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Full-Text Articles in Law

Severity Under Scrutiny: The U.S. Supreme Court Battle Over The Fbar Penalty, Beckett Cantley, Geoffrey Dietrich Jul 2023

Severity Under Scrutiny: The U.S. Supreme Court Battle Over The Fbar Penalty, Beckett Cantley, Geoffrey Dietrich

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

In recent years, Congress strengthened federal regulation of foreign bank accounts held by United States citizens. In 1970, Congress passed the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), requiring U.S. citizens to report their foreign bank accounts using a form called the Foreign Bank Account Report, or “FBAR.” However, the Treasury Department rarely enforced this requirement. After the Patriot Act’s passage came the Bank Secrecy Act 2004 amendment, allowing the Treasury Department to delegate enforcement of U.S. foreign bank account reporting to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) through the FBAR. The amendment’s major change to the law concerned new penalties for non-willful FBAR …


Reduce Income Inequality: Allow Retail Investors To Invest In Private Equity, Michael Slomovics Jan 2022

Reduce Income Inequality: Allow Retail Investors To Invest In Private Equity, Michael Slomovics

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

This Article will focus on the topic of opening the private equity markets to individual retail investors. Permitting retail investors to invest in private equity would allow investors to reduce the risks of their portfolio while retaining or even increasing their returns, which can make the middle-class investor better off. Additionally, the money that will flow into private equity will allow private equity firms to continue improving American businesses, which will allow American companies to grow and better compete in the international stage. Thus, allowing retail investors to invest in private equity can both help middle class Americans while bolstering …


How The Subprime Mortgage Crisis Sparked New Legislation And Changed The Way Millennials Purchase Real Estate, Troy T. Kramer Jan 2022

How The Subprime Mortgage Crisis Sparked New Legislation And Changed The Way Millennials Purchase Real Estate, Troy T. Kramer

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

This article will explore the Generation Y's approach to the real estate market and analyze how the Subprime Mortgage Crisis stunted Millennials’ economic development. It also analyzes what ways legislation has changed and government has influenced the economy since 2008 to prevent another free fall of the global economy and to protect consumers from predatory lending practices and under-regulation of the financial sector. Further, this article will analyze how Millennials differ from previous generations in their method of purchasing homes and investing in real estate—with a specific eye towards advances in technology. This article also gives advice to first-time homebuyers …


Proving Equal Access To Capital In The Age Of The Startup: The Case For Federal Pre-Emption Of State Blue-Sky Laws, Gerry Griffith May 2020

Proving Equal Access To Capital In The Age Of The Startup: The Case For Federal Pre-Emption Of State Blue-Sky Laws, Gerry Griffith

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

Section I of this comment examines the global opportunities available to startups in the digital economy and how startups’ capital demands evolved in the new era of business. Section II analyzes the differences between merit-based securities regulation existing at the state level and disclosure-based regulation, which is the federal regulatory scheme. This Section provides an overview of the three most common methods of restricted securities registration at the state level. Section III examines the development of blue sky laws and the role states originally played in protecting investors. This Section further explores the evolving relationship between state and federal securities …


O Tell Me The Truth About Bail-In: Theory And Practice, Marco Ventoruzzo, Giulio Sandrelli Jan 2020

O Tell Me The Truth About Bail-In: Theory And Practice, Marco Ventoruzzo, Giulio Sandrelli

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

In this perspective, the purpose of this Article is to analyze the functioning of the European regulatory framework for the crisis of credit institutions in the light of its early applications, and with a special focus on the bail-in tool. We investigate how the new resolution mechanisms—rooted in the principle of private sector involvement in banking restructurings—have interplayed with (and tried to re-shape) legal and institutional contexts still characterized by an attitude to bail-out rescues and by non-harmonized national insolvency legislations.


