Litigation

It is no secret that the rapid development of cryptocurrencies and sudden surges in their popularity presented challenges to victims trying to recover their losses. Cryptocurrencies are a secure, decentralized and anonymous way to conduct transactions outside the customary banking channel. Criminals flocked to cryptocurrencies as a way to conduct illicit business without revealing their names or locations. But, the FBI’s recovery of Bitcoins paid to Colonial Pipeline in the ransomware attack reveals that cryptocurrencies are not as hard to track as criminals think.

With the economy on troubling grounds, there is a greater desire to protect assets. But, there is a difference between hiding and protecting assets. Hiding assets is a form of protection, but done for illicit purposes to keep away from current creditors.

The economic upheaval caused by the pandemic has forced persons to focus on asset preservation. The desire to protect wealth and business assets in a well-run, regulated and safe jurisdiction has led to a marked increase in business for the financial sector in places such as the Cayman islands.

As you undoubtedly know by now, on January 1, 2020, Illinois became the 11th state to legalize the possession and use of adult-use cannabis. The new law, the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, 410 ILCS 705, et seq., (the “CRTA”) – all 610 pages of it – establishes the framework of one of the most regulated industries today. More than just laws about personal possession and use, the CRTA includes numerous provisions regarding the new business opportunities in Illinois, including retail operations (dispensaries), cultivation/processing facilities, infusing “kitchens,” and product transportation...

A Mareva injunction freezes a defendant’s assets to avoid their dissipation and to enable a judgment to be later satisfied. 

In the last several years to assist tracing of assets and discovery of perpetrators, courts in English common law countries have shown a willingness to assist victims by ordering third parties to disclose information through discovery about wrongdoings under Norwich Pharmacal relief.

A federal district court may order discovery under 28 U.S.C. Section 1782 “for use in a proceeding in a foreign or international tribunal” upon application by any “interested person”.

In 2009 in Black Swan Investment ISA v. Harvest View Limited BHVC (Com) 2009/399, the court established the principle that a court can act in aid of foreign proceedings where it can be shown that there is property situated in BVI which belongs to the defendant in the foreign proceedings and which may be enforced against in the event the foreign proceedings are successful.

On February 25, 2019, the Second Circuit in the Madoff liquidation decided that Sections 548 and 550 of the Bankruptcy Code can be applied extraterritorially to recover fraudulent transfers. There, offshore feeder funds were recipients of investors' fraudulent transfers and contended that U.S. fraudulent transfer law did not apply abroad. Read more here.

HMB assisted its client, Central National Gottesman, Inc. d/b/a Lindenmeyr Munroe ("LM") in obtaining a judgment against J.S. Paluch, Inc. in the amount of $1,013,476.19 plus 5% prejudgment interest per annum. HMB initiated litigation on behalf of Lindenmenyr Munroe in late 2019 seeking judgment in its favor for unpaid invoices and breach of a promissory note. The complaint alleged two…

On October 23, 2018, Innvision Hospitality ("the defendant") obtained a judgment against Snowhite Textile ("Snowhite") for $250,000. The judgment became final on February 2, 2021. HMB's Litigation team, led by Rick S. Rein and Marla M. Izbicky, was brought onto the case on March 30, 2021 because the defendant's company and assets were located in Illinois. The judgment was registered in…

Read the full article here by WBAI here. In "Civil Litigation, Conversations with the Bench", Marla M. Izbicky interviews Hon. Judge Diane M. Shelley to pick her brain for advice and insight, as well as discuss what impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the courts and litigation. Below are a few questions from the article by the Women's Bar…

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the untimely passing of our dear friend and colleague, John Guzzardo. John passed away on Friday, June 4th at the age of 49 due to a car crash while on vacation with his family in California. John was a Partner at HMB, the Chair of the firm’s Litigation Group, a mentor to many and a friend to all.

6/15/21 Cannabis cultivation is an industry with great economic promise, but the potential environmental cost of Illinois’ most recent economic boon needs to be acknowledged. Join David S. Ruskin and James M. Jennings (Illinois Environmental Protection Agency), Cary J. Shepherd (Bluhm Legal Clinic, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law) and Kaitlin Urso (Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment) for this in-depth look…

Illinois Craft Cannabis Association (“ICCA”) v. The State of Illinois, Governor J.B. Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Agriculture and its director, Jerry Costello II, Case No. 2020 CH 06247 Since our last update on the ICCA’s lawsuit against the State of Illinois, much has happened, but unfortunately nothing has changed. The delays continue for the hundreds of Craft Grower, Infuser…

A year ago, during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, it seemed timely to explore force majeure provisions and legal theories that would permit a party to suspend its contractual obligations under certain circumstances.  At the time, it was unclear how courts would interpret force majeure provisions that did not expressly include a pandemic or epidemic within its list…

The Supreme Court’s decision effectively means that a company can utilize devices that automate calls and texts, as long as that device cannot use a random or sequential number generator to either store or produce the telephone number.

