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Is an insolvent debtor’s pre-bankruptcy termination of a commercial lease a fraudulent transfer? The Third Circuit said no when it held that a lessor’s pre-bankruptcy termination of the debtors’ lease and purchase option “was not a transfer under Bankruptcy Code §548(a)(1)(B).” In re Pazzo Pazzo Inc., 2022 WL 17690158 (3d Cir. Dec. 15, 2022). But the Seventh Circuit held that a Chapter 11 debtor’s pre-bankruptcy “surrender of [two] … leases to [its landlord] could be regarded as a preferential [or fraudulent] transfer.” In re Great Lakes Quick Lube L.P., 816 F.3d 482 (7th Cir. 2016). Reversing the bankruptcy court’s holding that “the terminations were [not] transfers, … preferential or fraudulent,” the Seventh Circuit stressed that the debtor’s termination of its “interest in property — … the leaseholds — which it parted with by transferring that interest to [the landlord],” fell within the broad definition of “transfer” in the Bankruptcy Code (Code). Id. at 485. A close reading of both Pazzo and Great Lakes, however, shows that the circuits are not split, and that the reasoning of both courts can be reconciled on their facts.
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Sui Generis: Collaborate Like You Mean It
By Lydia Pilch
Part Three of a Series
This article offers up some thoughts about how lawyers ought to access and manage resources in order to provide a multi-faceted, full-service approach to addressing their clients’ needs.
Court of Appeals Addresses Pretext By Municipalities As A Bar to Land Use Approvals?
By Steven M. Silverberg
Recently, there have been several instances in which municipalities have been challenged by property owners claiming that the municipal boards have utilized delaying tactics and other actions as a pretext to prevent development of their properties.
Court Caps Landlord's Bankruptcy Claim Against Lease Guarantor
By Andrew C. Kassner and Joseph N. Argentina Jr.
Given that landlord damage claims could overwhelm other creditor claims in a tenant’s bankruptcy case, the Bankruptcy Code includes a provision that limits a landlord’s claim, which presents challenges for landlords as creditors in bankruptcy cases.
Due Diligence Commercial Leasing Best Practices In New Jersey
By Zachary Rosenberg
Due diligence for CRE loans involves a comprehensive review and analysis of the various conditions and risks associated with the property being mortgaged, with the goal of mitigating such risks to the greatest possible extent before closing the loan.