"Dear Chairman Gensler, I have many questions...," is a series of questions posed by John Sodergreen, editor-in-chief of the Energy Metro Desk, that notwithstanding the title is primarily addressed to CFTC staffers. The questions request "down-in-the weeds details" that Metro Desk's readers have regarding compliance with Dodd-Frank requirements "in the hopes that some CFTC staffer" will read them and respond "with some clarity on the subject." Click here to view the list of questions.The attached is an excerpt from the last issue Energy Metro Desk, which is published bi-weekly by Scudder

On November 7, 2012, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan for the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York held that payments made in connection with a leveraged buyout to holders of privately held securities were safe harbored under section 546(e) of the Bankruptcy Code notwithstanding the fact that the payments passed directly from the purchaser to the seller without the use of any financial intermediary. AP Services LLP v. Silva, et al., Case No. 11-03005 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 7, 2012). The decision comports with the trend among the United States Courts of Appeal, including the Second

FINRA has filed with the SEC the attached proposed rule change to amend FINRA Rule 9120 (Definitions) to add the term "Chief Legal Officer" to the definition of "General Counsel". Lofchie Comment: After I read this rule change, I did some research on the internet on unusual job titles and saw how far behind the market that lawyers are in having cool titles. Just think about the way that associates are labeled as "first year," "second year," "third year," and so on. It would be much more vivid if each class year were associated with an animal, a plant, a comic book character, or, in the case of

The SEC announced that General Counsel Mark D. Cahn will leave the agency at the end of the year to return to the private sector. Click here to view press release in full and to learn more about Mark Cahn's accomplishments and activities at the SEC (links externally to SEC website).

The SEC announced that Robert W. Cook, Director of the SEC's Division of Trading and Markets, plans to leave the agency, but will remain with the Commission for a transitional period in order to help ensure continuity in the Division's functions. Lofchie Comment: From working with Robert when we were both at Cleary Gottlieb, I know what a knowledgeable lawyer and solid individual he is. Click here to view press release in full and to learn more about Robert Cook's accomplishments and activities at the SEC (links externally to SEC website).