The New Patent Venue Regime
November 02, 2017
Venue in patent cases lies "in the judicial district where the defendant resides, or where the defendant has committed acts of infringement and has a regular and established place of business." Since 1990, the Federal Circuit interpreted the term "resides" coextensively with the general venue statute such that patent venue lay where the defendant was subject to personal jurisdiction. But this year, the Supreme Court greatly narrowed that definition in <i>TC Heartland v. Kraft Foods</i>. The Federal Circuit, in turn, interpreted the newly-relevant alternative phrase. After two decades of relaxed patent venue rules, these decisions work a seismic shift in patent litigation.
Cybersecurity in Commercial Equipment Leases
November 02, 2017
<b><i>Hidden Liability for the Unwary Lessor</i></b><p>Much has been written in the industry about equipment lessors' cybersecurity practices for the protection of their information. The issue addressed herein is the equipment lessor's obligations and potential liability for information stored on equipment returned to the lessor at the end of a lease.
Is Electricity a 'Good' Under Article 9?
November 02, 2017
Can a creditor obtain a security interest in electricity under UCC Article 9? It covers security interests in fixtures and personal property. Clearly, electricity is not real property or a fixture. But what kind of personal property is it?
In the Marketplace
November 02, 2017
Who's doing what; who's going where in the equipment leasing industry.
Recognizing the Signs of Financial Distress
November 02, 2017
Diagnosing financial distress, and the ability to address the relevant issues, is a necessary role of board members and senior executives. This article examines the types of distress, how to measure it versus how the capital markets measure it, and some of the tools and solutions a company has to address the issues during times of stress.
Discovery Strategies for a Creditor in a Bankruptcy Case
November 01, 2017
<b><i>Beyond Filing a Proof of Claim</b></i><p>This article explains the rights of a creditor, whether an equipment financier or otherwise, to pursue examinations of a debtor in bankruptcy in order to obtain sworn testimony and information that may be helpful to the creditor.
The Art of Filing a Proof of Claim in a Bankruptcy Case
October 02, 2017
<b><I>Rule Changes You Should Understand</I></b><p>This article focuses on the strategies that an equipment financier may explore when it needs to file a proof of claim in a bankruptcy case to preserve its rights. It also describes a debtor's right to object to a creditor's claim.
Update: The China Equipment Leasing Market
October 02, 2017
<b><I>Reaching an Inflection Point</I></b><p>As the Chinese government tightly regulates leasing, it is problematic that the industry has never been able to develop a unified position on important licensing, tax, capitalization, regulatory and other requirements. This needs to change if the industry is to continue to expand, particularly among small and medium enterprises.
The Food Safety Modernization Act
September 02, 2017
Comprising the largest rewrite of U.S. food safety regulations in more than 70 years, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which was signed into law on Jan. 4, 2011, has broad implications for almost all constituents involved in the food and feed industry. But FSMA's effect on equipment lessors and other secured lenders requires some consideration and analysis.
