Digital Commons Network^™

Justice Kavanaugh, Lorenzo V. Sec, And The Post-Kennedy Supreme Court, Matthew C. Turk, Karen E. Woody

Scholarly Articles

This Article analyzes a recent Supreme Court case, Lorenzo v. Securities and Exchange Commission, and explains why it provides a valuable window into the Court's future now that Justice Kennedy has retired and his seat filled by Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Lorenzo is an important case that raises fundamental interpretative questions about the reach of federal securities statutes. But most significant is its unique procedural posture: when the Supreme Court issues its decision on Lorenzo in 2019, Justice Kavanaugh will be recused while the other eight Justices rule on a lower court opinion from the D.C. Circuit in which he wrote …

The Eu’S Struggles With Collective Action For Securities Fraud: An American Perspective, Dan Morrissey

Texas A&M Law Review

Notwithstanding the apparent exit of the United Kingdom, the European Union (“EU”) has grown in membership and power since its modest beginnings after World War II, now rivaling the U.S. in economic strength. With the goal of promoting the security and prosperity of all the citizens of the countries that belong to it, the EU is pressing ahead to adopt laws that will promote their political and financial integration. Along those lines, it has also recently acknowledged a deficiency in the legal systems of its member states when it comes to allowing collective actions for victims of various types of …

Respect The Hustle: Necessity Entrepreneurship, Returning Citizens, And Social Enterprise Strategies, Priya Baskaran

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

This Article addresses a pervasive and growing problem for returning citizens – high rates of economic insecurity – and as a novel solution, proposes the creation of Economic Justice Incubators a new municipally led social enterprise strategy.

Mass incarceration is a national problem and requires comprehensive criminal justice reform. In contrast, the process of reentry is locally focused thanks to a complex web of collateral consequences. An estimated 641,000 people return home from prison each year, many to a limited number of economically distressed communities. Once released, their mobility is limited by the terms of their parole and the collateral …

The Evolution Of Redlining Post-Financial Crisis And Best Practices For Financial Institutions, Martha J. Svoboda

North Carolina Banking Institute

No abstract provided.

Regulating The “Too Big To Jail” Financial Institutions, Jerry W. Markham

Faculty Publications

This article addresses the “too big to jail” regulatory model in which large banks pay hundreds of billions of dollars to settle multiple and duplicative regulatory charges brought by a horde of state, federal, and even foreign regulators. The banks pay those massive settlements in order to keep their banking charters and to obtain immunity from prosecution for senior executives. In turn, regulators benefit from the headlines these fines generate. Much criticism has been directed at these settlements because the banks are allowed to continue business as usual and no senior executives are jailed. Other critics contend that these settlements …

Regulating The “Too Big To Jail” Financial Institutions, Jerry W. Markham

Brooklyn Law Review

This article addresses the “too big to jail” regulatory model in which large banks pay hundreds of billions of dollars to settle multiple and duplicative regulatory charges brought by a horde of state, federal, and even foreign regulators. The banks pay those massive settlements in order to keep their banking charters and to obtain immunity from prosecution for senior executives. In turn, regulators benefit from the headlines these fines generate. Much criticism has been directed at these settlements because the banks are allowed to continue business as usual and no senior executives are jailed. Other critics contend that these settlements …

Continuing Conundrum Of Mistakes: Where The Dodd-Frank Act Went Wrong, Shipra Mehta

DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Recent Sec Financial Reporting Probes On Shareholder Wealth: Companies, Competitors, And Consequences, Stephen Warde

Honors Projects in Finance

During an undergraduate college career, an accounting major devotes a great part of his or her time to learning how publicly traded businesses prepare financial statements in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and federal securities laws. These accounting principles, standards, and procedures are ultimately enforced by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to protect investors, uphold fair markets, and promote public trust in the capital market system. To fulfill its mission, the SEC Division of Enforcement conducts investigations into possible violations of the federal securities laws and administers enforcement actions. Naturally, SEC investigations and the anticipation of …

First Time For Everything: The Cfpb Enforces Data Security, Graham T. Dean

North Carolina Banking Institute

No abstract provided.

The Frontiers Of Peer-To-Peer Lending: Thinking About A New Regulatory Approach, William S. Warren

Duke Law & Technology Review

The growth of online alternative lending presents several advantages for both those seeking credit and those with excess capital to lend. Over the past decade, several different models of peer-to-peer lending have emerged in the US and U.K. Each of these models has developed in response to the different regulatory system it faces, which has led to the models’ different risk and reward profiles. However, the current regulatory framework for regulating peer-to-peer lending, especially in the U.S., leaves much to be desired. The inadequate regulatory regime not only hampers the potential for growth and further innovation in the industry, but …

Collaborative Gatekeepers, Stavros Gadinis, Colby Mangels University Of California - Berkeley