3/4/21 1:30PM ET Join David S. Ruskin as he presents a webinar with Christopher Pippett of Fox Rothschild LLP for the Seminar Group. This presentation will cover the challenges of banking in the cannabis industry, as part of a bigger seminar on Illinois and Michigan. This seminar will cover topics directly related to medical and adult use cannabis laws and regulations under…

In this article by Law360, Aaron L. Hammer discusses GenCanna filing an adversary proceeding seeking $1.2 million back that the company paid to law firm, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP ("Pillsbury"). Read the full article by Law360 here (paid subscription required). GenCanna, now known as OGGUSA Inc. after the company sold its assets as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy, paid…

On March 5, 2021, Marla M. Izbicky, a member of HMB’s litigation and technology practice groups, will be speaking at the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois’s (WBAI) 22nd Annual Virtual Judicial Reception. As a Director of the WBAI and chair of the Judicial Reception, Marla will present the Mary Heftel Hooton award to the Honorable Jorge Alonso of the United…

HMB’s Insurance Advisory Practice is continuing to monitor developments on hundreds of cases filed nationwide by business owners against insurers over denials of business interruption COVID-19 and government shutdown order related claims. HMB is tracking how courts are deciding these novel claims and reporting on these observations. This update contains some highlights of recent favorable decisions of potential significance for…

In less than a decade, Illinois went from treating cannabis as a criminal issue to developing a heavily-regulated legal medical and adult use cannabis industry. Illinois law uses cannabis as a blanket term covering regulated products, including cannabis-infused products, such as edibles. Medical cannabis is a term that covers the same types of product as cannabis, but refers to products…

Read the full article by ABA here. Pursuing legal relief against foreign parties and assets is a complex task that requires a well-developed plan to achieve a cross-border recovery. Globalization has created new challenges for parties threatened by, or involved in, cross-border disputes. Internet communication has made electronic transactions seamless and easy to operate anywhere in the world. Tax havens…

11/2/20 Chicago, IL HMB Legal Counsel, a preeminent provider of legal services in business and finance, litigation, trusts and estates, real estate, state and local taxes and corporate reorganization, bankruptcy and creditor's rights, announced that Loan K. Tran joins the firm as an associate in the Business and Finance group and Elysa J. Chew joins the firm as an associate…

10/22/20 David S. Ruskin will moderate a panel discussion for the Cannabis Law Institute as a part of the INCBA month-long program on cannabis legalization topics. The panel will include Dr. Chanda Macias of Ilera Holistic, Scheril Murray Powell of Scheril Murray Powell P.A., Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish of Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish PLLC and Dina Rollman of GTI. In…

The Illinois Craft Cannabis Association ("ICCA") filed suit against the State of Illinois and Illinois Department of Agriculture on Monday, October 12 to compel the defendants to issue overdue licenses and provide injunctive relief to the cannabis craft grower, infuser and transporter applicants that were expecting licenses to be issued on July 1, under the law, but are now racking…

In a unanimous vote, Marla was elected as the newest Director of the Women's Bar Association of Illinois for the 2020-2021 executive leadership year. The WBAI, one of the oldest and largest bar associations in the state of Illinois, was first established in 1914 and was founded to promote the interests and welfare of women lawyers and also to aid…

10/2/20 Chicago, IL HMB Legal Counsel, a preeminent provider of legal services in business and finance, litigation, trusts and estates, real estate, state and local taxes and corporate reorganization, bankruptcy and creditor's rights, announced that Marla M. Izbicky joined the firm’s growing Litigation and Technology Practices. Marla is a member of HMB’s Litigation group and concentrates her practice on commercial…

David S. Ruskin presented a webinar for the Medical Cannabis Community about the Federal Court hearing regarding the lawsuit filed by multiple Illinois companies to contest the highly flawed cannabis dispensary license scoring process implemented by the state and their vendor, KPMG. Register here to watch the webinar on demand.…

The COVID-19 Pandemic has changed the landscape of taking and defending depositions.  Due to social distancing guidelines and travel restrictions, almost every deposition is taken remotely, and will be for the foreseeable future.  Below are a few considerations and suggestions for preparing for and taking your deposition in this new era: You cannot see non-participants in the room.  Depending on…

9/2/20 1:00PM-2:30PM ET Join Rick, with a panel of experts, for this CLE webinar that will discuss how to locate and seize offshore assets with which to satisfy a US obligation or judgment. The panel will also address tools to prevent the removal of assets to other countries. The panelists will address issues such as: What countries are the hardest…

