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HOUSING PROGRAM SEEKS TO CUT MONTHLY PAYMENTS FOR DISTRESSED BORROWERS



Federal housing regulators took a significant step yesterday toward helping borrowers who are falling behind on their mortgage payments — a move that will help more people but will also introduce new risks that some homeowners could deliberately stop paying in order to become eligible for assistance, the Washington Post reported today. The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, announced that borrowers who are more than 90 days late on their mortgages become automatically eligible for a modification to the terms of the home loan. In the past, to be eligible for a mortgage modification, borrowers had to provide documentation that they had a financial hardship. They will no longer be required to do so — though providing such documentation will make borrowers eligible for more substantial monthly savings. "This new option gives delinquent borrowers another path to avoid foreclosure," said Edward DeMarco, the acting director of FHFA. "We will still encourage such borrowers to provide documentation to support other modification options that would likely result in additional borrower savings." The program is only available to loans owned or guaranteed by Fannie and Freddie, which have been government-backed and controlled since late 2008. The relief would come in the form of a reduced interest rate, extended timeline for payments, or other measures. The goal is to reduce monthly payments. Read more.

S&P SEEKS TO MERGE STATE SUITS INTO ONE FEDERAL CASE



While 17 lawsuits have been filed against Standard & Poor's Ratings Services by state attorneys general who claim that the firm churned out shoddy ratings before or after the financial crisis, S&P wants to move the cases into a federal court—and shrink the total number of cases to one, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Winning the fight to merge the cases into a single lawsuit in federal court could help S&P limit its legal exposure by streamlining the potential damage claims against the rating firm, a unit of McGraw-Hill Cos. In recent court filings from Connecticut to Colorado, lawyers for S&P contend that the 17 state-court suits should be removed from those courts because rating firms are regulated under U.S. securities laws. "Congress has expressly found credit ratings and the management of potential conflicts of interest related to them to be 'of national importance,' " S&P said in a filing on Monday in an Iowa district court. In addition, S&P contends that it should only have to defend itself against only one merged case. Read more. (Subscription required.)

ANALYSIS: "TOO BIG TO FAIL" FEARS RISE AS BANKS BULK UP



Nearly three years after Congress passed the most far-reaching new regulations on Wall Street since the Great Depression, worries have resurfaced that the biggest U.S. banks have only grown in size and remain bailout candidates because they are “too big to fail,” the Washington Times reported on Tuesday. The latest fears cropped up as a result of statements by Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., who raised hairs on Capitol Hill last month when he testified that the Justice Department has not indicted any of the major U.S. banks or their top officers in cases of financial crimes in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis because there has been concern that doing so might hurt the economy or destabilize financial markets. "I am concerned that the size of some of these institutions becomes so large that it does become difficult for us to prosecute them when we are hit with indications that if you do prosecute, if you do bring a criminal charge, it will have a negative impact on the national economy, perhaps even the world economy," he told the Senate Judiciary Committee. Though Holder's testimony did not initially get much publicity, his comments soon provoked outrage across a broad spectrum of legislators, from conservatives such as House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) to liberals such as Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). Key legislators have since written Holder to demand an elaboration of his statement, which on its face amounts to an admission that the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law signed by President Obama did not accomplish one of its major goals: ensuring that the government would never again have to worry about “too-big-to-fail” banks. Read more.

SCHEDULED BANKRUPTCY COST INCREASES SET TO TAKE EFFECT ON APRIL 1



Certain dollar amounts in title 11 and title 28 of the U.S. Code will be increased for cases commencing after April 1, 2013. Seven Official Bankruptcy Forms (1, 6C, 6E, 7, 10, 22A and 22C) and two Director's Forms (200 and 283) will also be amended to reflect these adjusted dollar amounts. For a list of the sections in title 11 and 28 of the Bankruptcy Code affected by the increases, please click here.

Looking for more information? ABI’s Interactive Code and Rules (http://law.abi.org) is always up to date!

TRANSCRIPT NOW AVAILABLE FROM THE CHAPTER 11 COMMISSION'S HEARING ON LABOR AND BENEFITS ISSUES



The March 14 hearing of the ABI Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11 brought together two panels of top experts on labor and benefits issues. What were some of the topics discussed during the proceedings? Read the transcript here.

