Category: Financial Services Law

What the SEC’s Elimination of the Prohibition on General Solicitation for Rule 506 Offerings Means to the EB-5 Community

Sheppard Mullin 2012

As we previously reported, on July 10, 2013, the SEC adopted the amendments required under the JOBS Act to Rule 506 that would permit issuers to use broad-based marketing methods such as the Internet, social media, email campaigns, television advertising and seminars open to the general public.  These types of methods are referred to in U.S. securities laws as “general solicitation,” and they have until now been prohibited in most offerings of securities that are not registered with the SEC. This is an important development to the EB-5 community because EB-5 offerings very often rely on Rule 506 as an exemption from offering registration requirements.

In addition, the SEC amended Rule 506 to disqualify felons and other “bad actors” from being able to rely on Rule 506.  This is also an important development for the EB-5 community, which has developed a heightened sensitivity to the potential for fraud in the wake of the Chicago Convention Center project.

Please note that these new rules are not yet effective.  See “When do the new rules become effective?” below.

Overview

Companies intending to raise capital through the sale of securities in or from the United States must either register the securities offering with the SEC or rely on an exemption from registration.   Failure to assure an available exemption for unregistered securities can result in civil and criminal penalties for the participants in the offering and rescission rights in favor of the investors.

For EB-5 programs, a widely used exemption from registration is Rule 506 of Regulation D, under which an issuer may raise an unlimited amount of capital from an unlimited number of “accredited investors” and up to 35 non-accredited investors.  Historically, this exemption has prohibited general solicitation or advertising in connection with the offering, including publicly available web sites, social media, email campaigns, television advertising and seminars open to the general public.

The other commonly used exemption, Regulation S, has been less restrictive on general solicitation, but is not available for investors already present in the United States and does not preempt state securities law registration/exemption obligations, which often prohibit general solicitation.  Rule 506 does preempt such state laws (except as to notice filings and filing fees).  For many EB-5 programs and investors, there is no available exemption other than Rule 506 that does not also prohibit general solicitation.

In connection with the passage by Congress of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act in April 2012, Congress directed the SEC to remove the prohibition on general solicitation or general advertising for securities offerings relying on Rule 506, provided that sales are limited to accredited investors only and that the issuer takes reasonable steps to verify that all purchasers of the securities meet the requirements for accredited investors. The SEC initially proposed a rule to implement these changes in August 2012, but did not pass final rules on the changes to Rule 506 until now.

What changes were made to Rule 506?

The final rule adds a new Rule 506(c), which permits issuers (that is, the partnerships or other organizations actually issuing partnership interests and the like in exchange for EB-5 capital) to use general solicitation and general advertising  for the offer their securities, provided that:

  • All purchasers of the securities are accredited investors as defined under Rule 501; and
  • The issuer takes “reasonable steps” to verify that the purchasers are all accredited investors.

Who is an accredited investor?

Under Rule 501 of Regulation D, a natural person qualifies as an “accredited investor” if he or she is either:

  • An individual net worth (or joint net worth with a spouse) that exceeds $1 million at the time of the purchase, excluding the value of a primary residence; or
  • An individual annual income of at least $200,000 for each of the two most recent years (or a joint annual income with a spouse of at least $300,000 for those years), and a reasonable expectation of the same level of income in the current year.

What are reasonable steps to verify that an investor is accredited?

What steps are reasonable will be an objective determination by the issuer (or those acting on its behalf), in the context of the particular facts and circumstances of each purchaser and transaction.  The SEC indicates that among the factors that issuers should consider under this facts and circumstances analysis are:

  • the nature of the purchaser and the type of accredited investor that the purchaser claims to be;
  • the amount and type of information that the issuer has about the purchaser; and
  • the nature of the offering, such as the manner in which the purchaser was solicited to participate in the offering, and the terms of the offering, such as a minimum investment amount.

The final rule provides a non-exclusive list of methods that issuers may use to satisfy the verification requirement for purchasers who are natural persons, including:

  • For the income test, reviewing copies of any IRS form that reports the income of the purchaser for the two most recent years and obtaining a written representation that the purchaser will likely continue to earn the necessary income in the current year.
  • For the net worth test, reviewing one or more of the following types of documentation dated within the prior three months and obtaining a written representation from the purchaser that all liabilities necessary to make a determination of net worth have been disclosed:
    • With respect to assets: bank statements, brokerage statements and other statements of securities holdings, certificates of deposit, tax assessments, and appraisal reports issued by independent third parties; and
    • With respect to liabilities: a consumer report from at least one of the nationwide consumer reporting agencies;
  • As an alternative to either of the above, an issuer may receive a written confirmation from a registered broker-dealer, SEC-registered investment adviser, licensed attorney, or certified public accountant that it has taken reasonable steps within the prior three months to verify the purchaser’s accredited status.

Simply relying on a representation from the purchaser, or merely checking a box on an accredited investor questionnaire, will not meet the requirement for objective verification. EB-5 Regional Centers should consider this carefully if they intend to make “accredited investor” determinations.

What actions must an issuer take to rely on the new exemption?