HMB litigators Rick S. Rein and Karl E. Analo secured a complete victory in a recent breach of guaranty dispute.  The team obtained summary judgment in their client’s favor on all counts resulting in a total judgment of over $4,600,000 as well as attorneys’ fees. HMB’s client leased certain equipment to a hospital pursuant to a commercial equipment lease.  The…

Stavros S. Giannoulias and John R. Wiktor filed claims on behalf of a non-profit Congregation to enforce two oral pledges made by one of its prominent and beloved members, who died suddenly before fulfilling his pledges. The Congregation filed claims in the probate proceedings in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois asserting that its member made a $1 million…

Actions Taken by the District Court On Tuesday, May 26, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois updated, for the fourth time, its General Order 20-0012 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The District Court’s original General Order extended all deadlines, whether set by the court or otherwise, by 21 days. On March 30, an Amended…

May 12, 2020 As COVID-19 presses state and local governments to continue their shutdown orders, some businesses are incurring extensive expenses and losses. Whether the business is open with limited capacity, allowing employees to work from home, or closed until the orders are lifted,  businesses are asking if and how insurance can provide relief. This article provides information on the…

Out-Of-Court Distressed Asset Purchases, a Primer The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted businesses and commercial relationships worldwide, cutting wide swaths of through entire sectors of the economy.  The current government regime of subsidizing whole industries and individual businesses is still evolving.  Commercial lenders have been incentivized to forbear and defer defaults – but the piper must eventually be paid.  Enterprises that…

4/8/2020 12:00pm CST Sean D. Auton, Aaron L. Hammer, Bill Katris and Matthew R. Barrett will discuss COVID-19 and its impact on Contract Rights and Insurance Claims. This webinar for the Chicagoland Chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization will address questions such as: Contract Rights under COVID-19 I can’t perform under my contract or leases - what remedies do I…

The economic uncertainty caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted businesses and commercial relationships worldwide.  As COVID-19 continues to spread, businesses may experience disruptions that make it difficult or impossible to fulfill their contractual obligations.  Under certain circumstances, those disruptions may justify non-performance.  One such escape hatch is a force majeure clause, which is a provision contained…

HMB litigators Hal J. Wood and Matthew R. Barrett secured a complete victory in a recent highly contested post-transaction dispute. The team obtained summary judgment in their clients’ favor on all counts, including an award of 100% of the clients’ attorneys’ fees, resulting in a total judgment of over $9,000,000 in favor of HMB’s clients. HMB’s clients were the sellers…

3/3/2020 HMB's Office 500 W Madison Suite 3700 Chicago, IL Rick will discuss, with other industry panelists, the following emerging topics in litigation finance: The best candidates for litigation finance Litigation funding in bankruptcy How a party secures financing How attorneys and claimholders can engage with funders The latest developments in litigation finance in 2020 This seminar is hosted at…

3/5/20 Miami, FL Rick Rein, with a panel of experts comprised of professionals both foreign and domestic, will discuss new developments in statutory and case-law that impacts US receivers as they deal with actions and assets abroad. The session will focus on important new developments in the field around the world including topics concerning Brexit, China and more. Other challenges…

One attorney from HMB's Litigation Group has been named as a 2020 Illinois Super Lawyer. Additionally, three attorneys were named to the 2020 Illinois Rising Stars list. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding attorneys from over seventy practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The following HMB attorney was selected for…

Chicago, IL December 12, 2019 HMB Legal Counsel, a preeminent provider of legal services in Business and Finance, State and Local Tax, Trusts and Estates, Bankruptcy, Reorganization and Creditors' Rights, Real Estate and Litigation announced that three associate attorneys were elevated to partner. Grant R. Hendricks Grant is a member of the firm's Private Client, Trusts and Estates Group. He…

On 9/17/19 Aaron Hammer and Rick Rein presented "Hot Topics in Cross Border Restructurings" at the Offices of Gowling WLG LLOP in Toronto, Canada. Aaron and Rick discussed the role of chief restructuring officers and other turnaround professionals in Canadian restructuring, flash points in today's cross border insolvencies, and the cannabis space. This program was intended for lenders, turnaround professionals…

Illinois Appellate Court Holds Entities Must Be Represented By an Attorney At Administrative Hearings A recent decision by the Illinois Appellate Court held that corporations may not represent themselves at administrative hearings, but instead must be represented by an attorney. In Stone Street Partners, LLC v. The City of Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings, Case No. 12 M1 450026, Stone…

For many foreclosure sales, the typical sale process - selling the property at a court-ordered auction - is sufficient.  The result of most such sales is the bank "credit bidding" against its debt.  In certain cases, however, a traditional judicial auction may not be appropriate.  For example, the bank may not want to take title to the property or the…