Drawing The Line: Can Lawyers Invest In Their Client's Business Without Crossing An Ethical Line?, Ali Ghassemi Jan 2020

Drawing The Line: Can Lawyers Invest In Their Client's Business Without Crossing An Ethical Line?, Ali Ghassemi

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

I will begin with a look inside the history of entrepreneurship and its rise and decline throughout various times in our country’s history. I will then shift the focus towards the history of startup companies and what the modern trend is today in startups. After laying the foundation for startups, I will look into the complexities of creating a startup company and looking at the role that attorneys play in the lifetime of startups. From there, I will dive into the history and trend of lawyers who have invested in their client’s companies - through direct investment or bartering by …


Crashing The Boards: A Comparative Analysis Of The Boxing Out Of Women On Boards In The United States And Canada, Diana C. Nicholls Mutter Oct 2019

Crashing The Boards: A Comparative Analysis Of The Boxing Out Of Women On Boards In The United States And Canada, Diana C. Nicholls Mutter

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

This paper will first provide a critical, comparative look at the Canadian and the federal American responses to the under-representation of women on boards of large, publicly traded corporations. There will be a discussion about the competing conceptions which emerge in addressing the regulation of women on boards in the United States and Canada and why each jurisdiction implemented its policy when it did. The conceptions arising out of questions about under-representation of women on boards tend to fall within two categories: business case rationales and normative rationales. Given the competing conceptions of this issue, this paper will attempt to …


Direct Listing: How Spotify Is Streaming On The Nyse And Why The Sec Should Press Play, Cody L. Lipke Oct 2019

Direct Listing: How Spotify Is Streaming On The Nyse And Why The Sec Should Press Play, Cody L. Lipke

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

This Note proposes that given Spotify’s successful launch on the NYSE, direct listings will become increasingly popular—primarily for start-ups but also as an exit strategy for VC and PE firms in their nonpublic investments. Part II of this Note will discuss the process of “going public” via an IPO or a direct listing. Part III will use Spotify as an illustrative example of the direct listing process. Part IV will consider the advantages and disadvantages of direct listing. Part V will conclude that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC or the Commission) should embrace the direct listing process and will …


Marijuana’S Continuing Illegality And Investors’ Securities Fraud Problem: The Doctrines Of Unclean Hands And In Pari Delicto, Casey W. Baker Oct 2019

Marijuana’S Continuing Illegality And Investors’ Securities Fraud Problem: The Doctrines Of Unclean Hands And In Pari Delicto, Casey W. Baker

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

Marijuana-related businesses have blossomed into an industry with an estimated total market value of $7.2 billion in 2016, with annual growth projected at 17%. Industry surveys report that 62% of marijuana-related businesses have offered equity stakes to investors and approximately one-half of marijuana-related businesses planned to actively seek investment funding in 2017. Along with the investment opportunity comes heightened fraud risk, with regulators cautioning investors against investment due to the lack of accurate and publicly-available information. Also, despite state-level decriminalization, marijuana possession, sale, and distribution continues to be a crime under federal law. The criminal nature of the marijuana industry …


Behavioural Economics And The Non-Frustration Rule: Accounting For Bias, Matthew Cole Oct 2019

Behavioural Economics And The Non-Frustration Rule: Accounting For Bias, Matthew Cole

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

The purpose of this paper is to argue how reforming the UK takeover and merger rules can lead to greater long-term investment by UK firms, while causing commensurate growth in productivity without hindering overseas investment or entrenching inefficient management.


The Promised Land Is On The Horizon: The Fix Crowdfunding Act Will Implement Small Changes That Could Make A Big Impact On Investors And Businesses Alike, Michaela Smith Dec 2018

The Promised Land Is On The Horizon: The Fix Crowdfunding Act Will Implement Small Changes That Could Make A Big Impact On Investors And Businesses Alike, Michaela Smith

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

No abstract provided.


Implementing A Portable Reciprocity Passport To Crowdfund Real Estate Across Borders, Raymond Tran Dec 2018

Implementing A Portable Reciprocity Passport To Crowdfund Real Estate Across Borders, Raymond Tran

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

No abstract provided.