Issuers selling securities under Regulation D using general solicitation must file a Form D. The final rule amends the Form D to add a separate box for issuers to check if they are claiming the new Rule 506 exemption and engaging in general solicitation or general advertising. An issuer is currently required to file Form D within 15 days of the first sale of securities in an offering, but the SEC promulgated proposed rules to require an earlier filing.  See “Are there any other changes contemplated for Rule 506?” below.

Will the new rule affect other Rule 506 offerings that do not use general solicitation?

Not directly. The existing provisions of Rule 506 remain available as an exemption. This means that an issuer conducting a Rule 506 offering without using general solicitation or advertising is not required to perform the additional verification steps.

Who is excluded from using the Rule 506 exemption?

Under the new rule regarding “bad actors” required by the Dodd-Frank Act, an issuer cannot rely on a Rule 506 exemption (including the existing Rule 506 exemption) if the issuer or any other person covered by the rule has had a “disqualifying event.”  The persons covered by the rule are the issuer, including its predecessors and affiliated issuers, as well as:

  • Directors and certain officers, general partners, and managing members of the issuer;
  • 20% beneficial owners of the issuer;
  • Promoters;
  • Investment managers and principals of pooled investment funds; and
  • People compensated for soliciting investors as well as the general partners, directors, officers, and managing members of any compensated solicitor.

What is a “disqualifying event?”

A “disqualifying event” includes:

  • Felony and misdemeanor criminal convictions in connection with the purchase or sale of a security, making of a false filing with the SEC or arising out of the conduct of certain types of financial intermediaries. The criminal conviction must have occurred within 10 years of the proposed sale of securities (or five years in the case of the issuer and its predecessors and affiliated issuers).
  • Court injunctions or restraining orders in connection with the purchase or sale of a security, making of a false filing with the SEC, or arising out of the conduct of certain types of financial intermediaries. The injunction or restraining order must have occurred within five years of the proposed sale of securities.
  • Final orders from certain regulatory authorities that:
    • bar the issuer from associating with a regulated entity, engaging in the business of securities, insurance or banking, or engaging in savings association or credit union activities, or
    • are based on fraudulent, manipulative, or deceptive conduct and were issued within 10 years of the proposed sale of securities.
  • Certain SEC disciplinary orders relating to brokers, dealers, municipal securities dealers, investment companies, and investment advisers and their associated persons.
  • SEC cease-and-desist orders related to violations of certain anti-fraud provisions and registration requirements of the federal securities laws.
  • Suspension or expulsion from membership in or association with a self-regulatory organization (such as FINRA, the membership organization for broker-dealers).
  • U.S. Postal Service false representation orders issued within five years before the proposed sale of securities.

What disqualifying events apply?

Only disqualifying events that occur after the effective date of the new rule will disqualify an issuer from relying on Rule 506. However, matters that existed before the effective date of the rule and would otherwise be disqualifying must be disclosed to investors.

Are there exceptions to the disqualification?

Yes. An exception from disqualification exists when the issuer can that show it did not know and, in the exercise of reasonable care, could not have known that a covered person with a disqualifying event participated in the offering.  The SEC can also grant a waiver of the disqualification upon a showing of good cause.

When do the new rules become effective?

Both rule amendments will become effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.  Publication normally occurs within two weeks after final rules are adopted.

Are there any other changes contemplated for Rule 506?

In connection with the foregoing final rules, the SEC separately published for comment a proposed rule change intended to enhance the SEC’s ability to assess developments in the private placement market based on the new rules regarding general solicitation. This proposal would require issuers to provide additional information to the SEC, including:

  • identification of the issuer’s website;
  • expanded information about the issuer;
  • information about the offered securities;
  • the types of investors in the offering;
  • the use of proceeds from the offering;
  • information on the types of general solicitation used; and
  • the methods used to verify the accredited investor status of investors.

Though this proposed rules is not specifically directed to EB-5 offerings, the SEC could use such information to enhance the monitoring it is already doing of EB-5 programs.

The proposed rule would also require issuers that intend to engage in general solicitation as part of a Rule 506 offering to file the Form D at least 15 calendar days before engaging in general solicitation for the offering. Then, within 30 days of completing the offering, the issuer would be required to update the information contained in the Form D and indicate that the offering had ended.

The proposed rule has a 60-day comment period.

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Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Sanctions Revlon Financial Makeover; Tips for Setting a Strong Foundation for Going Private Transaction Success

DrinkerBiddle

On June 13, 2013, the SEC entered into a cease and desist order and imposed an $850,000 civil money penalty against Revlon, Inc. (Revlon) in connection with a 2009 “going private” transaction (the Revlon SEC Order).  This article identifies some of the significant challenges in executing a going private transaction and highlights particular aspects of the Revlon deal that can serve as a teaching lesson for planning and minimizing potential risks and delays in future going private transactions.

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Background of Revlon Going Private Transaction.

