Cutting edge close-up: Hong Kong carves path for retail structured products Hong Kong's debut Flexibond issue by BOC International shows how far the market for retail structured notes has come despite hazy securities laws. By Andrew Malcolm and Matthew Budden
Bondholders cry foul on football securitization Administrations, financial problems at Leeds United and changes in regulation have brought UK football securitization to a standstill. By Stuart Brinkworth
SEC calls for a clearer view from management John D Moore of Goldman Sachs explains how US regulators are pressing issuers to improve the quality of their Management's Discussion and Analysis in financial disclosure
Clifford Chance extends securitization lead Simon Crompton analyzes the performances of the best securitization practices in last year's growing structured finance market
The hunt for pari passu (part II) Continuing their challenge to the ratable-payment interpretation of pari passu clauses in cross-border debt, Lee C Buchheit and Jeremiah S Pam trace the evolution of the clause to find out what it truly means
Oil companies lead ranks of FTSE legal employers Michael Evans surveys the approach to legal staffing among some of Europe's biggest companies
Banks welcome changes to collateral law The scope of UK implementing regulations for the Collateral Directive is wider than expected, much to the delight of banks. Benedict James and Will Nevin report on the main provisions
Fear of class actions drives better diligence US banks and lawyers face confusion about the tests used to determine their liability on securities fraud. Ben Maiden reports from New York
US counsel come to grips with reporting rule confusion Seven months after the SEC implemented new reporting rules for corporate counsel, Linda Madrid of the Association of Corporate Counsel says legal departments are responding well but still fear potential noisy withdrawal reforms
Equity default swaps revitalize Asia derivatives Equity default swaps could bring about a wave of hybrid structures and with them a wave of unfamiliar risks. Paul Cluley and Thomas Jones explain
Why Asia needs a regional insolvency pact A regional treaty on cross-border insolvency would promote foreign investment, say Richard Fisher and Michael Sloan