HOTEL BLOCK FOR ABI'S ANNUAL SPRING MEETING ALMOST SOLD OUT! REGISTER TODAY!



The hotel block at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., is almost sold out for ABI’s 2013 Annual Spring Meeting! Held April 18-21, 2013, ASM features a roster of the best national speakers, while the depth and scope of topics offer something for everyone. Specifically, four concurrent workshops will cover various “tracks,” including programs for attorneys in commercial cases, a track for restructuring professionals, a track of professional development programming and a track dealing solely with consumer issues. More than 16 hours of CLE/CPE is offered in some states, along with ethics credit totaling 3 hours, making the cost only about $50 per credit. In addition, committee sessions will drill down on other topics to provide you with the most practical and varied CLE/CPE experience ever. Sessions include:

• 17th Annual Great Debates

• Mediation: An Irrational Approach to a Rational Result

• Creditors’ Committees and the Role of Indenture Trustees and Related Issues

• Current Issues for Financial Advisors in Bankruptcy Cases

• The Individual Conundrum: Chapter 7, 11 or 13?

• The Power to Veto Bankruptcy Sales

• Real Estate Issues in Health Care Restructurings

• How to Be a Successful Expert

• The Ethical Compass: Multiple Ethical Schemes Applicable to Financial Advisors

• Chapter 9s, Nonprofits and Other Nontraditional Restructuring Processes

• And much more!

The Spring Meeting will also feature a field hearing of the ABI Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11, a report from the ABI Ethics Task Force, a luncheon panel discussion moderated by Bill Rochelle of Bloomberg News, and a Final Night Gala Dinner featuring a concert by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts!

Make sure to register today!

ABI IN-DEPTH

TEE OFF ON THE NEW ABI GOLF TOUR!



Starting with the Annual Spring Meeting, ABI will offer conference registrants the option to participate in the ABI Golf Tour. The Tour will take place concurrently with all conference golf tournaments. The Tour is designed to enhance the golfing experience for serious golfers, while still offering a fun networking opportunity for players of any ability. As opposed to the format used at ABI’s regular conference events, Tour participants will "play their own ball." They will be grouped on the golf course separately from other conference golf participants and will typically play ahead of the other participants, expediting Tour play. Tour participants will be randomly grouped in foursomes, unless otherwise requested of the Commissioner in advance of each tournament. Prizes will be awarded for each individual Tour event, which are sponsored by Great American Group. The grand prize is the "Great American Cup," also sponsored by Great American Group, which will be awarded to the top player at the end of the Tour season. Registration is free. Click here for more information and a list of 2013 ABI Golf Tour event venues.

NEW BANKRUPTCY PROFESSIONALS: DON'T MISS THE NUTS AND BOLTS PROGRAM AT ABI'S ANNUAL SPRING MEETING! SPECIAL PRICING IF YOU ARE AN ASM REGISTRANT!



An outstanding faculty of judges and practitioners explains the fundamentals of bankruptcy in a one-day Nuts and Bolts program on April 18 being held in conjunction with ABI's Annual Spring Meeting. Ideal training for junior professionals or those new to this practice area!

The morning session covers concepts all bankruptcy practitioners need to know, and the afternoon session splits into concurrent tracks, focusing on consumer and business issues. The session will include written materials, practice tip sessions with bankruptcy judges, continental breakfast and a reception after the program. Click here to register!

LATEST CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: SEAVER V. KLEIN-SWANSON (IN RE KLEIN-SWANSON; 8TH CIR.)



Summarized by Omid Moezzi from the Office of Nancy Curry, Chapter 13 Trustee

The Eighth Circuit reversed the bankruptcy court's ruling in favor of the chapter 7 trustee, stating that (1) there was no transfer of funds under § 549 or 550 to the debtor, (2) the trustee failed to show how the estate acquired an interest in the funds received by the debtor post-petition, and (3) since the trustee is no longer a prevailing party, the award of costs under Rule 7054(b) is not appropriate.