The controlling stockholder of Revlon, MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc. (M&F), made a proposal to the independent directors of Revlon in April of 2009 to acquire, by way of merger (the Merger Proposal), all of the Class A common stock not currently owned by M&F (the Revlon Minority Stockholders).  The Merger Proposal was submitted as a partial solution to address Revlon’s liquidity needs arising under an impending maturity of a $107 million senior subordinated term loan that was payable to M&F by a Revlon subsidiary.  A portion of this debt (equal to the liquidation value of the preferred stock issued in the Merger Proposal) would be contributed by M&F to Revlon, as part of the transaction.  This was submitted as an alternative in lieu of potentially cost-prohibitive and dilutive financing alternatives (or potentially unavailable financing alternatives) during the volatile credit market following the 2008 sub-prime mortgage crisis.

In response to the Merger Proposal, Revlon formed a special committee of the Board (the Special Committee) to evaluate the Merger Proposal.  The Special Committee retained a financial advisor and separate counsel to assist in its evaluation of the Merger Proposal.  Four lawsuits were filed in Delaware between April 24 and May 12 of 2009 challenging various aspects of the Merger Proposal.

On May 28, 2009, the Special Committee was informed by its financial advisor that it would be unable to render a fairness opinion on the Merger Proposal, and thereafter the Special Committee advised M&F that it could not recommend the Merger Proposal.  In early June of 2009, the Special Committee disbanded, but the independent directors subsequently were advised that M&F would make a voluntary exchange offer proposal to the full Revlon Board of Directors (the Exchange Offer). Revlon’s independent directors thereafter chose to continue to utilize counsel that served to advise the Special Committee, but they elected not to retain a financial advisor for assistance with the forthcoming M&F Exchange Offer proposal, because they were advised that the securities to be offered in the Exchange Offer would be substantially similar to those issuable through Merger Proposal.  As a result, they did not believe they could obtain a fairness opinion for the Exchange Offer consideration.  The Board of Directors of Revlon (without the interested directors participating in the vote) ultimately approved the Exchange Offer without receiving any fairness opinion with respect to the Exchange Offer.

On September 24, 2009, the final terms of the Exchange Offer were set and the offer was launched.  The Exchange Offer, having been extended several times, finally closed on October 8, 2009, with less than half of the shares tendered for exchange out of all Class A shares held by the Revlon Minority Stockholders.  On October 29, 2009, Revlon announced third quarter financial results that exceeded market expectations, but these results were allegedly consistent with the financial projections disclosed in the Exchange Offer.  Following these announced results, Revlon’s Class A stock price increased.  These developments led to the filing of additional litigation in Delaware Chancery Court.

The Revlon SEC Order and Associated Rule 13e-3 Considerations.

A subset of the Revlon Minority Stockholders consisted of participants in a Revlon 401(k) retirement plan, which was subject to obligations under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA) and a trust agreement (the Trust Agreement) between Revlon and the Plan’s trustee (the Trustee).  Provisions of ERISA and the Trust Agreement prohibited a 401(k) Plan participant’s sale of common stock to Revlon for less than “adequate consideration.”

During July of 2009, Revlon became actively involved with the Trustee to control the flow of information concerning any adequate consideration determination, to prevent such information from flowing back to Revlon and to prevent such information from flowing to 401(k) participants (and ultimately Revlon Minority Stockholders); certain amendments to the Trust Agreement were requested by Revlon and agreed to by the Trustee to effect these purposes.  This also had the additional effect of preventing the independent directors of Revlon from being aware that an adequate consideration opinion would be rendered for the benefit of Revlon’s 401(k) Plan participants.

On September 28, 2009, the financial advisor to the 401(k) Plan rendered an adverse opinion that the Exchange Offer did not provide adequate consideration to 401(k) Plan participants.  As a result, the Trustee informed 401(k) Plan participants, as previously directed by Revlon, that the 401(k) Plan Trustee could not honor tender instructions because it would result in a “non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA.”  Revlon Minority Stockholders, including 401(k) Plan participants, were generally unaware that an unfavorable adequate consideration opinion had been delivered to the Trustee.

In the Revlon SEC Order, the SEC concluded that Revlon engaged in a series of materially misleading disclosures in violation of Rule 13e-3.  Despite disclosure in the Exchange Offer that the Revlon Board had approved the Exchange Offer and related transactions based upon the “totality of information presented to and considered by its members” and that such approval was the product of a “full, fair and complete” process, the SEC found that the process, in fact, was not full, fair and complete.  The SEC particularly found that the Board’s process “was compromised because Revlon concealed from both minority shareholders and from its independent board members that it had engaged in a course of conduct to ‘ring-fence’ the adequate consideration determination.”  The SEC further found that “Revlon’s ‘ring-fencing’ deprived the Board (and in turn Revlon Minority Stockholders) of the opportunity to receive revised, qualified or supplemental disclosures including any that might have informed them of the third party financial advisor’s determination that the transaction consideration to be received by the 401(k) members . . . was inadequate.”

Significance of the Revlon SEC Order.

The Revlon Order underscores the significance of transparency and fairness being extended to all unaffiliated stockholders in a Rule 13e-3 transaction, including the 401(k) Plan participants whose shares represented only 0.6 percent of the Revlon Minority Stockholder holdings.  Importantly, the SEC took exception to the fact that Revlon actively prevented the flow of information regarding fairness and found that the information should have been provided for the benefit of these participants, as well as all Revlon Minority Stockholders.  This result ensued despite the fact that Revlon’s Exchange Offer disclosures noted in detail the Special Committee’s inability to obtain a fairness opinion for the Merger Proposal and the substantially similar financial terms of the preferred stock offered in both the Merger Proposal and the Exchange Offer transactions.