Failed Anti-Activist Legislation: The Curious Case Of The Brokaw Act, Alon Brav, J.B. Heaton, Jonathan Zandberg Dec 2018

Failed Anti-Activist Legislation: The Curious Case Of The Brokaw Act, Alon Brav, J.B. Heaton, Jonathan Zandberg

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

The Brokaw Act was proposed legislation aimed at “financial abuses being carried out by activist hedge funds who promote short-term gains at the expense of long-term growth . . . .” Sponsoring Senators named it after a small town in Wisconsin that, according to the Act’s sponsors, was decimated by the actions of a hedge fund activist in shutting down the local paper mill with a loss of hundreds of jobs. The Brokaw Act represented the first attempt at federal legislation aimed at restricting hedge fund activism. Since then, new and similar bipartisan proposals have appeared as have threats of …


Recent Developments Concerning The Purchase Of Consumer Debt; Defining Potential Problems And Proposals For Suggested Solutions, Gerald A. Williams Dec 2018

Recent Developments Concerning The Purchase Of Consumer Debt; Defining Potential Problems And Proposals For Suggested Solutions, Gerald A. Williams

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

No abstract provided.


The European Aspects Of Global Financial Developments, Virag Ilona Blazsek Mar 2018

The European Aspects Of Global Financial Developments, Virag Ilona Blazsek

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

What is the position of Europe—and specifically the European Union (EU)—on the world map of global finances in 2017? This comment seeks to answer this question by focusing on three key issues. First, it analyzes Europe’s post-2008 bank bailouts, its sector-wide rescue packages, and its consequential sovereign-debt crisis. Second, it considers the role of the international credit rating agencies and asks why Europe does not have a large rating agency of its own. Third, it assesses the EU’s major recent regulatory developments related to the financial sector. There is no doubt that Europe is in a sustained economic and political …


Convergence And Divergence Between International Investments Law And Human Rights Law, In The Context Of The Greek Sovereign Debt Restructuring, Venetia Argyropoulou Mar 2018

Convergence And Divergence Between International Investments Law And Human Rights Law, In The Context Of The Greek Sovereign Debt Restructuring, Venetia Argyropoulou

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

International investment law developed separately from and was, for a long period, perceived as incompatible with human rights law. Despite the tendency to distinguish the evolution of these two fields of international law, however, they are not completely dissimilar. Inter alia, they both aim to safeguard investors’ rights to property, to promote respect for due process, and to address the undisputed position of power of the state against the individual. In situations of sovereign default, the asymmetry between the powers of the state and the rights of investors is even more clearly demonstrated, even within the European Union. Indeed, although …


To Be Creditor Or To Be Shareholder, That Is The Question: Is The Debt-For-Equity Swap Creditors’ Financial Suicide?, Jongho Kim Dec 2017

To Be Creditor Or To Be Shareholder, That Is The Question: Is The Debt-For-Equity Swap Creditors’ Financial Suicide?, Jongho Kim

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

This Article deals with debt-for-equity swap-related issues in Korean corporate restructuring procedures. Debt-for-equity swaps were widely employed during the Latin American foreign debt restructuring process, but the Korean case is slightly different. Because the creditors of reorganizing corporations are mainly Korean domestic financial institutions rather than foreign creditors, this type of financial scheme is applied under local law. The following examines the legal aspects of debt-for-equity swaps, which have been promoted as a way to eliminate excessive insolvent loans and financial debts (and stood in the way of restructuring, via IMF bail-out funds). It also discusses how a debt-for-equity swap …


Discretion To Act: How The Federal Reserve's Decisions Whether To Provide Emergency Loans During The Financial Crisis Were Discretionary And Why Dodd-Frank Falls Short Of Preventing Future Bailouts, John De Vito Jul 2017

Discretion To Act: How The Federal Reserve's Decisions Whether To Provide Emergency Loans During The Financial Crisis Were Discretionary And Why Dodd-Frank Falls Short Of Preventing Future Bailouts, John De Vito

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

The housing market crash of 2007–2008 threatened to cause the collapse of the United States and global economies. By early 2008, Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and American International Group all faced the strong possibility of bankruptcy absent government intervention. The Federal Reserve Board of Governors activated its emergency lending powers pursuant to Section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act to “bail out” Bear Stearns and American International Group, but elected to let Lehman Brothers fail. Lehman’s bankruptcy led to a run on money market mutual funds, made it impossible for corporations to raise capital, led to widespread layoffs across economic …


The Perfect Storm Is Brewing Once Again: What Scaling Back Dodd-Frank Will Mean For The Credit Default Swap, Daniel Isaacson Jul 2017

The Perfect Storm Is Brewing Once Again: What Scaling Back Dodd-Frank Will Mean For The Credit Default Swap, Daniel Isaacson

