Blog

This Wall Won’t Hold: Preventing Foreign Claims on Asbestos Trusts

This Wall Won’t Hold: Preventing Foreign Claims on Asbestos Trusts

August 25, 2025

This Wall Won’t Hold: Preventing Foreign Claims on Asbestos Trusts

By: George Calhoun

Bankruptcy continues as a favored vehicle for the resolution of mass-tort claims, particularly asbestos-based claims.  In two recent cases in Delaware, an often-overlooked issue has raised a red flag concerning the fairness of the trusts proposed in many of these cases.  The plan proponents in those cases proposed asbestos trusts that provided that foreign claimants were not eligible for payment.  It is a foundational principle of U.S. bankruptcy law, however, that the bankruptcy courts do not discriminate against claimants based on the origin of their claims.  The motivation behind these exclusions appears to be a claimant-driven desire to limit competition, but that motivation is incompatible with the Bankruptcy Code.  The result has been, at least in the Imerys talc bankruptcy,…

Read More about This Wall Won’t Hold: Preventing Foreign Claims on Asbestos Trusts

The Referral was the Easy Part – Where does Gabbard’s Evidence Lead DOJ?

July 29, 2025

The Referral was the Easy Part – Where does Gabbard’s Evidence Lead DOJ?

By: James Trusty

Americans are used to a considerable level of dirty tricks when it comes to politics. Occasionally, however, a legal line is crossed and a high-level official is either chased out of office, subjected to a criminal prosecution, or both. Ask Richard Nixon, Marvin Mandel, and Bob Menendez. Despite the predictable proclamation from prominent democrats that DNI Director Tulsi Gabbard’s referral is “old news” and “politically…

Read More about The Referral was the Easy Part – Where does Gabbard’s Evidence Lead DOJ?

Baltimoronic Investigation

July 8, 2025

Baltimoronic Investigation

By: James Trusty

June 24, 2025, may mark the day that the criminal justice system for Baltimore, Maryland finally established its lunacy. If the allegations are correct, an employee of Pretrial Services committed what Maryland officials view as a cardinal sin—he or she let ICE know that there was an illegal alien coming to the office. Armed with that information, ICE showed up at the courthouse, was allowed…

Read More about Baltimoronic Investigation

DOJ’s Response to Grassley Gives Details, but Not the Right Details

June 4, 2012

DOJ’s Response to Grassley Gives Details, but Not the Right Details

By: Nicole Kardell

The Justice Department showed off some fancy dance moves in a recent sidestep it used to respond to an inquiry from Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Grassley wanted detail from Justice to support its claims that it has brought thousands of mortgage fraud cases, including numerous convictions against Wall Street execs, following the 2008 housing crisis. Justice provided detail . . . but not detail responsive…

Read More about DOJ’s Response to Grassley Gives Details, but Not the Right Details

Abbott’s $1.6 Billion Pharmacy Law Settlement Stands as Cautionary Tale to Pharma Companies

May 29, 2012

Abbott’s $1.6 Billion Pharmacy Law Settlement Stands as Cautionary Tale to Pharma Companies

By: Ifrah Law

A recent settlement by global pharmaceutical giant Abbott Laboratories over its promotion of the drug Depakote shows that federal regulators remain prepared to pursue drug manufacturers for promoting unapproved uses of their products. Abbott has agreed to pay federal and state governments a total of $1.6 billion in criminal and civil fines and to plead guilty to a criminal misdemeanor violation of the Food and…

Read More about Abbott’s $1.6 Billion Pharmacy Law Settlement Stands as Cautionary Tale to Pharma Companies

Worst Part of Wal-Mart Bribery Case Is Failure to Conduct Proper Investigation

April 24, 2012

Worst Part of Wal-Mart Bribery Case Is Failure to Conduct Proper Investigation

By: Jeff Ifrah

Over the weekend, The New York Times broke a major story, publishing a highly detailed 8,000-word article that seems to indicate that Wal-Mart not only engaged in a pattern of bribery of Mexican government officials in the mid-2000s but also that the company intentionally stifled an internal investigation of the alleged bribery and in fact directed most of its furor against the former employee who…

Read More about Worst Part of Wal-Mart Bribery Case Is Failure to Conduct Proper Investigation

Suspect Extradited From Estonia to Face Massive Internet Fraud Charges

April 23, 2012

Suspect Extradited From Estonia to Face Massive Internet Fraud Charges

By: Ifrah Law

One of the features of crimes committed over the Internet is that they may be committed from anywhere in the world where a defendant has access a computer. A current case in New York shows that extradition likewise can reach around the globe. On April 19, 2012, Anton Ivanov was extradited from Estonia to face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and computer intrusion,…

Read More about Suspect Extradited From Estonia to Face Massive Internet Fraud Charges

$25 Billion Mortgage Fraud Settlement Marks Turning Point for Industry

April 16, 2012

$25 Billion Mortgage Fraud Settlement Marks Turning Point for Industry

By: Ifrah Law

On April 4, the $25 billion national mortgage servicing settlement, which was announced in February, was finalized by a judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The settlement with the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers — Bank of America Corporation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Wells Fargo & Company, Citigroup Inc., and Ally Financial Inc. (formerly GMAC) — was negotiated by 49…

Read More about $25 Billion Mortgage Fraud Settlement Marks Turning Point for Industry

Articles and Presentations by Our Firm Attorneys

This Wall Won’t Hold: Preventing Foreign Claims on Asbestos Trusts

This Wall Won’t Hold: Preventing Foreign Claims on Asbestos Trusts
By: George Calhoun

The Referral was the Easy Part – Where does Gabbard’s Evidence Lead DOJ?

The Referral was the Easy Part – Where does Gabbard’s Evidence Lead DOJ?
By: James Trusty

Baltimoronic Investigation

Baltimoronic Investigation
By: James Trusty

Subscribe to Ifrah Law’s Insights