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2010 Articles

Special Assets Workout: The Psychology of a Workout

There is so much more to a workout than just drafting legal documents. My partner, Barry Freeman, recently published an outstanding article about the psychology of a workout in the esteemed Daily Journal. He describes the importance of understanding a borrower’s perspective, who is likely to be in denial and frustrated about the problems his […]

Daily Journal: Thoughts on the Psychology of a Workout (2010)

Thoughts on the Psychology of a Workout Reprinted with the permission of Daily Journal Corp. (2010) The psychological interplay between debtor and creditor in a workout of a classified or defaulting loan frequently involves many issues that go beyond the “law” and the language of loan documents. There may well be significantly conflicting emotional pressures […]

JMBM 2010 Real Estate & Land Use Survey

JMBM 2010 Real Estate & Land Use Survey Caution remains the watchword even as bearish sentiment declines JMBM’s 2010 California Real Estate & Land Use Survey gathered data from 98 executives, 49 percent of whom identified themselves as developers and 49 percent as capital providers. Respondents indicating they were “bearish’ about the market declined from […]

Land Use UPDATE: Hollywood Hotel Receives L.A. City Council Approval

UPDATE: Hollywood Hotel Receives L.A. City Council Approval As reported in our last edition of “Development Rights,” JMBM land use attorney Sheri Bonstelle represented client Jeffrey Records, chairman and CEO of Mid First Bank, in gaining approval from the Los Angeles City Planning Commission for a new luxury boutique hotel in the historic Security Pacific […]

Land Use Affordable Housing Mandates Must Comply with State Law

Affordable Housing Mandates Must Comply with State Law Two recent court decisions have materially changed the affordable housing game as it’s been played by local governments throughout California. In Palmer/Sixth Street Properties, L.P. et al. v. City of Los Angeles (a case in which JMBM represented the developer at all the administrative hearings), the California […]

Government and Land Use Los Angeles Business Journal: Building on Incentives

Building on Incentives In a column published in the Los Angeles Business Journal on May 24, 2010, JMBM Government and Land Use partner, Benjamin M. Reznik, argues that local government should be looking to state statutes — not mandates — to spur the creation of affordable housing. Click here to read the article.

Chinese Business Law Journal: Conducting an Internal Investigation in China

Your home office in the US has an important manufacturing facility in China, where it is suspected that bribery of Chinese government officials may have occurred. You have assembled an experienced team to investigate the situation and determine what to do about it. This is a good start. Building upon the issues addressed in this column last month, we consider here additional matters […]

Corporate Corporate Law Newsletter 2010: Cloud Computing, Part II

Cloud Computing, Part II This article is the second in a series about cloud computing. Read parts one and three to get the full story. In our winter edition of the JMBM Corporate Law Newsletter, we discussed some of the benefits of cloud computing. While there are a number of advantages which make cloud computing […]

Corporate The Business Divorce

The Business Divorce A longer version of this article was published in the California State Bar Business Law News Issue 1 2010. Reprinted with permission. One of the most painful events any business owner can experience is a “business divorce,” when partners split up, a key partner dies or leaves on less than cordial terms, […]