Washington and Lee Law Review

In their efforts to hold financial institutions accountable after the 2007 financial crisis, U.S. regulators have repeatedly turned to anti-money-laundering laws. Initially designed to fight drug cartels and terrorists, these laws have recently yielded billion-dollar fines for all types of bank engagement in fraud and have spurred an overhaul of financial institutions’ internal compliance. This increased reliance on anti-money-laundering laws, we argue, is due to distinct features that can better help regulators gain insights into financial fraud. Most other financial laws enlist private firms as gatekeepers and hold them liable if they knowingly or negligently engage in client fraud. Yet, …

The Lawyer's Duty Of Disclosure Ethics And Sarbanes-Oxley The New Conundrum For Patent Lawyers, Abraham C. Reich, Steven J. Rocci

Akron Intellectual Property Journal

The general purpose of this paper is to sensitize intellectual property lawyers to the potential impact on their practice created by Sarbanes-Oxley. At a more detailed level, and because of the unique challenges facing them, this paper addresses Sarbanes-Oxley's potential impact on patent lawyers who practice before the PTO, even when it is the patent lawyer's sole practice. To that end, this paper will highlight relevant portions of Rule 56, the relevant ethical code sections, and the pertinent considerations under Sarbanes-Oxley.

Misconduct Risk, Christina Parajon Skinner

Fordham Law Review

Financial misconduct and systemic risk are two critical issues in financial regulation today. However, for the past several years, financial misconduct and systemic risk have received markedly different treatment. After the global financial crisis, regulators responded to the traditional quantitative risks that banks pose—those found on their balance sheets and in their business models—with sweeping reforms on an internationally coordinated scale. Meanwhile, with respect to misconduct, regulators have reacted with a traditional enforcement approach—imposing fines and, in some cases, prosecuting individual malefactors. Yet misconduct is not only an isolated or idiosyncratic risk that can be spot treated with enforcement: misconduct …

Yates V. United States: Floundering About In The Choppy Waters Of Statutory Interpretation, Lindsay Defrancesco

Maryland Law Review

No abstract provided.

Economic Ideology And The Rise Of The Firm As Criminal Enterprise, June Carbone, William K. Black

Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Perspectives On Regulating Systemic Risk, Steven L. Schwarcz

Faculty Scholarship

This book chapter, which synthesizes several of the author’s articles, attempts to provide useful perspectives on regulating systemic risk. First, it argues that systemic shocks are inevitable. Accordingly, regulation should be designed not only to try to reduce those shocks but also to protect the financial system against their unavoidable impact. This could be done, the chapter explains, by applying chaos theory to help stabilize the financial system. The chapter then focuses on trying to prevent excessive corporate risk-taking, which is one of the leading triggers of systemic shocks and widely regarded to have been a principal cause of the …

Custodial Collies Of Transparency-The Competitive Advantage Of Protecting Investing Lamm[Bs] From Advising Wolves: Lamm V. State Street Bank & Trust, Steven L. Jones

Mercer Law Review

Unscrupulous investment advisers who defraud their unsuspecting clients are increasingly prevalent in our society. Consequently, investors must be increasingly vigilant to protect themselves from such individuals. A custodial bank is one way investors can prevent mismanagement and misuse of funds and securities they entrust to financial advisers. However, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit opinion Lamm v. State Street Bank & Trust illustrates that the mere presence of a custodial bank does not adequately insulate investors from fraudulent adviser activity. Under current Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations, specifically 17 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) Section …

The Other Side Of The Coin: The Fec's Move To Approve Crytocurrency's Use And Deny Its Viability, Juliya Ziskina

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

This Article examines the implications of the Federal Election Committee’s May 2014 advisory opinion on cryptocurrency’s viability within campaign finance regulation, and U.S. financial regulation more generally. Although the Commissioners sharply disagreed on whether Bitcoin is a cash or in-kind contribution, they voted unanimously to allow political committees to accept Bitcoin donations. Moreover, all the Commissioners agreed that Bitcoin donors must disclose their names, addresses, and occupations. While many view this decision as pushing Bitcoin and cryptocurrency further toward legitimacy, in actuality it undermines one of cryptocurrency’s distinct functionalities: pseudonymity. Paradoxically, while it approves the use of Bitcoin in campaign …

Cybersecurity: Recognizing The Risk And Protecting Against Attacks, Kristin Shields

North Carolina Banking Institute

This Note proceeds in six parts. Part II details the mechanics behind cyberattacks. Part III identifies the effects of cyberattacks on financial institutions. Part IV discusses the legal liability of financial institutions following a cyberattack. Part V evaluates regulatory efforts to increase cybersecurity requirements and prevent cyberattacks. Part VI suggests solutions financial institutions may use to protect against cyberattacks. Finally, Part VII concludes by emphasizing the importance of financial institutions using the available guidance to make sure that their networks are sufficiently protected.

The Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, And Enforcement Act Of 1989: The Effect Of The “Self-Affecting” Theory On Financial Institutions, Filmon M. Sexton

North Carolina Banking Institute

This Note addresses why the Self-Affecting Theory misinterprets § 1833a. This Note argues that in cases where the DOJ could bring, but is unwilling or unable to bring, criminal actions, a federally insured financial institution should not be held civilly liable under § 1833a for engaging in fraudulent conduct "affecting" that same institution. The Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 ("FIRREA") does not define what it means to "affect[] a federally insured financial institution." Congressional intent demonstrates that Congress enacted § 1833a in response to the pervasive insider abuse and fraud of the savings and loan crisis …

Clarifying What Is “Clear”: Reconsidering Whistleblower Protections Under Dodd-Frank, Caroline E. Keen

North Carolina Banking Institute

This Note argues that the Fifth Circuit’s holding should be disregarded and the definition of a whistleblower should be expanded to include those who report potential securities laws violations internally, in addition to those who report directly to the SEC. This Note proceeds in four parts. Part II explains the differences between the anti- retaliation provisions of SOX and Dodd-Frank. Part III provides an overview of the approach taken by the Fifth Circuit in adopting a restrictive definition of whistleblower in Asadi. Part IV discusses how the majority of courts choose not to follow the Fifth Circuit after correctly applying …

Excessive Corporate Risk-Taking And The Decline Of Personal Blame, Steven L. Schwarcz

Faculty Scholarship

Government agencies and prosecutors are being criticized for seeking so few indictments against individuals in the wake of the 2008-09 financial crisis and its resulting banking failures. This article analyzes why — contrary to a longstanding historical trend — personal liability may be on the decline, and whether agencies and prosecutors should be doing more. The analysis confronts fundamental policy questions concerning changing corporate and social norms. The public and the media perceive the crisis’s harm as a “wrong” caused by excessive risk-taking. But that view can be too simplistic, ignoring the reality that firms must take greater risks to …

Market Intermediation, Publicness, And Securities Class Actions, Hillary A. Sale, Robert B. Thompson

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Securities class actions play a crucial, if contested, role in the policing of securities fraud and the protection of securities markets. The theoretical understanding of these private enforcement claims needs to evolve to encompass the broader set of goals that underlie the securities regulatory impulse and the publicness of those goals. Further, a clear grasp of the modern securities class action also requires an updated understanding of how the role of market intermediation in securities transactions has reshaped the realities of securities litigation in public companies and the evolution of the fraud cause of action in the context of open-market …

Putting The 'Financial Stability' In Financial Stability Oversight Council, Hilary Allen

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

For all the ink that has been spilled on the topic of financial regulation since the financial crisis of 2007-2008, there has been little examination of the competing normative goals of financial regulation. Should the financial system be treated as an end in itself such that the efficiency of that system is the primary goal? Or should financial regulation instead treat the financial system as a means to the end of broader economic growth? This Article argues for the latter approach, and stakes out the controversial normative position that financial stability, rather than efficiency, should be the paramount focus of …

The Duty To Manage Risk, A. Christine Hurt

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Protection Of Deposits And Depositors: A Limited Interpretation Of 12 U.S.C. § 1833a, Alyssa King

Catholic University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Dude, Where's My Car Title?: The Law, Behavior, And Economics Of Title Lending Markets, Paige Marta Skiba, Kathryn Fritzdixon, Jim Hawkins

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Millions of credit-constrained borrowers turn to title loans to meet their liquidity needs. Legislatures and regulators have debated how to best regulate these transactions, but surprisingly, we still know very little about the customers who use title loans. This Article reports findings from the first large-scale academic study of title lending customers. We surveyed over 400 title lending customers across three states and obtained information about customers’ demographic and behavioral characteristics.

Based on the results of our survey and guided by insights from behavioral economics, this Article seeks to reframe the title lending debate. Instead of focusing on the risks …

Culture Wars: Rate Manipulation, Institutional Corruption, And The Lost Normative Foundations Of Market Conduct Regulation, Justin O'Brien

Seattle University Law Review

The global investigations into the manipulation of the London Interbank Offered Rate (Libor) have raised significant questions about how conflicts of interest are managed for regulated entities contributing to benchmarks. An alternative framework, which brings the management of the rate process under direct regulatory supervision, is under consideration, coordinated by the International Organization of Securities Commissions taskforce. The articulation of global principles builds on a review commissioned by the British government that suggests rates calculated by submission can be reformed. This paper argues that this approach is predestined to fail, precisely because it ignores the lessons of history. In revisiting …

Turning Restitution Upside-Down: The Mortgage Fraud Restitution Formula Amidst Volatile Housing Prices, Nicole Scott

Nevada Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Broker-Dealers, Institutional Investors, And Fiduciary Duty: Much Ado About Nothing?, Lynn Bai

William & Mary Business Law Review

Under the mandate of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, the SEC is soliciting public opinions on whether broker-dealers should be subject to a fiduciary duty when advising retail and institutional investors. This Article focuses on the advisability of such a proposal for institutional investors. It shows that, first, a fiduciary duty could potentially enhance broker-dealers’ standard of conduct for only a subset of institutional investors who are well capitalized, capable of assessing risks independently, and acknowledge in writing their nonreliance on broker-dealers’ advice. Thus, the benefit of fiduciary duty is much narrower than what …