Bankruptcy Blogs

Morning Scan: Disparate Impact Survives; CFPB Unleashes Complaints

06/26/15

Receiving Wide Coverage ...

Disparate Impact Sticks Around: The Supreme Court backed the "disparate impact" legal theory yesterday in a decision that dashed the hopes of banks while buoying housing advocates and the Obama Administration. Justices came to a 5-4 decision affirming that plaintiffs can sue organizations under the Fair Housing Act of 1968 by alleging that their housing practices disproportionately impact minorities, even in the absence of proof of intentional discrimination. The New York Times...

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Sale Watch: WBH Energy, Ltd.

06/25/15

This is a new feature on A Texas Bankruptcy Lawyers Blog.   Whenever I hear about Section 363 sales in Texas, I will mention them here to try to get the word out.   Please feel free to send me any sales you are involved in or happen to hear about.

Case No. 15-10003; WBH Energy, Ltd.; Western District of Texas, Austin Division

Bidding Procedures Order:    Dkt. #361; 5/11/15

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Coming and Going Concerns

06/25/15

Michael M. Fay has joined the New York office of Berg & Androphy as a partner. He has experience in bankruptcy, product liability, real estate and corporate governance and has represented such clients as investment firms and hedge funds. Mr. Fay most recently worked with law firm Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman.

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Lawmakers' Inaction Could Put Homeowners in Double Jeopardy

06/25/15

If Congress fails to extend the Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Relief Act, thousands of homeowners still suffering from the effects of the housing crisis could be forced to pay federal income tax on loan modifications or foreclosures.

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Rare-Earths Miner Molycorp Enters Chapter 11

06/25/15
Molycorp, the U.S.’s only rare-earths producer, is struggling to stay alive, partly because of problems at its mine and processing plant in Mountain Pass, CA.
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Morning Scan: Reputational Challenges; Home Loans Get Riskier

06/25/15

Receiving Wide Coverage ...

Regaining a Good Name ... Slowly: Americans trust banks more now than they did in 2012Â--but that's a pretty low bar to clear. Twenty-eight percent of people say they have a lot of confidence in banks, up from 21% the last time the survey was conducted three years ago, according to a June Gallup survey of 1,527 adults. While the American Bankers Association's blog appeared heartened by the improvement, other op-eds say...

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How Great Customer Service Is Really Delivered

06/25/15

Any company with committed leadership can deliver experiences that create value for customers, colleagues and shareholders, if they adopt these management practices, write Robert Schiff and Victor Liu.

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How a Great Customer Experience Is Really Delivered

06/25/15

Any company with committed leadership can deliver experiences that create value for customers, colleagues and shareholders, if they adopt these management practices, write Robert Schiff and Victor Liu.

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Good News for Bad Loans in Italy

06/24/15

Bankruptcy reform in Italy will make it much easier for banks – or distressed debt buyers – to seize and sell properties or other collateral. That should speed up sales of bad loans and so – slowly – lift banks’ lending capacity.

However, it could also be worth billions of euros to banks from day one for a simple financial reason: present value discounting. The prospect of getting money back sooner increases the value of a bad debt today.

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Women in Banking: Heidi Miller's New Gig; #TheNew10

06/24/15

Former JPMorgan Chase executive Heidi Miller was added to the board at M&A services provider SRS Acquiom. Before she retired, Miller was a fixture in American Banker's Most Powerful Women rankings from 2003 to 2010 and topped the list from 2007 to 2009.

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