Going Private Transactions are Subject to Heightened Review by the SEC and Involve Significant Risk, Including Personal Risk.

Going private transactions are vulnerable to multiple challenges, including state law fiduciary duty claims and wide ranging securities law claims, including claims for private damages as well as SEC civil money penalties.  In the Revlon transaction, the SEC Staff conducted a full review of the going private transaction filings.  Despite the significant substantive changes in disclosure brought about through the SEC comment process, the SEC subsequently pursued an enforcement action and prevailed against Revlon for civil money penalties.

Although the SEC sanction was limited in scope to Revlon, it is worth noting that the SEC required each of Revlon, M&F and M&F’s controlling stockholder, Ronald Perelman, to acknowledge (i) personal responsibility for the adequacy and accuracy of disclosure in each filing; (ii) that Staff comments do not foreclose the SEC from taking action including enforcement action with regard to the filing; and (iii) that each may not assert staff comments as a defense in any proceeding initiated by the SEC or any other person under securities laws.  Thus, in planning a going private transaction, an issuer and each affiliate engaged in the transaction (each, a Filing Person) must make these acknowledgements, which expose each Filing Person (including certain affiliates who may be natural persons) to potential damages and sanctions.

The SEC also requires Filing Persons to demonstrate in excruciating detail the basis for their beliefs regarding the fairness of the transaction.  These inquiries typically focus on the process followed in pursuing and negotiating the transaction, the procedural fairness associated with such process, and the substantive fairness of the overall transaction, including financial fairness.  As a result of this, each Filing Person (including certain natural persons) in a going private transaction should be prepared to diligently satisfy cumbersome process and fairness requirements as part of the pre-filing period deliberative process, and later stand behind extensive and detailed disclosures that demonstrate and articulate the basis of the procedural and substantive fairness of the transaction, including financial fairness.

Damages and Penalties in Going Private Transactions Can Be Significant.

It is worth noting that civil money penalties and settlements that have been announced to date by Revlon for its Exchange Offer going private transaction is approximately $30 million.  After factoring in professional fees, it would not be surprising that the total post-closing costs, penalties and settlements approach 50 percent of the implied total transaction value of all securities offered in the Exchange Offer transaction.  From this experience, it is obvious that costs, damages and penalties can be a significant component of overall transaction consideration, and these risks must be factored in as part of overall transaction planning at the outset.

Given the risks of post-transaction damages and costs, it is essential that future going private transactions be structured and executed by Filing Persons with the foregoing considerations in mind in order to advance a transaction with full transparency, a demonstrably fair procedural process and deal consideration that is substantively fair and demonstrably supportable as fair from a financial point-of-view.

Consumer Financial Services Basics 2013 – September 30 – October 01, 2013

The National Law Review is pleased to bring you information about the upcoming  Consumer Financial Services Basics 2013.

CFSB Sept 30 2013

When

September 30 – October 01, 2013

Where

  • University of Maryland
  • Francis King Carey School of Law
  • 500 W Baltimore St
  • Baltimore, MD 21201-1701
  • United States of America

Facing the most comprehensive revision of federal consumer financial services (CFS) law in 75 years, even experienced consumer finance lawyers might feel it is time to get back in the classroom. This live meeting is designed to expose practitioners to key areas of consumer financial services law, whether you need a primer or a refresher.

It is time to take a step back and think through some of these complex issues with a faculty that combines decades of practical experience with law school analysis. The classroom approach is used to review the background, assess the current policy factors, step into the shoes of regulators, and develop an approach that can be used to interpret and evaluate the scores of laws and regulations that affect your clients.

Recent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Developments

Rules Creating Exemptions to the ATR Rule Finalized

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently finalized rules that modified and created specific exemptions to the CFPB’s Ability-to-Repay Rule. The rules have three main effects.

  1. They exempt certain community development lenders and nonprofits—specifically those that lend only to low- and moderate-income consumers, and make 200 or fewer such loans per year—from the ATR Rule.
  2. They facilitate lending by community banks and credit unions that have less than $2 billion in assets, and make 500 or fewer first lien mortgages per year.
  3. They no longer require that compensation paid by a broker or lender to a loan originator counts towards the Dodd-Frank points and fees limits.

These changes to the ATR Rule will take effect on January 10, 2014.

Effective Date of Prohibitions on Financing Credit Insurance Premiums Delayed

The CFPB has delayed the effective date of a regulation prohibiting creditors from financing credit insurance premiums secured by a dwelling. The regulation, previously effective June 1, 2013, has been delayed until January 10, 2014. The CFPB wanted to clarify how the rule applied to transactions other than those where a lump-sum premium was added to the loan amount at closing.

