RIAA Files More Suits
February 17, 2004
Using the "John Doe" method, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) filed another 531 lawsuits against file downloaders on Feb. 17.
A New Reality for Lessors in Synthetic Leasing Transactions
February 10, 2004
In a discussion of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Interpretation No. 46, Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, in the November 2003 issue of this newsletter, Jeffrey Ellis wrote that: "accountants will be struggling to implement the guidance in FIN 46 for a while longer." The multiple FASB staff positions issued, ongoing public comment, and lengthy discussions at FASB meetings concerning changes to existing guidance on consolidation of variable interest entities, continuing almost a full year after issuance of the rules, confirm his conclusion. The effective date for certain applications of FIN 46 was delayed until Dec. 31, 2003, but all of the Big Four firms continued to clamor for guidance. With that new deadline only days away, FASB issued FIN 46-R on Dec. 24.
ELA Responds to Proposed Budget Legislation
February 10, 2004
On Jan. 13, 2004 the Treasury Department announced a series of legislative proposals, included in the president's fiscal year 2005 budget, for the purpose of closing loopholes, halting several abusive tax avoidance transactions, and simplifying the tax code. Of particular interest to the leasing community is the proposal: "Stop Abusive Leasing Transactions with Tax-Indifferent Parties."
Court Negates Revised Article 9
February 10, 2004
The law of consignment sales of goods — under which merchandise is delivered by a seller (a "consignor") to another person (a "consignee") to hold for sale to a third party — has long been a source of confusion and uncertainty for both consignors (seeking to protect their rights to their consigned goods) and creditors of the consignee (seeking to satisfy their claims against the consignee and its assets). Prior to the enactment in 2001 of revised Article 9 ("Revised Article 9") of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), the treatment of consignment sales had straddled both Article 2 of the UCC, which covers the sale of goods, and Article 9 of the UCC, which covers the creation and perfection of a security interest in goods. The drafters of Revised Article 9 sought to eliminate this confusion by removing all regulation of consignment sales from UCC Article 2, and lodging all regulation of consignments under the UCC (to the extent not covered by common law) squarely within UCC Article 9. However, the recent Bankruptcy Court decision in the case of In re Morgansen's Ltd., 302 B.R. 784 (Bankr. E.D.N.Y., Oct. 14, 2003) would, if sustained on appeal, negate many of the improvements introduced by Revised Article 9 and wreak havoc on the treatment of consignment sales of consumer goods and other "true" consignments not expressly covered by Revised Article 9.
FTC Approves 'Merger to Monopoly' in Innovation Market
February 10, 2004
The intersection of intellectual property and antitrust has been the subject of much fanfare over the past decade. The antitrust agencies have held numerous workshops where enforcement officials and practitioners have debated the scope and limitations of antitrust when such principles intersect with IP rights. The most notable work product generated as a result of this focus has been the 1995 Guidelines setting forth antitrust policy for the Licensing of Intellectual Property issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Utmost Caution: The Standard of Conduct for SSO Participants
February 10, 2004
The legal odyssey of Rambus, Inc. ("Rambus") over the last 4 years is a cautionary tale for companies that participate in standards-setting organizations (SSO) while developing and maintaining patent portfolios. Although Rambus has successfully defeated claims brought by Infineon Technologies, A.G. ("Infineon") that Rambus engaged in fraud while participating in an SSO, and while Rambus appears poised to beat back claims brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the cost to the company has been substantial.