There are more than 800 appellate opinions summarized on Volo, and summaries typically appear within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: HOUSE OVERDRAFT BILL COULD HURT CONSUMERS

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks 35 bankruptcy-related blogs. A recent post took the position that H.R. 1261, the "Overdraft Protection Act of 2013" recently introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), will penalize the very customers the bill is trying to protect. Limiting the number of overdraft fees that financial institutions can charge an individual to one per month and six per year, as the bill seeks to do, could cause some consumers to miss a monthly mortgage or auto loan payment, have their utilities turned off or have their insurance cancelled when checks begin to bounce, according to the post.

Click here to view the text of the bill.

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

ABI Quick Poll

Who will win the NCAA basketball tournament?

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL



INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 37 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

Have a Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn Account?

Join our networks to expand yours.

2013

April

- ABI Live Webinar: "Legacy Liabilities : Dealing with Environmental, Pension, Union and Similar Types of Claims"

     April 5, 2013

- ABI Live Webinar: "Student Loans: Bankruptcy May Not Have the Answers - But Does Congress?"

     April 10, 2013

- "Nuts and Bolts" Program at ASM

     April 18, 2013 | National Harbor, Md.

- Annual Spring Meeting

     April 18-21, 2013 | National Harbor, Md.

May

- "Nuts and Bolts" Program at NYCBC

     May 15, 2013 | New York, N.Y.

- ABI Endowment Cocktail Reception

     May 15, 2013 | New York, N.Y.

- New York City Bankruptcy Conference

     May 16, 2013 | New York, N.Y.

- Litigation Skills Symposium

     May 21-24, 2013 | Dallas, Texas

June

- Memphis Consumer Bankruptcy Conference

     June 7, 2013 | Memphis, Tenn.

- Central States Bankruptcy Workshop

     June 13-16, 2013 | Grand Traverse, Mich.

July

- Northeast Bankruptcy Conference and Northeast Consumer Forum

     July 11-14, 2013 | Newport, R.I.

- Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop

     July 18-21, 2013 | Amelia Island, Fla.

ANALYSIS: HOW CHAPTER 11 SAVED THE U.S. ECONOMY



Harvard Business School Prof. Stuart C. Gilson’s recent study of the 2008 financial crisis says that restructuring and chapter 11 played a heroic role in helping the country rebound. In his article in the 2012 Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Gilson writes that the "amount of debt that needed to be restructured posed a seemingly insurmountable challenge." At one point, "$3.5 trillion of corporate debt was distressed or in default. [Between] 2008 and 2009, $1.8 trillion worth of public company assets entered chapter 11 bankruptcy protection—almost 20 times more than during the prior two years," according to Gilson. A significant portion of the private-equity industry, he says, was "widely believed to be on the verge of extinction." Instead, in a relatively short time, much of the corporate debt that defaulted during the financial crisis has been managed down, mass liquidations have been averted, and corporate profits, balance sheets and values have rebounded with remarkable speed, according to Gilson's analysis. Read more.

REPORT: U.S. STUDENT LOAN WRITE-OFFS HIT $3 BILLION IN FIRST TWO MONTHS OF 2013



An Equifax study showed that U.S. banks wrote off $3 billion of student loan debt in the first two months of 2013, up more than 36 percent from the same period a year ago, Reuters reported yesterday. The credit reporting agency also said that student lending has grown from last year because more people are going back to school and the cost of higher education has risen. "Continued weakness in labor markets is limiting work options once people graduate or quit their programs, leading to a steady rise in delinquencies and loan write-offs," Equifax Chief Economist Amy Crews Cutts said in a statement. U.S. student loan debt reform has become a more pressing issue since the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) reported in March 2012 that the total surpassed $1 trillion by the end of 2011 and as interest rates on subsidized Stafford loan rates are set to double in July. The cost of earning a 4-year undergraduate degree has gone up by 5.2 percent per year in the last decade, according to the CFPB, forcing more students to take out loans. Read more.

For more information, be sure to register for ABI's "Student Loans: Bankruptcy May Not Have the Answers – But Does Congress?" webinar presented by ABI's Consumer Bankruptcy Committee on April 10 from noon-1:15 ET. Click here for more information.