CFBP Seeking Comments on Possible Revisions to the Civil Penalty Rule

The CFPB is seeking comments on possible revisions to the Consumer Financial Civil Penalty Fund Rule. The CFBP uses this fund, established by the Dodd-Frank Act, to deposit civil penalties obtained in judicial or administrative actions under federal consumer financial laws. The fund can be used to pay victims of violations of federal consumer financial laws, or, if victims cannot be found, to educate consumers and provide financial literacy programs. The rule articulates the CFPB’s interpretations of what kind of victim payments are appropriate and how to otherwise allocate the funds. Comments are due on July 8, 2013.

White Paper Concerning Overdraft Practice Concerns Published

The CFPB published a white paper concerning overdraft practice concerns and institutional practices. The paper finds that a large portion of consumer checking account revenue continues to come from overdraft fees. Furthermore, those consumers who choose, let alone use, overdraft coverage have higher costs and a higher chance of having their checking accounts involuntary closed. No action, other than further research, is currently planned.

CFPB Launches New Mortgage Rule Implementation Page

The new mortgage rule implementation page is part of an effort to help lenders comply with the Dodd-Frank Act reforms and CFPB rules. Debtors and potential debtors can find potentially useful information, including quick reference charts, video guides, manuals, etc.—related to the new 2013 mortgage rules. While the CFPB’s intention for the site is to help understand the rules, the materials are not a substitute for the rules themselves.

Ryan C. Fairchild, summer law clerk at Poyner Spruill, co-authored this article.

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Consumer Financial Services Basics 2013 – September 30 – October 01, 2013

The National Law Review is pleased to bring you information about the upcoming  Consumer Financial Services Basics 2013.

CFSB Sept 30 2013

When

September 30 – October 01, 2013

Where

  • University of Maryland
  • Francis King Carey School of Law
  • 500 W Baltimore St
  • Baltimore, MD 21201-1701
  • United States of America

Facing the most comprehensive revision of federal consumer financial services (CFS) law in 75 years, even experienced consumer finance lawyers might feel it is time to get back in the classroom. This live meeting is designed to expose practitioners to key areas of consumer financial services law, whether you need a primer or a refresher.

It is time to take a step back and think through some of these complex issues with a faculty that combines decades of practical experience with law school analysis. The classroom approach is used to review the background, assess the current policy factors, step into the shoes of regulators, and develop an approach that can be used to interpret and evaluate the scores of laws and regulations that affect your clients.

America Invents Act – Practical Considerations for Portfolio Companies

McDermottLogo_2c_rgb

Private equity funds should familiarize themselves with recent changes to U.S. patent law that affect patent protection strategies for their portfolio companies.  In September 2011, the U.S. Congress enacted the America Invents Act (AIA) patent reform bill, which significantly overhauled U.S. patent law.  This article summarizes practical considerations that private equity funds should bear in mind when evaluating and managing the patent portfolio of their investments.

First Inventor to File 

In the broadest sense, the AIA converts U.S. patent law into a “first-inventor-to-file” system from a “first-to-invent” system.  This conversion harmonizes U.S. patent law with the rest of the world’s patent laws.  In practice, it means that businesses should not delay filing patent applications, as they can no longer antedate patent-defeating prior art with an earlier invention date.

Challenges to Patent Rights 

Effective September 12, 2012, the AIA provided businesses new post-issuance patent validity challenge options that may be exercised before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).  The new post-issuance challenges provide businesses new and predictable avenues to test the validity of a competitor’s patent that is, or may in the future be, an impediment to commercialization.  These post-issuance challenges include post-grant review, inter partes review and the Transitional Program for Covered Business Methods.  Each of the three post-issuance challenges is defined briefly here.

Post-Grant Review

Someone other than the patent owner may file a petition for post-grant review challenging the validity of a patent within nine months of the patent’s date of issue or reissue on any statutory grounds for invalidity.  Thus, even if a patent has been grated to a portfolio company, it may be subject to challenge by third parties in the time period immediately following issuance.  Similarly, a portfolio company could elect to challenge a competitor’s rights, even after a patent has been issued.

Inter Partes Review 

Someone other than the patent owner may file a petition for inter partes review challenging the validity of the patent nine months after the date of issue or reissue on limited invalidity grounds.  Inter partes review may only be instituted after the time period for post-grant review has expired and offers only a subset of the challenges available in post-grant review.  This means that throughout the entire life of an issued patent, generally 20 years from the filing date of the earliest priority document, it may be subject to challenge and invalidation.  Private equity funds should closely consider any potential challenges that could be lodged against a portfolio company and should evaluate potential risk before investing.

Transitional Program for Covered Business Methods

With regard to business method patents, someone other than the patent owner may file a petition for covered business method review challenging the validity of a patent if (1) the petitioner has been sued for infringement or threatened with an infringement suit, and (2) the patent claims a financial product or service.  Practically speaking, this scope is broader than mere financial products or services, such that any patent claiming anything related to money may potentially be challenged using a covered business method review.  Versata Development Group Inc. recently filed suit against the USPTO in the Eastern District of Virginia alleging that such a scope is impermissibly broad.  Until the result of that case or guidance is issued by the USPTO, private equity funds should proceed under the broad definition of “financial product or service” when evaluating a portfolio company with patents that may be challenged under the covered business method review.

Conclusion

Whether used against competitors’ patents or in defense of a business’ own interests, the new post-issuance challenges available under the AIA are powerful new tools in a portfolio company’s strategic toolbox.

