Law Commons^™

Europe And Overseas Commodity Traders V. Banque Paribas London: Zero Steps Forward And Two Steps Back, Paige K. Willison

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

While international securities transactions have become the norm in today's globalized economy, such transactions necessarily implicate the laws of more than one nation, thereby creating both conflict and confusion. Due to the depth and breadth of U.S. securities laws, plaintiffs often prefer to sue in the United States under U.S. law. Yet inappropriately applying U.S. law to transnational transactions may offend notions of comity. This Note discusses the different tools used to decide the following jurisdictional issues. First, under what circumstances do U.S. anti-fraud rules apply to securities transactions? Second, under what circumstances do U.S. registration laws apply? Over the …

The Estonian Securities Market Act: A Lesson For Former Republics Of The Soviet Union, John J.A. Burke

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article describes and analyzes the Estonian Securities Market Act; the only securities statute presently in effect in Estonia. Before examining the requirements of that law, the Article provides an overview of the development of a securities market in Estonia, including a description of the securities, exchanges, and professionals that comprise the contemporary market. After providing this context, the Article analyzes the Estonian Securities Market Act. The author concludes that Estonia should not adopt complex securities legislation, but rather should "sample" the laws of other states. This process will allow Estonia to tailor a comprehensive regulatory system to the particular …

Loss Compensation In The Japanese Securities Market: Causes, Significance, And Search For A Remedy, Mitsuru Misawa

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Recently, the Japanese securities market has been plagued by scandals in which brokerages have compensated large customers for their losses from trading. Following a brief historical review of loss compensation, Dr. Misawa describes the mechanics of a loss compensation scheme. The author then details how rising interest rates caused the losses to clients that brokerages were compensating.

Loss compensation is illegal in Japan. The law prohibiting it, however, is ambiguous as to whether it applies to voluntary compensation. The author suggests the law should be clarified also to prohibit voluntary compensation. Dr. Misawa further recommends that brokerage commissions be liberalized …

The European Community's Ucits Directive, Patrick J. Paul

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

As the twenty-first century approaches, the world is undergoing massive change. Social, political, and economic barriers are being torn down; new alliances are forming, as are new barriers. Economic stability and supremacy have replaced military supremacy in the hierarchy of a nation's policy objectives. The European Community's move toward a single market exemplifies this policy shift.

This Note focuses on one element of these global changes--internationalization of the securities market. The Note begins with an overview of the international securities market and the reasons for its increased globalization. The Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act) that, in part, …

Icarus And His Waxen Wings: Congress Attempts To Address The Challenges Of Insider Trading In A Globalized Securities Market, John T. Thomas

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Note addresses the globalization of the world financial securities markets and the potential for fraud in these expanded markets. The author considers actual cases of insider trading that have crossed national borders and the enforcement problems such cases raise. The author analyzes the first significant response by the United States Congress to these problems and concludes that the response is inadequate. Congress recognizes the incredible pace of evolution of the world financial markets, but is slow to address this process. The SEC offered serious proposals to Congress--proposals that apparently have bipartisan support--and Congress failed to act on these proposals …

Swiss Bank Secrecy And United States Efforts To Obtain Information From Swiss Banks, Elliot A. Stultz

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The United States has utilized numerous techniques to penetrate bank secrecy, with varying degrees of success. The United States and Switzerland have signed several agreements relating to bank secrecy and its role in United States criminal investigations. These efforts have allowed United States authorities to obtain normally privileged information in numerous investigations over the past ten years, although some confusion as to what information is available still exists today.

Two recent events have expanded the scope of information available to United States investigators and alleviated some of the confusion. In November 1987 the United States and Switzerland exchanged a Memorandum …

Secrecy And Blocking Laws: A Growing Problem As The Internationalization Of Securities Markets Continues, Rochelle G. Kauffman

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Note examines the problems recently faced by the SEC in policing securities transactions effected by foreign financial institutions in jurisdictions with secrecy and blocking laws, and it proposes both a short-term solution and a long-term solution to the SEC's enforcement problems. Part II of the Note outlines the problems confronting the SEC, specifically addressing the growing internationalization of securities markets and the effects on United States markets. This section also examines the problems confronting the SEC as a result of secrecy and blocking laws, and it suggests that unless new enforcement procedures are developed, these problems will increase when …

Special Project -- Legal Issues Arising From The Mexican Economic Crisis, Robert L. Morgan -- Special Projects Editor, J. Robert Paulson, Jr., Fred A. Frost, Terrence L. Dugan, Cynthia L. Wells, G. Wilson Horde, Iii, Judith B. Anderson

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The economic crisis in Mexico, which profoundly altered the financial and political course of that nation, has also had a significant impact on persons and corporations having business ties to Mexico. Foreign investors and businesses now are required to follow new Mexican rules that often differ dramatically from those previously in effect. The impact of the crisis has not been confined to changes in Mexican law. A substantial number of issues have arisen that will have significant bearing on United States and international law.