U.S. CRACKS DOWN ON "FORCED" INSURANCE



A U.S. housing regulator is cracking down on a little-known practice that has hit millions of struggling borrowers with high-price homeowners' insurance policies arranged by banks that benefit from the costly coverage, the Wall Street Journal reported today. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which regulates mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, plans to file a notice today to ban lucrative fees and commissions paid by insurers to banks on so-called force-placed insurance. Such "forced" policies are imposed on homeowners whose standard property coverage lapses, typically because the borrower stops making payments. Critics say that the fee system has given banks a financial incentive to arrange more expensive homeowners' policies than are necessary. FHFA's move would apply nationwide to all mortgages guaranteed or owned by Fannie and Freddie—about half of the housing market. Read more. (Subscription required.)

COMMENTARY: IS IT ALREADY TIME TO WEAKEN DODD-FRANK?



A key effort in the Dodd-Frank financial reform act has been to bring transparency and reforms to the complex market of derivatives, but Republicans and Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee on Wednesday approved seven bills that would roll back parts of the Dodd-Frank financial regulations, according to a commentary in Sunday's Washington Post. However, Dodd-Frank's regulation of derivatives is crucially important to alleviate future financial crises and set a proper course for reform, according to the commentary. The bills now headed to the House floor for a vote weaken Title VII of Dodd-Frank, which is the part that regulates derivatives. "Derivatives are financial weapons of mass destruction, carrying dangers that, while now latent, are potentially lethal," financier Warren Buffett said. Bill Clinton said that he was wrong to avoid regulating derivatives when he had the chance. These financial instruments played a central role in the financial crisis, culminating in the collapse and bailout of AIG. Since Dodd-Frank, there has been extensive debate about the new rules for derivatives, which range from collateral to price transparency. But there has also been a counter-debate about who has to follow the new rules. Those who fall under "end-user exemptions" are largely able to forgo following the Dodd-Frank rules, and the easiest way to understand the bills passed out of the Agriculture Committee is to note that they seek to expand the scope of those exemptions. One bill would weaken cross-border regulations, allowing U.S. firms that run their derivatives in other countries to avoid following the new derivative rules. In the age of electronic trading and overlapping jurisdictions, this limits the ability of regulators to make sure that prudential standards are set in this country. Read more.

LAWSUIT SHEDS LIGHT ON ALLEGED INFLATION OF LEGAL BILL



The thorny issue of law firm billing is at the heart of a lawsuit involving a fee dispute between a law firm and Adam H. Victor, an energy industry executive, the New York Times DealBook blog reported yesterday. After DLA Piper sued Victor for $675,000 in unpaid legal bills, Victor filed a counterclaim, accusing the law firm of a "sweeping practice of overbilling." Victor's feud with DLA Piper began after he retained the firm in April 2010 to prepare a bankruptcy filing for one of his companies. The lawsuit has brought to light e-mails from DLA Piper’s lawyers about how the bill was running way over budget. Another described a colleague’s approach to the assignment as "churn that bill, baby!" Legal ethics scholars said that it is highly unusual to find documentary evidence of possible churning — the creation of unnecessary work to drive up a client's bill. Read more.

HOTEL BLOCK FOR ABI'S ANNUAL SPRING MEETING ALMOST SOLD OUT! REGISTER TODAY!



The hotel block at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., is almost sold out for ABI’s 2013 Annual Spring Meeting! Held April 18-21, 2013, ASM features a roster of the best national speakers, while the depth and scope of topics offer something for everyone. Specifically, four concurrent workshops will cover various “tracks,” including programs for attorneys in commercial cases, a track for restructuring professionals, a track of professional development programming and a track dealing solely with consumer issues. More than 16 hours of CLE/CPE is offered in some states, along with ethics credit totaling 3 hours, making the cost only about $50 per credit. In addition, committee sessions will drill down on other topics to provide you with the most practical and varied CLE/CPE experience ever. Sessions include:

• 17th Annual Great Debates

• Mediation: An Irrational Approach to a Rational Result

• Creditors’ Committees and the Role of Indenture Trustees and Related Issues

• Current Issues for Financial Advisors in Bankruptcy Cases

• The Individual Conundrum: Chapter 7, 11 or 13?

• The Power to Veto Bankruptcy Sales

• Real Estate Issues in Health Care Restructurings

• How to Be a Successful Expert

• The Ethical Compass: Multiple Ethical Schemes Applicable to Financial Advisors

• Chapter 9s, Nonprofits and Other Nontraditional Restructuring Processes

• And much more!

