Developers of digital tokens can find themselves in an existential crisis. Security or not a security? Commodity or not a commodity? To register or not to register? Bitcoin, Ethereum, Aave, and the like are cryptocurrencies available on a decentralized network and are generally viewed as commodities not necessarily subject to the heavily regulated environment of … Continue Reading
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have gotten a lot of media attention of late, with breathless reports of multi-million dollar purchases of items one might never have expected to command such staggering sums. The objects sold have included digital artworks (such as drawings, music, and short videos) and even an autographed tweet by Twitter’s founder. Talk of … Continue Reading
A proposed class action filed in federal court in California on April 20 demands refunds for all fans who purchased tickets to Major League Baseball (MLB) games that have been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic. The suit, filed against MLB and online ticket sellers StubHub, Ticketmaster, Live Nation, and Last Minute Transactions, may … Continue Reading
Last week, on the heels of a significant decline in Bitcoin prices, Forbes reported that China’s Central Bank is set to launch the world’s first state-backed cryptocurrency. The cryptocurrency will be made available initially to seven of China’s largest financial institutions, including three banks and two financial technology companies (including Alibaba). It is planned to … Continue Reading
Last week H.R.1625 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 was enacted. The Act includes a continuation of funding, until September 30, 2018, for the EB-5 Regional Center Program. EB-5 financing has been a low cost financing alternative for real estate developers when compared to other capital sources. EB-5 credit facilities are typically structured as staged funding … Continue Reading
On November 1, President Trump formally did away with a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) arbitration rule that would have given consumers the opportunity to file class actions against banks and other companies in the financial services industry. The CFPB rule was released in July 2017. It sought to prohibit and eliminate bans against class … Continue Reading
With 2016 rapidly drawing to a close, here are some thoughts regarding the types of litigation and legal/regulatory issues that will likely be top-of-mind for financial services companies, especially mortgage companies and banks, in 2017: RMBS Suits and Mortgage Repurchase or Indemnification Claims I admit it—I never would have thought, when I started working on … Continue Reading
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, a highly influential appellate court sitting in New York, on September 26 issued a unanimous ruling with major implications for antitrust and unfair competition laws, the payment card industry, and merchants that accept payments by credit card. The Second Circuit reversed a district court win … Continue Reading
After the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 authorized its creation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) began operating on July 21, 2011. In the more than five years since it opened its doors, the CFPB has rarely appeared shy or hesitant about asserting its authority. Critics—most often the businesses over … Continue Reading
In the aftermath of major data breaches at deep-pocketed retailers and other businesses, there is typically no shortage of litigants who move quickly to seek compensation from the business at which the breach occurred. But whether the would-be plaintiffs’ claims get very far in court often depends on whether those plaintiffs are individual consumers, or … Continue Reading
Virtually ever since its inception on July 21, 2011, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has inspired wariness and skepticism `in the financial institutions and financial services providers subject to this new agency’s rather ill-defined “jurisdiction” and enforcement authority. As the CFPB embarked on an unmistakably aggressive campaign to exert authority over various sectors of … Continue Reading
Citibank, N.A. has asked a federal district court to bless its $23 million settlement in a class action lawsuit alleging a wide-ranging conspiracy among banks to fix yen-denominated London Interbank Offered Rates (LIBOR) interest rates between 2006 and 2010. The settlement is the first of its kind in the case. The lead plaintiff in the … Continue Reading
As we reflect on 2015, we are especially thankful for all of the connections that we have made this year. We are thankful for our clients, our colleagues, our friends, and all of our readers. Thus, for our holiday video we wanted to focus on the power of relationships because our relationships are the foundation … Continue Reading
On January 12-13, 2016, iGlobal Forum will host the 5th Specialty Finance Summit in New York. The first day is a Pre-Summit series of topical morning and afternoon workshops. The actual Summit begins on January 13, 2016 and will provide all attendees with the opportunity to hear directly from leading dealmakers in the industry, advising … Continue Reading
In the span of two days, mobile device users learned of two data breaches that could compromise their personal data. In one, Experian (a credit reporting agency) reported that it was hacked, potentially putting 15 million American consumers’ data at risk. Many of those consumers were T-Mobile customers who needed to submit to a credit … Continue Reading
For too long, “swiping” a credit card has had at least one meaning too many. There was “swiping” as it pertains to running the magnetic strip of your credit card inside the groove of a small payment terminal to make an in-person payment by credit card to a retailer. But there is also far too much of … Continue Reading
Many big cities in the United States responded to the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis by passing local laws which pressure banks to invest more in low-income neighborhoods. Between 2010 and 2013, cities such as New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, Boston, Minneapolis, Kansas City and Pittsburgh all enacted ordinances of this … Continue Reading
Attorneys for certain banks and other financial institutions that are caught up in Target’s 2013 data breach are objecting to the $67 million deal struck last week between the retailer and Visa Inc. The banks and credit unions are the only plaintiffs left in the data breach litigation after Target paid $10 million in March … Continue Reading
A federal appeals court has revived a lawsuit accusing MasterCard, Visa and three major banks of illegally fixing ATM prices to the detriment of consumers. A federal district judge had thrown out the lawsuit in 2013 after finding the plaintiffs failed to show any conspiracy to overcharge consumers. On Tuesday, the federal appeals court in … Continue Reading
Late last month, a New York state judge denied AIG’s request to delay approval of Bank of America’s $8.5 billion settlement with private investors in connection with certain mortgage-backed securities that had soured. Bank of America agreed to the settlement in June 2011 in order to resolve claims brought by institutional investors such as Black … Continue Reading
The real wolves of Wall Street–sixteen of America’s largest banks–could end up shelling out more than $50 billion to secure settlements from the federal government in connection with their alleged roles in the mortgage crisis. Of this amount, up to $15 billion would go directly to affected homeowners in the form of cash payments and/or … Continue Reading
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