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

The current presidential administration has expressed a concerted desire to “scale back” and even “get rid of” the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd–Frank). Focusing specifically on Dodd–Frank’s regulation of the credit default swap (CDS), this Article explores two timely queries. First, whether Dodd–Frank’s regulatory response to these financial instruments is a justifiable one, and second, what effect a repeal may have. This Article will show that the “perfect storm” CDS—which contributed so significantly to the 2007–2010 financial crisis—flourished in a regulatory environment that contained two key weaknesses: (1) few restrictions on excessive speculation; and (2) the …


Online Lenders Shouldn't Get Mad Over Madden, Benjamin Lo Jun 2017

Online Lenders Shouldn't Get Mad Over Madden, Benjamin Lo

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

The Second Circuit’s surprising decision in Madden v. Midland Funding caused consternation within the financial services industry. There, the Madden Court held that the National Bank Act’s pre-emption of state usury law did not apply to consumer debt sold by banks to third parties. Under the Second Circuit’s ruling, third-party buyers could not be certain of loan values, potentially making consumer finance markets less liquid. This decision immediately sparked concerns from the alternative finance industry, which worried that the secondary market for consumer debt would dry up and reduce consumer credit availability. It also alarmed financial technology startups such as …


Islamic Financing: A Successful Takeoff Or A Crash Landing? Whether Or Not Islamic Financing Should Be Used To Finance And Lease Aircraft, Jennifer Ann Urban Jun 2016

Islamic Financing: A Successful Takeoff Or A Crash Landing? Whether Or Not Islamic Financing Should Be Used To Finance And Lease Aircraft, Jennifer Ann Urban

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

As international air travel continues to increase, Islamic financing is a key option to consider in securing aviation financing. This paper begins with background information of the foundation of Islam. Then, it explains the applicable international treaties and their roles within Middle Eastern nations. Next, Islamic finance law is addressed, followed by Islamic aviation and leasing in general. Finally, this paper concludes with a case study of how these principles come into play in the United Arab Emirates.


Financial Misconduct, Ethical Theory, And Regulatory Ethics— Promoting Accountability, P. M. Vasudev Apr 2016

Financial Misconduct, Ethical Theory, And Regulatory Ethics— Promoting Accountability, P. M. Vasudev

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

This paper examines developments in the financial sector and identifies a role for regulatory ethics in promoting integrity and accountability. In this effort, the paper also explores theoretical perspectives in ethics and how they can shape business behavior. Specifically, the article proposes corporate codes of ethics, a mandatory requirement under the New York Stock Exchange Listing Rules, as instruments to promote morality in corporate conduct. Ethics codes, which are internally generated, must be tailored to reflect the experience and made more effective. They can be amplified to specify standards to govern the fiduciary duty of care applicable to executives, personal …


Drafting And Securitizing Participation Mortgages: A Re-Introduction, Spencer J. Coopchik, Yildiray Yildirim Sep 2015

Drafting And Securitizing Participation Mortgages: A Re-Introduction, Spencer J. Coopchik, Yildiray Yildirim

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

This Paper will reintroduce, explore, and expand on the financing arrangement known as a Participation Mortgage. First, this Paper will cover the features, history, and policy purposes behind the mortgage. Second, the Paper will focus on legal mechanics and drafting considerations of Participation Mortgages, so they may later be securitized. Finally, the Paper will explore the possibility and legality of creating Participation Mortgaged Backed Securities to be sold in the secondary market.


Credit Rating Agency Review Board: The Challenges And Implications Of Implementing The Franken-Wicker Amendment To Dodd-Frank, Christopher R. Dyess May 2015

Credit Rating Agency Review Board: The Challenges And Implications Of Implementing The Franken-Wicker Amendment To Dodd-Frank, Christopher R. Dyess

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

The purpose of this paper is to analyze, critically review, and determine whether a hypothetical credit rating agency board, as suggested in the Franken-Wicker Amendment to the Dodd-Frank Act, is a viable option for combating the conflict of interest problem between credit rating agencies and issuers. Research methodology includes a careful review of various ways to structure the board and the potential unintended consequences of doing so. The Author uses original research hand-collected from video of the Credit Ratings Roundtable conducted in Washington D.C. on May 14, 2013. The Credit Ratings Roundtable brought together experts from the credit rating industry …


