An estimated 32 million companies are now facing new compliance obligations due to the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”), which aims to enhance transparency in corporate ownership and curb money laundering, terrorism financing and other financial crimes. The CTA, which took effect on January 1, 2024, represents a significant shift in the ownership information
Business & Corporate
Bankruptcy and Baseball II: What Happens to Shohei Ohtani’s Record Contract if the Los Angeles Dodgers File for Bankruptcy (Again)?
Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani recently agreed to a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the headline number came as a shock to even sports business nerds like us, as always, the devil was in the details: $680 million of Ohtani’s contract is deferred until after Ohtani is no longer obligated to…
Bankruptcy and Baseball: What Happens to Shohei Ohtani’s Record Contract if the Los Angeles Dodgers File for Bankruptcy (Again)?
The sports world is buzzing about Shohei Ohtani’s record-setting $700 million dollar contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. As bankruptcy lawyers, we are abuzz thinking about the bankruptcy implications of Ohtani’s contract. Today’s blog post will discuss what type of claim Ohtani might have if the Dodgers file for bankruptcy (again). In the near future…
Did President Biden Just Outlaw Employee Noncompete Agreements?
On July 9, 2021, President Biden signed the Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy While the Order is aspirational and a policy road map, it does not operate to ban, or otherwise restrict in any way, the enforcement of employee noncompete agreements.
In the week that followed, many news outlets published articles…
It Pays to go to College: NCAA Allows College Athletes to Profit from their Name, Image, and Likeness
Effective today, July 1, the NCAA has officially suspended the organization’s rules prohibiting athletes from selling the rights to their names, images, and likenesses (“NIL”). Despite the NCAA’s longstanding principles that payments to athletes while attending college would undermine amateurism of college athletics, the organization’s Division I board of directors decided Wednesday that it would…
Private Placement Rules Relaxed by the SEC
The Securities and Exchange Commission recently adopted amendments to facilitate the use of private, or “exempt,” offerings. The changes will impact offerings structured pursuant to Section 4(a)(2), Regulation D and Regulation S, as well as offerings conducted under Regulation A and Regulation Crowdfunding. The purpose of the changes is to facilitate capital formation and increase…
U.S. Supreme Court Gives Good News to Secured Lenders, Tempered with Words of Caution
The U.S. Supreme Court offered some good news to secured lenders last week, tempered with words of caution. In Chicago v. Fulton, the Court held that a secured creditor does not violate Section 362(a)(3) of the Bankruptcy Code by merely continuing to hold property of its debtor after that debtor files a bankruptcy petition. …
SBA Updates its FAQ Regarding Good Faith Certification
The Small Business Administration (“SBA”) issued an update to its “Frequently Asked Questions for Lenders and Borrowers for the Paycheck Protection Program,” adding question #46 and the response, which is recited below. For PPP loans of less than $2 million, the borrower will be “deemed to have made the required certification concerning the necessity of…
Force Majeure Clauses and Impossibility of Performance During COVID-19 and Coronavirus
Over the past few weeks and months, Texas, the United States, and the world have felt increasingly devastating impacts from COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus. In addition to the dire health concerns, practical realities and government orders in numerous states (including “stay at home” orders) have had and will continue to have an effect…
Consequential Damages vs. Direct Damages – Where did it Flow From?
In an attempt to mitigate risk, most commercial contracts contain a provision limiting monetary recovery. The most common provision is a waiver of consequential damages. Despite the parties’ best intentions, whether a category of damages are considered direct damages or consequential damages is often determined on a case-by-case basis. Texas courts have provided the following…