The Special Project discusses the changes in the legal environment following the crisis, with its focus …

Case Digest, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

THE UNITED STATES MAY EXERCISE JURISDICTION OVER PERSONSON A "STATELESS" VESSEL WITHOUT SHOWING A NEXUS BETWEEN THE VESSEL AND THE UNITED STATES--United States v. Pinto-Mejia, 720 F.2d 248 (2d Cir. 1983).

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ALIEN RETAINS RIGHT TO DEPORTATION PROCEEDING AFTER RETURNING FROM AUTHORIZED DEPARTURE NOTWITHSTANDING THAT IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE PERMISSION TO DEPART WAS STYLED AS AN "ADVANCE PAROLE"--Joshi v. District Director, Immigration and Naturalization Serv., 720 F.2d 799 (1983).

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NO VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW WHEN EQUIPMENT LOCATED IN UNITED STATES RECORDS TRANSNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS--United States v. Romano, 706 F.2d 370 (2d Cir. 1983).

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UNITED STATES MANUFACTURERS HAVE A CAUSE …

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Of 1977: A Private Right Of Action?, Mary F. Lyle

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (the Act) was passed as a consequence of revelations of foreign and domestic bribes, kickbacks, political payoffs and other questionable financial practices by corporations throughout the past several years. The Act requires issuers of securities subject to the registration and reporting provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to comply with specific accounting standards. In addition, the Act provides for civil and criminal liability when an issuer or any domestic concern not an issuer uses the mails or any instrumentality of interstate commerce in furtherance of certain payments to foreign officials...

The …

Tokyo As An International Capital Market--Its Economic And Legal Aspects, Mitsuru Misawa

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The internationalization of the Japanese capital market began in 1955, but for a considerable length of time the market served only as a source of foreign capital needed to cover the deficits in the nation's balance of payments. It was not until after 1970, when the Japanese balance of payments showed a steady surplus, that the Japanese market could accommodate the issue and acquisition of foreign securities on a full-fledged scale, and that Tokyo could become a truly international capital market. This trend, however, proved to be short-lived, for the steep rise in the cost of oil imports has recently …

Securities Regulation In Japan, Mitsuru Misawa

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Japanese securities exchanges, which were closed at the beginning of the Allied Force occupation in 1945, were permitted to reopen in 1949. During the following two decades, the Japanese economy displayed vigorous growth. An expansion of the operations of the securities markets accompanied the expansion of the economy, but the expansion did not progress evenly. The development of the securities markets in the post-War period can be divided into a number of stages: (1) the period of confusion and frustration (August 1945 to August 1949); (2) the period of reorganization (May 1949 to January 1954); (3) the period of high …

Headnotes, Journal Staff

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

On April 4, 1969, the American Society of International Law (ASIL) and the Vanderbilt International Law Society held a Conference on Legal Problems of International Capital Formation. The Symposium appearing in this issue of the International directly results from this Conference.

Manuel F. Cohen, former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, begins the Symposium with a brief overview of the development of international securities markets in Europe. Mark S. Massel then suggests the questions a businessman or lawyer should ask before making foreign investment. Lester Nurick shows how international organizations, especially the World Bank, join with private parties in …

Securities Regulation In Selected European Countries, Mitchell Brock

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

In approaching the subject of securities regulation in selected European countries, I will not attempt to provide a detailed description of the existing arrangements in the principal European countries. I shall of course to some degree descend to the "nitty gritty" of concrete details to give to airy generalizations a local reality, but my principal objective will be to discuss the economic context, the structure of the capital markets in which the regulatory authorities are performing their functions.

This economic context is pertinent to an understanding of why the pattern of regulation differs in many respects from that existing in …

International Security Markets, Robert L. Knauss

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

I would like to concentrate on what we might call the international aspects of the European securities markets and, if nothing else, to define a couple of terms. What I want to do first is to look at the question of integration of capital markets, and what we mean by that term. Is it really easier for a French company to raise capital in Belgium than a company from the United States? Has there been any integration in the Common Market? Do foreign issuers raise capital on national securities markets in the currency of that market? I think we have …