A common question posed by out-of-state lenders making a real estate secured loan in Maryland involves the creditor-friendly mechanic’s lien statute.  The question is often posed in two parts:  whether (i) the establishment of a Mechanic’s Lien can prime the lien priority of subsequent construction advances secured by a recorded, first-lien deed of trust on…

Over the past decade, fluctuations in the real estate market have driven many real estate investors to move to investing in notes. Real estate notes offer many benefits to those looking to reap the rewards of real estate investment while minimizing risk. The real estate investment and note sales attorneys at Rosenberg Martin Greenberg are…

From the banking industry to insurance, consumer sales to data protection, class action lawsuits put millions or even billions of dollars at stake. News coverage of a string of recent scandals and resulting litigation have brought increased attention to the vulnerability of the banking and financial industry to class actions. In fighting these cases, it…

When a corporation files a case under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, a “bankruptcy estate,” consisting of all of the corporation’s assets as of the petition date, including causes of action against the corporation’s officer and directors, is created and a trustee is appointed to administer the estate.  The trustee’s powers include…

As the old saying goes, “Timing is everything.”  Borrower Richard Sibert certainly found that out in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit’s July 17, 2017 opinion in Sibert v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. In May of 2008, while Mr. Sibert was serving in the United States Navy, he and his wife…

Asset-based lending (ABL) has gained favor in recent years, increasing the opportunity for small or new businesses looking for financing while also raising the level of complexity of the arrangements. Secured by intangible collateral, accounts receivable-based lending raises potential issues that deserve a closer look. Benefits of accounts receivable lending ABL based on accounts receivable…

In the case of Quicken Loans, Inc. v. Walters, all five justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia agreed that West Virginia’s “illegal loan” statute was unambiguous.  While one might think that agreement on that point would be followed by a unanimous ruling in favor of one of the parties to the…

For a number of reasons, real property usually sells for less at foreclosure than it would in an arms-length negotiated sale.  A June 29, 2017 decision by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals provides an example of the kinds of unknown risks foreclosure sale purchasers, including lenders, may face that dictate that they not pay…

In a June 6, 2017 opinion, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit agreed with mortgage lender, AmeriChoice Federal Credit Union, that bankruptcy courts have the authority to impose limits on future bankruptcy filings by Chapter 13 debtors who move to dismiss their cases voluntarily.  Unfortunately for AmeriChoice, the Third Circuit’s decision…