The Spring Meeting will also feature a field hearing of the ABI Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11, a report from the ABI Ethics Task Force, a luncheon panel discussion moderated by Bill Rochelle of Bloomberg News, and a Final Night Gala Dinner featuring a concert by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts!

Make sure to register today!

ABI IN-DEPTH

TEE OFF ON THE NEW ABI GOLF TOUR!



Starting with the Annual Spring Meeting, ABI will offer conference registrants the option to participate in the ABI Golf Tour. The Tour will take place concurrently with all conference golf tournaments. The Tour is designed to enhance the golfing experience for serious golfers, while still offering a fun networking opportunity for players of any ability. As opposed to the format used at ABI’s regular conference events, Tour participants will "play their own ball." They will be grouped on the golf course separately from other conference golf participants and will typically play ahead of the other participants, expediting Tour play. Tour participants will be randomly grouped in foursomes, unless otherwise requested of the Commissioner in advance of each tournament. Prizes will be awarded for each individual Tour event, which are sponsored by Great American Group. The grand prize is the "Great American Cup," also sponsored by Great American Group, which will be awarded to the top player at the end of the Tour season. Registration is free. Click here for more information and a list of 2013 ABI Golf Tour event venues.

NEW BANKRUPTCY PROFESSIONALS: DON'T MISS THE NUTS AND BOLTS PROGRAM AT ABI'S ANNUAL SPRING MEETING! SPECIAL PRICING IF YOU ARE AN ASM REGISTRANT!



An outstanding faculty of judges and practitioners explains the fundamentals of bankruptcy in a one-day Nuts and Bolts program on April 18 being held in conjunction with ABI's Annual Spring Meeting. Ideal training for junior professionals or those new to this practice area!

The morning session covers concepts all bankruptcy practitioners need to know, and the afternoon session splits into concurrent tracks, focusing on consumer and business issues. The session will include written materials, practice tip sessions with bankruptcy judges, continental breakfast and a reception after the program. Click here to register!

LATEST CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: NORTH AMERICAN BANKING CO. V. LEONARD (IN RE WEB2B PAYMENT SOLUTIONS INC.; 8TH CIR.)



Summarized by Brendan Gage, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern & Western Districts of Arkansas

Affirming the bankruptcy court, the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Eighth Circuit held that a creditor loses its possessory lien in deposit accounts when it turns over the account funds to the trustee without requesting a court to adequately protect its lien in the funds.

There are more than 800 appellate opinions summarized on Volo, and summaries typically appear within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: WHAT IS NEXT FOR CREDITORS OF DETROIT?

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks 35 bankruptcy-related blogs. A recent blog post examines the potential next steps for creditors of financially distressed Detroit.

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

ABI Quick Poll

Who will win the NCAA basketball tournament?

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL



INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 37 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

Have a Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn Account?

Join our networks to expand yours.

2013

April

- ABI Live Webinar: "Legacy Liabilities : Dealing with Environmental, Pension, Union and Similar Types of Claims"

     April 5, 2013

- ABI Live Webinar: "Student Loans: Bankruptcy May Not Have the Answers - But Does Congress?"

     April 10, 2013

- "Nuts and Bolts" Program at ASM

     April 18, 2013 | National Harbor, Md.

- Annual Spring Meeting

     April 18-21, 2013 | National Harbor, Md.

May

- "Nuts and Bolts" Program at NYCBC

     May 15, 2013 | New York, N.Y.

- ABI Endowment Cocktail Reception

     May 15, 2013 | New York, N.Y.

- New York City Bankruptcy Conference

     May 16, 2013 | New York, N.Y.

- Litigation Skills Symposium

     May 21-24, 2013 | Dallas, Texas

June

- Memphis Consumer Bankruptcy Conference

     June 7, 2013 | Memphis, Tenn.

- Central States Bankruptcy Workshop

     June 13-16, 2013 | Grand Traverse, Mich.

July

- Northeast Bankruptcy Conference and Northeast Consumer Forum

     July 11-14, 2013 | Newport, R.I.

- Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop

     July 18-21, 2013 | Amelia Island, Fla.