Aml In The Spotlight: Compliance Risks For Broker-Dealers And Investment Advisers, John H. Walsh, Cecilia Baute Mavico Nov 2014

Aml In The Spotlight: Compliance Risks For Broker-Dealers And Investment Advisers, John H. Walsh, Cecilia Baute Mavico

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

In light of regulators' renewed attention, this article discusses recent events, reviews AML enforcement actions against securities firms, and identifies the compliance risks they suggest. The article concludes that the time has come for broker-dealers and advisers alike to take a holistic view of compliance and their AML risks, and to prepare for enhanced oversight and regulation.


Libor: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know But Were Afraid To Ask, Michael R. Koblenz, Kenneth M. Labbate, Carrie C. Turner Jan 2014

Libor: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know But Were Afraid To Ask, Michael R. Koblenz, Kenneth M. Labbate, Carrie C. Turner

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

The goal of this article is to present the reader with a general overview of the LIBOR: its genesis and development, how and why London bankers manipulated the LIBOR, the liability of implicated parties, criminal penalties, the impact of criminal penalties on director and officer insurance carriers, and what the future holds for the LIBOR.


Drastic Times Call For Drastic Risk Measures: Why Value-At-Risk Is (Still) A Flawed Preventative Of Financial Crises And What Regulators Can Do About It, Andrew L. Mcelroy Jan 2014

Drastic Times Call For Drastic Risk Measures: Why Value-At-Risk Is (Still) A Flawed Preventative Of Financial Crises And What Regulators Can Do About It, Andrew L. Mcelroy

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

Bank regulators recently proposed the most fundamental reforms to U.S. banking law in decades, yet the value-at-risk statistic--replete with known deficiencies--remains the basis of the capital adequacy requirement. Consequently, there exists an unresolved tension in the law: the purpose of the banking rules is to require riskier financial institutions to hold additional capital, yet the value-at-risk statistic used to make this assessment induces a perverse incentive to hold the riskiest securities. Overlaid on this framework is the wide latitude afforded to banks in designing their value-at-risk models. This Article explores foreseeable issues with the regulatory reliance on value-at-risk. Moreover, it …


Was The Congressional Grant Of 'Bailout' Authority To Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Really So "Unprecedented?": A Historical Analysis And Comparison Of Treasury Secretary Authority During Financial Crisis, Zachary Cormier Feb 2013

Was The Congressional Grant Of 'Bailout' Authority To Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Really So "Unprecedented?": A Historical Analysis And Comparison Of Treasury Secretary Authority During Financial Crisis, Zachary Cormier

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

No abstract provided.


The Inherent Instability Of The Financial System, Kim De Glossop Sep 2012

The Inherent Instability Of The Financial System, Kim De Glossop

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

The article explores one of the causes of the financial crisis of 2008 and of financial crises generally. The argument of the paper is that rather than tend toward equilibrium, financial and asset markets have a tendency to become unstable after prolonged periods of stability. The main driver of this process is the expansion of credit. Debt feeds its way into higher asset prices which in turn justify the accumulation of more debt to purchase further assets, and so on. The basis for the idea is Hyman Minsky's Financial Instability Hypothesis, itself a reinterpretation of The General Theory of Employment, …


"You Had Me At Hello" Or "Let Them Go?": Law Firm Selection, Retention, And Defection In The Investment Banking Industry, Karl D. Shehu Sep 2012

"You Had Me At Hello" Or "Let Them Go?": Law Firm Selection, Retention, And Defection In The Investment Banking Industry, Karl D. Shehu

The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law

Drawing upon the theoretical concepts of reputation and social networking, this article's main objective is to assess how investment banks choose external law firms. Using qualitative methods, I show that investment banks, to varying degrees, rely on internal counsel, procurement specialists, and boards of directors to decide which firm to select. When choosing a specific law firm for the first time, corporate decision-makers are likely to evaluate law firms based on intangible factors like reputation and the word-of-mouth referrals of their colleagues. In subsequent selections of a law firm, these factors are transplanted by past results. Firm expertise and cost …