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Guaranty Bank and Bank of Oklahoma. Researchers looked at a sample of 66 direct-deposit advances over a 12-month period. Critics say that the structure of advance-deposit loans promotes a cycle of debt. Account holders typically pay up to $10 for every $100 borrowed, with the understanding that the loan will be repaid with their next direct deposit. If the deposited funds are not enough to cover the loan, the bank takes whatever money comes in, triggering overdraft fees and additional interest. Banks contend that they are offering a vital service to customers at more reasonable price points than storefront lenders, who often charge twice as much as banks. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has supervisory and enforcement authority for storefront and bank payday lenders with more than $10 billion in assets. The bureau issued a request for comment last year to gauge consumer and industry concerns. Read more.

In related news, a New York Times editorial today found that even though JPMorgan Chase has instituted new policies intended to shield customers from predatory lenders, which can charge up to 500 percent in interest, banks should be doing more to protect their customers. State and federal banking officials also need to expedite their investigations into the relationship between banks and predatory lenders, according to the editorial, with the aim of developing industrywide regulations that protect the public. New rules that go into effect at JPMorgan in May will limit the overdraft fees charged to customers in situations where the lender tries to collect a payment multiple times. Banks could adopt common practices that would allow customers to close their accounts at any time and deny lenders access to automatic payments in states where predatory loans are illegal. Read more.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT PROBING BANKS' ROLE IN FRAUD BY CUSTOMERS

The U.S. Justice Department is examining the role financial institutions play in fraud schemes perpetrated by bank customers offering deceptive products, Reuters reported yesterday. Attorneys and investigators in the DOJ's Civil Division are examining banks' possible role in assisting scammers who offer questionable payday loans, false offers of debt relief, fraudulent health care discount cards and phony government grants, according to Michael Bresnick, who heads the department's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. That task force has been focused on pursuing the type of misconduct that fueled the financial crisis, but the new priorities suggest that investigators are looking beyond those cases into other types of financial misconduct that extends to different industries, from payday lending to auto loans. Read more.

WITH FREDDIE MAC SUIT, BANKS FACE BILLIONS MORE IN LIBOR CLAIMS

The fallout from the manipulation of the London interbank offered rate (Libor) has already cost banks $2.5 billion in penalties, but that sum pales in comparison to payouts that will come from private lawsuits, the New York Times DealBook blog reported yesterday. Any finding of liability could be compounded because of the potential for any award to be tripled under the antitrust laws. The latest salvo comes from mortgage finance company Freddie Mac, which has filed a lawsuit in the Federal District Court in Alexandria, Va. It asserts that the company was harmed by collusive activity among the banks that lowered the benchmark interest rate. And where Freddie Mac goes, Fannie Mae, its larger sibling, usually follows, so we can expect it to file a suit seeking damages from Libor manipulation. The three regulatory settlements to date – with Barclays, UBS and the Royal Bank of Scotland — provide much of the evidence Freddie Mac relies on in its complaint. Among the documents now public is a litany of e-mails demonstrating just how the banks worked to lower their Libor submissions to benefit their trading positions and make themselves appear stronger during the height of the financial crisis. Read more.

COMMENTARY: THE PROBLEM WITH "TOO BIG TO FAIL" BANKS

The real issue with "too big to fail" financial institutions resides in the government-provided incentives for banks to get inefficiently big in the first place, according to a commentary in yesterday's Wall Street Journal. In the absence of such incentives, according to the commentary, the risk-averse funding on which banks thrive would not be available to allow banks to create sprawling credit portfolios impossible for regulators or investors in the marketplace to assess. Modern governments, as long as they are assuming the risks of the financial system, find it convenient to have those risks concentrated in a few very large, very handy institutions. A lean solution would be to require banks to hold Treasury paper against their insured deposits, according to the commentary. Those experts who prefer solutions like higher capital requirements maintain that the business of banks would survive, forcing banks to rely more on equity than debt to finance their activities. If so, then experts should also consider that equity markets might erect new business models to finance small businesses and credit-worthy consumers if government-insured deposits were no longer available at all to underwrite such risks. Read the full commentary. (Subscription required.)