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Financial Innovation for Clean Energy Deployment: Congress Considers Expanding Master Limited Partnerships for Clean Energy

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Technological innovation is driving renewable energy towards a future where it is cost competitive without subsidies and provides a growing share of America’s energy. But for all the technical progress made by the clean energy industry, financial innovation is not keeping pace: access to low-cost capital continues to be fleeting, and the industry has yet to tap institutional and retail investors through the capital markets. This is why a bipartisan group in Congress has proposed extending master limited partnerships (MLPs), a financial mechanism that has long driven investment in traditional energy projects, to the clean energy industry.

Last month Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced the Master Limited Parity Act (S. 795); Representatives Ted Poe (R-TX), Mike Thompson (D-CA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced companion legislation (H.R. 1696) in the House of Representatives. The bills would allow MLP treatment for renewable energy projects currently eligible for the Sec. 45 production tax credit (PTC) or 48 investment tax credit (ITC) (solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydropower, combined heat and power, fuel cells) as well as biofuels, renewable chemicals, energy efficient buildings, electricity storage, carbon capture and storage, and waste-heat-to-power projects. The bill would not change the eligibility of projects that currently qualify as MLPs such as upstream oil and gas activities related to exploration and processing or midstream oil and gas infrastructure investments.

MLPs have been successfully utilized for traditional fossil-fuel projects because they offer an efficient means to raise inexpensive capital. The current total market capitalization of all energy-related MLPs exceeds $400 billion, on par with the market value of the world’s largest publicly traded companies. Ownership interests for MLPs are traded like corporate stock on a market. In exchange for restrictions on the kinds of income it can generate and a requirement to distribute almost all earnings to shareholders (called unitholders), MLPs are taxed like a partnership, meaning that income from MLPs is taxed only at the unitholder level. The absence of corporate-level taxation means that the MLP has more money to distribute to unitholders, thus making the shares more valuable. The asset classes in which MLPs currently invest lend themselves to stable, dividend-oriented performance for a tax-deferred investment; renewable energy projects with long-term off-take agreements could also offer similar stability to investors. And since MLPs are publicly traded, the universe of potential investors in renewable projects would be opened to retail investors.

The paperwork for MLP investors can be complicated, however. Also, investors are subject to rules which limit their ability to offset active income or other passive investments with the tax benefits of an MLP investment. Despite the inherent restrictions on some aspects of MLPs, the opportunities afforded by the business structure are generating increasing interest and support for the MLP Parity Act.

Proponents of the MLP Parity Act envision the bill as a way to help renewable energy companies access lower cost capital and overcome some of the limitations of the current regime of tax credits. Federal tax incentives for renewable energy consist primarily of two limited tools: tax credits and accelerated depreciation rates. Unless they have sizeable revenue streams, the tax credits are difficult for renewable project developers to directly use. The reality is only large, profitable companies can utilize these credits as a means to offset their income. For a developer who must secure financing though a complicated, expensive financing structure, including tax equity investors can be an expensive means to an end with a cost of capital sometimes approaching 30%. Tax credits are a known commodity, and developers are now familiar with structuring tax equity deals, but the structure is far from ideal. And as renewable energy advocates know all too well, the current suite of tax credits need to be extended every year. MLP treatment, on the other hand, does not expire.

Some supporters have noted that clean energy MLPs would “democratize” the industry because private retail investors today have no means to invest in to any meaningful degree in clean energy projects. Having the American populace take a personal, financial interest in the success of the clean energy industry is not trivial. The initial success of ‘crowd-funded” solar projects also provides some indication that there is an appetite for investment in clean energy projects which provide both economic and environmental benefits.

Sen. Coons has assembled a broad bipartisan coalition, including Senate Finance Energy Subcommittee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). Republican and Democratic cosponsors agree that this legislation would help accomplish the now-familiar “all-of-the-above” approach to energy policy.

However, some renewable energy companies that depend on tax credits and accelerated depreciation are concerned that Republican supporters of the legislation will support the bill as an immediate replacement for the existing (but expiring) suite of renewable energy tax credits. Sen. Coons does not envision MLP parity as a replacement for the current production tax credits and investment tax credits but rather as additional policy tool that can address, to some degree, the persistent shortcomings of current financing arrangements. In this way, MLPs could provide a landing pad for mature renewable projects as the existing regime of credits is phased out over time, perhaps as part of tax reform.

So would the clean energy industry utilize MLP structures if Congress enacts the MLP Parity Act? The immediate impact may be hard to predict, and some in renewable energy finance fear MLP status will be less valuable than the current tax provisions. This is in part because the average retail investor would not be able to use the full share of accompanying PTCs, ITCs, or depreciation unless Congress were also to change what are known as the “at-risk” and “passive activity loss and tax credit” rules. These rules were imposed to crack down on perceived abuse of partnership tax shelters and have tax implications beyond the energy industry. Modifying these rules is highly unlikely and would jeopardize the bipartisan support the bill has attracted so far. But other renewable energy companies believe they can make the structure work for them now, and industries without tax credits — like renewable chemicals, for instance — would not have the same concerns with “at-risk” and “passive activity loss” rules. Furthermore, over the long term, industry seems increasingly confident the structure would be worthwhile. Existing renewable projects that have fully realized their tax benefits and have cleared the recapture period could be rolled up into existing MLPs. Existing MLP infrastructure projects could deploy renewable energy assets to help support the actual infrastructure. Supporters of the legislation see the change as a starting point, and the ingenuity of the market will find ways to work within the rules to deliver the maximum benefit.

