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Are Intercreditor Agreements Now Going According to Plan?
Intercreditor agreements should add consensus and cohesion to the bankruptcy process. They provide a framework to align creditors with often directly conflicting interests, before those interests are tested under the duress of a restructuring or liquidation. And this opportunity for pre-restructuring alignment is of greater importance given today's active secondary loan market, which clears a path for the debtor's original relationship lenders to sell their interests should a restructuring loom. Distressed debt purchasers, on the other hand, may have different objectives that make them less willing to join forces with longer-term holders.
The desire to avoid the destructive nature of intercreditor disputes motivated the American Bar Association to produce a model first lien/second lien intercreditor agreement in 2010 (Model ICA). Unfortunately, the road to a quick and easy resolution of intercreditor issues has not yet been realized. Notwithstanding the call of judges and bar associations for greater precision in their drafting, these agreements continue to suffer from a lack of clarity. Moreover, they often fail to take heed of the likely path of a restructuring.
Intercreditor agreements typically involve debt and/or lien subordination. While section 510(a) of the Bankruptcy Code provides that “subordination” agreements are enforceable in the context of a proceeding, and while there is case law supporting a broad read of the term “subordination,” views continue to differ as to whether subordination captures solely “debt subordination,” “lien subordination,” or both. The result is, of course, fertile ground for litigation. See The Committee on Commercial Finance, ABA Section of Business Law, Report of the Model First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement Task Force, 65 Bus. Law. 809, 867 & n.95 (2010) (hereinafter, ABA Model ICA).
Yachts, Jets, Horses & Hooch: Specialized Commercial Leasing Models
Defining commercial real estate asset class is essentially a property explaining how it identifies — not necessarily what its original intention was or what others think it ought to be. This article discusses, from a general issue-spot and contextual analysis perspective, how lawyers ought to think about specialized leasing formats and the regulatory backdrops that may inform what the documentation needs to contain for compliance purposes.
Hyperlinked Documents: The Latest e-Discovery Challenge
As courts and discovery experts debate whether hyperlinked content should be treated the same as traditional attachments, legal practitioners are grappling with the technical and legal complexities of collecting, analyzing and reviewing these documents in real-world cases.
Identifying Your Practice's Differentiator
How to Convey Your Merits In a Way That Earns Trust, Clients and Distinctions Just as no two individuals have the exact same face, no two lawyers practice in their respective fields or serve clients in the exact same way. Think of this as a "Unique Value Proposition." Internal consideration about what you uniquely bring to your clients, colleagues, firm and industry can provide untold benefits for your law practice.
Risks and Ad Fraud Protection In Digital Advertising
The ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, coupled with the industry-wide adoption of programmatic advertising, poses a significant threat to the effectiveness and integrity of digital advertising campaigns. This article explores various risks to digital advertising from pixel stuffing and ad stacking to domain spoofing and bots. It will also explore what should be done to ensure ad fraud protection and improve effectiveness.
Turning Business Development Plans Into Reality
This article offers practical insights and best practices to navigate the path from roadmap to rainmaking, ensuring your business development efforts are not just sporadic bursts of activity, but an integrated part of your daily success.