ANALYSIS: SYNTHETIC CDOs MAKING COMEBACK

Derivatives that pool credit-default swaps to make magnified bets on corporate debt, popularized in the last credit bubble, are making a comeback as investors search farther afield for alternatives to bonds at record-low yields, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. Citigroup Inc. is among several banks that have sold as much as $1 billion of synthetic collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) this year, following $2 billion in all of 2012, according to estimates from the New York-based lender. Trading in tranches of indexes that use a similar strategy to juice yields rose 61 percent in the past month. Synthetic credit, which amplified the financial crisis five years ago, is enticing investors after corporate-bond yields dropped to less than half the 20-year average. Read more.

LATEST ABI PODCAST EXAMINES EFFECTIVENESS OF CURRENT FINANCIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

The latest ABI podcast features ABI Resident Scholar Prof. Scott Pryor speaking with Prof. Lauren Willis of Loyola Law School talking about the effectiveness of current financial education programs. Willis discusses the strengths and weaknesses of current financial education programs and what improvements can be made going forward. Click here to listen to the podcast.

BLOOMBERG'S LATEST "BILL ON BANKRUPTCY" VIDEO: WHY IS KODAK'S STOCK SOARING?

Despite Eastman Kodak Co. stock shooting up dramatically in a week's time, investors might not have the same long-term profitable outcome that owners of American Airlines shares enjoyed, as Bloomberg Law's Lee Pacchia and Bloomberg News bankruptcy columnist Bill Rochelle discuss on their new video. Click here to watch the video.

DON'T MISS ACB'S FREE EVENT TOMORROW, "THE AUTO BANKRUPTCIES: CHECKING THE REARVIEW MIRROR," ON MARCH 22!

ABI members are encouraged to register for the American College of Bankruptcy's "The Auto Bankruptcies: Checking the Rearview Mirror" on March 22 at Boston College Law School in Newton, Mass. The afternoon event will feature key players looking back at the events that led to GM and Chrysler being placed into bankruptcy and the lessons that have been learned from the cases. Panelists include:

• Corinne Ball of Jones Day (New York), who served as lead bankruptcy counsel to Chrysler.

• Matthew A. Feldman of Willkie Farr and Gallagher LLP (New York), who served as chief legal advisor to the Obama administration's Task Force on the Auto Industry.

• Hon. Arthur J. Gonzalez, a Senior Fellow at New York University School of Law and formerly the Chief Bankruptcy Judge for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, who presided over the Chrysler chapter 11 proceedings.

• Harvey R. Miller of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP (New York), who served as lead bankruptcy counsel to GM.

The moderator will be Mark N. Berman of Nixon Peabody LLP (New York).

Registration for the afternoon event is free, so be sure to sign up today before it reaches capacity!

HOTEL BLOCK FOR ABI'S ANNUAL SPRING MEETING ALMOST SOLD OUT! REGISTER TODAY!

The hotel block at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., is almost sold out for ABI’s 2013 Annual Spring Meeting! Held April 18-21, 2013, ASM features a roster of the best national speakers, while the depth and scope of topics offer something for everyone. Specifically, four concurrent workshops will cover various “tracks,” including programs for attorneys in commercial cases, a track for restructuring professionals, a track of professional development programming and a track dealing solely with consumer issues. More than 16 hours of CLE/CPE is offered in some states, along with ethics credit totaling 3 hours, making the cost only about $50 per credit. In addition, committee sessions will drill down on other topics to provide you with the most practical and varied CLE/CPE experience ever. Sessions include:

• 17th Annual Great Debates
• Mediation: An Irrational Approach to a Rational Result
• Creditors’ Committees and the Role of Indenture Trustees and Related Issues
• Current Issues for Financial Advisors in Bankruptcy Cases
• The Individual Conundrum: Chapter 7, 11 or 13?
• The Power to Veto Bankruptcy Sales
• Real Estate Issues in Health Care Restructurings
• How to Be a Successful Expert
• The Ethical Compass: Multiple Ethical Schemes Applicable to Financial Advisors
• Chapter 9s, Nonprofits and Other Nontraditional Restructuring Processes
• And much more!