The future of the MLP Parity Act will be linked to the larger conversation in Congress regarding tax reform measures. The MLP Parity Act is not expected to pass as a stand-alone bill; if it were to be enacted, it would most likely be included as part of this larger tax-reform package. Congress currently is looking at ways to lower overall tax rates and modify or streamline technology-specific energy provisions. This has many renewable energy advocates on edge: while reform provides an opportunity to enact long-term policies (instead of one-year extensions) that could provide some level of stability, it also represents a chance for opponents of renewable energy to exact tough concessions or eliminate existing incentives. As these discussions continue in earnest this year, the reintroduction of the MLP Parity Act has already begun to generate discussions and mentions in policy white papers at both the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. Whether a highly partisan Congress can actually achieve such an ambitious goal as tax reform this year remains uncertain. But because of its bipartisan support, the MLP Parity Act certainly will be one of the many potential reforms Congress will consider seriously.

Consumer Financial Services Basics 2013 – September 30 – October 01, 2013

The National Law Review is pleased to bring you information about the upcoming  Consumer Financial Services Basics 2013.

CFSB Sept 30 2013

When

September 30 – October 01, 2013

Where

  • University of Maryland
  • Francis King Carey School of Law
  • 500 W Baltimore St
  • Baltimore, MD 21201-1701
  • United States of America

Facing the most comprehensive revision of federal consumer financial services (CFS) law in 75 years, even experienced consumer finance lawyers might feel it is time to get back in the classroom. This live meeting is designed to expose practitioners to key areas of consumer financial services law, whether you need a primer or a refresher.

It is time to take a step back and think through some of these complex issues with a faculty that combines decades of practical experience with law school analysis. The classroom approach is used to review the background, assess the current policy factors, step into the shoes of regulators, and develop an approach that can be used to interpret and evaluate the scores of laws and regulations that affect your clients.

Third-Party Litigation Funding Comes of Age

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Law firm Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) are on the front line of client development, and thus have an unobstructed view of how the legal market for complex litigation is developing. As budget pressures continue to weigh on corporate general counsel, the need for law firms to adjust their pricing to secure new clients is clearly being felt – some firms are now hiring specialty personnel to focus solely on the question of proper pricing. CMOs are thus actively speaking the lingua franca of today’s latest fee structures – from RFPs to AFAs and discounted fees.

Given this, it is surprising to discover that many otherwise business savvy CMOs know little about the emergence of commercial litigation finance. While some are keenly aware of the new industry’s progress – and eager to share their involvement in the funding of multiple cases – others are seemingly unfamiliar with the advent of specialist funding companies and the business development opportunities that they could present for them.

In fairness, due to the often confidential nature of commercial litigation finance, the commercial litigation finance industry has been somewhat constrained in publicizing itself. One example of this is at a recent conference I sat next to the sharp CMO of a top firm who asked me what litigation finance did and what company I worked for. I explained to him that we financed legal fees in multi-million dollar cases, and that we had recently funded a case involving his own firm!

At its most basic level, litigation finance is very straightforward. A third-party funds legal fees and expenses associated with a litigation or arbitration, in return for a portion of the ultimate proceeds (settlement or judgment), if any. Importantly, the funding is typically “non-recourse”, meaning that if there is no recovery for the plaintiff, the litigation financier receives no fee.

Claimants have historically found ways to fund their cases – with available capital, through a bank loan, or by agreeing to a contingency fee with their attorney. What has changed recently is the emergence of specialty finance companies that limit their work to the financing of litigation. These firms – which first appeared in Australia a decade ago, and are now active in the United Kingdom and the United States.  They typically invest in large-scale and complex commercial litigation, with investments (and thus legal fees) on the order of several million dollars.

Not all cases are appropriate for litigation financing, and certain criteria must be met as part of a careful due diligence process. Four considerations include:

  1. the merits of the claim – the case must stand a very strong chance of success on the law and facts;
  2. the ratio of costs/proceeds – the ratio of legal fees (and other costs) must be in proper proportion to the expected proceeds (to allow for reasonable costs associated with financing – typically a ratio of at least 1:4 is required);
  3. the duration of the proceedings – as the cost of financing will usually be related to the time the case takes to resolve (given the time value of money), notice must be paid to the expected length of the case; and
  4. the enforceability of judgment – it must be clear at the outset that, if the claim is successful, the plaintiff will be able to collect its judgment from the defendant.

Once an investment is made, litigation financiers are careful as to their involvement in a given case. Important rules of legal ethics are respected so that the funder does not interfere with case strategy, settlement decisions, or the attorney-client relationship. And, as mentioned above, the financing is typically kept confidential between the parties.

Given the challenge of drawing in new clients, law firm CMOs must leverage every available advantage. In several business development scenarios, the prospect of litigation finance can help:

  • Fee negotiations – in situations where a client would prefer to work with a given firm – but the client will not (or cannot) pay the firm’s standard hourly fees – financing can be used to pay such fees and allow the case to proceed;
  • Alternative to contingency fee – in situations where a firm is asked to act on a contingency fee basis, a litigation financier can step in to provide a similar result: the firm receives its standard hourly fees, paid for by the funder, which in turn only receives compensation in the event of a “win” (sometimes referred to as a “synthetic contingency”);
  • RFP (request for proposal) – in situations where an RFP has been issued by a potential client, a firm’s response may be better received if it makes proper mention of litigation finance as an innovative variation to AFA (alternative fee arrangements); and
  • Fee “fatigue” – in situations where an existing client involved in extended litigation has begun to express concern regarding mounting fees (perhaps on the eve of trial), litigation finance can offer immediate cash-flow relief and allow the firm to receive its full fees.

In short, litigation finance can offer law firm CMOs (and anyone involved in legal business development) a new tool with which to hammer out difficult pricing issues and fee structures for big-ticket litigation.

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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Week in Review: June 10 – June 14, 2013

GT Law

CFPB Launches Regulatory Implementation Page

In an effort to streamline resources and better assist financial institutions implementing the many new rules and policies promulgated by the CFPB, the CFPB announced the launch of its “Regulatory Implementation” webpage, available here. The page is a one-stop shop for financial institutions looking for assistance in understanding some of the more salient differences and requirements of the rules. In addition to a number of quick-reference guides, the page also contains compliance guides for the following rules: (i) Ability to Repay/Qualified Mortgage; (ii) 2013 HOEPA Rule; (iii) Loan Originator Compensation; (iv) ECOA Valuations; (v) TILA HPML Appraisals; (vi) Escrows; and (vii) TILA and RESPA Servicing.

CFPB Examines Impact of Overdraft Practices on Consumers

On June 11, 2013, the CFPB released its “CFPB Study of Overdraft Programs” (the Report), which is available here. The Report was based upon (i) responses the CFPB received to a request for information published in the Federal Register in February 2012, and (ii) aggregate, institution-level information data and random samples of consumer checking accounts. Through the inquiry, the CFPB determined that overdraft programs are costly to consumers, provide substantial sources of checking account revenue for financial institutions, and vary widely across financial institutions.

The Report noted that overdraft practices employed by financial institutions are frequently very complex. Not only do the fees charged for overdraft protection vary, but many other differences exist throughout the industry, including: the number of times a consumer can be charged; whether there are caps on such charges; the amount of such caps; the scope of overdraft protection; and even the order in which transactions are posted. Each of these factors can play a significant role in determining the fees consumers will face. Accordingly, the CFPB’s report raises concerns about consumers’ ability to understand, navigate and anticipate fees.

In light of the Report’s findings, the CFPB has announced its intention to engage in further review of account-level data to better understand how differences in practices affect consumers.

CFPB Proposes New Redress System for Victims of Unlawful Activities

Under Section 1055(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, the CFPB may obtain various types of monetary relief, such as restitution, refunds and damages, in both judicial and administrative proceedings. The CFPB collectively refers to such relief as “redress”, and can be required to receive such redress from a defendant and then distribute it to victims of unlawful activities. In order to better assist this process, which is known as “Bureau-Administered Redress,” the CFPB is proposing a new system of records that will enable the CFPB to manage distributions to consumers.

Specifically, the new system will enable the CFPB to: (i) track the collection, allocation and distribution of funds in the Civil Penalty Fund and redress monies; (ii) identify and locate victims who may receive such payments; (iii) determine the amounts that the CFPB will distribute to such victims; (iv) maintain associated account and financial information; and (v) develop reports to applicable tax officials regarding such payments.

The proposal, which is available here, states that any comments on the proposed system must be received no later than July 11, 2013. The new system will become effective on July 22, 2013, unless comments are received that result in a contrary determination.

CFPB Releases New Training Module to Combat Financial Exploitation of Older Americans

On June 12, 2013, the CFPB along with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), released a tool called “Money Smart for Older Adults.” The purpose of the module is to assist older adults (age 62 and older), as well as their caregivers, in avoiding and preventing financial exploitation. In addition, it provides information to educate consumers about planning for a secure financial future and making informed financial decisions.

The module, which consists of a scripted instructor guide, a participant/resource guide and Power Point slides, has been designed to be presented and administered by financial institution representatives, adult protective services agencies, senior advocacy organizations, law enforcement, and similar organizations and agencies.  The module is available, free of charge, on the FDIC website. Click here to view.

CFPB Assistant Director Tells Nonbanks to Quickly Implement Compliance Management Systems

During the American Bankers Association’s Regulatory Compliance Conference on June 12, 2013, Peggy Twohig, the CFPB’s Assistant Director for Supervision Policy, urged nonbank entities to implement compliance management systems without delay. She specifically pointed to many payday lenders, consumer reporting agencies, mortgage lenders and servicers, student lenders and debt collectors that have yet to implement these compliance management systems.

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