The Spring Meeting will also feature a field hearing of the ABI Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11, a report from the ABI Ethics Task Force, a luncheon panel discussion moderated by Bill Rochelle of Bloomberg News, and a Final Night Gala Dinner featuring a concert by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts!

Make sure to register today!

ABI IN-DEPTH

TEE OFF ON THE NEW ABI GOLF TOUR!

Starting with the Annual Spring Meeting, ABI will offer conference registrants the option to participate in the ABI Golf Tour. The Tour will take place concurrently with all conference golf tournaments. The Tour is designed to enhance the golfing experience for serious golfers, while still offering a fun networking opportunity for players of any ability. As opposed to the format used in the regular ABI conference events, Tour participants will "play their own ball." They will be grouped on the golf course separately from other conference golf participants and will typically play ahead of the other participants, expediting Tour play. Tour participants will randomly be grouped in foursomes, unless otherwise requested of the Commissioner in advance of each tournament. Prizes will be awarded for each individual Tour event, which are sponsored by Great American Group. The grand prize is the "Great American Cup," also sponsored by Great American Group, and will be awarded to the top player at the end of the Tour season. Registration is free. Click here for more information and a list of 2013 ABI Golf Tour event venues.

NEW BANKRUPTCY PROFESSIONALS: DON'T MISS THE NUTS AND BOLTS PROGRAM AT ABI'S ANNUAL SPRING MEETING! SPECIAL PRICING IF YOU ARE AN ASM REGISTRANT!

An outstanding faculty of judges and practitioners explains the fundamentals of bankruptcy in a one-day Nuts and Bolts program on April 18 being held in conjunction with ABI's Annual Spring Meeting. Ideal training for junior professionals or those new to this practice area!

The morning session covers concepts all bankruptcy practitioners need to know, and the afternoon session splits into concurrent tracks, focusing on consumer and business issues. The session will include written materials, practice tip sessions with bankruptcy judges, continental breakfast and a reception after the program. Click here to register!

LATEST CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: STAKER V. JUBBER (IN RE STAKER; 10TH CIR.)

Summarized by Geoffrey Miller from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona

Dismissing the appeals of the bankruptcy court's orders remanding two quiet title actions to state court, the Tenth Circuit BAP held that the appeals were moot and that the debtors lacked the requisite standing to appeal the bankruptcy court's orders.

There are more than 800 appellate opinions summarized on Volo, and summaries typically appear within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: EXAMINATION OF PENSION AND OPEB LIABILITIES FACING MUNICIPALITIES

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks 35 bankruptcy-related blogs. A recent blog post examines two of the largest issues facing municipalities today: underfunded pensions and unfunded "other" post-employment obligations (OPEB).

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

ABI Quick Poll

Who will win the NCAA basketball tournament?

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL

INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 37 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

Have a Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn Account?

Join our networks to expand yours.

2013

March
- Bankruptcy Battleground West
     March 22, 2013 | Los Angeles, Calif.
- ACB's Free Event, "The Auto Bankruptcies: Checking the Rearview Mirror" Program
     March 22, 2013 | Newton, Mass.

April
- ABI Live Webinar: "Legacy Liabilities : Dealing with Environmental, Pension, Union and Similar Types of Claims"
     April 5, 2013
- ABI Live Webinar: "Student Loans: Bankruptcy May Not Have the Answers - But Does Congress?"
     April 10, 2013
- "Nuts and Bolts" Program at ASM
     April 18, 2013 | National Harbor, Md.
- Annual Spring Meeting
     April 18-21, 2013 | National Harbor, Md.

May
- "Nuts and Bolts" Program at NYCBC
     May 15, 2013 | New York, N.Y.
- ABI Endowment Cocktail Reception
     May 15, 2013 | New York, N.Y.
- New York City Bankruptcy Conference
     May 16, 2013 | New York, N.Y.
- Litigation Skills Symposium
     May 21-24, 2013 | Dallas, Texas

June
- Memphis Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
     June 7, 2013 | Memphis, Tenn.
- Central States Bankruptcy Workshop
     June 13-16, 2013 | Grand Traverse, Mich.

July
- Northeast Bankruptcy Conference and Northeast Consumer Forum
     July 11-14, 2013 | Newport, R.I.
- Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop
     July 18-21, 2013 | Amelia Island, Fla.