Scores of lawsuits have pushed retirement plan sponsors to shorter, easier-to-navigate menus, but - as Ian Ayres and Quinn Curtis argue in this work - we've only scratched the surface of retirement plan design. Using participant-level plan data and straightforward tests, Ayres and Curtis show how plan sponsors can monitor plans for likely allocation mistakes and adapt menus to encourage success. Beginning with an overview of the problem of high costs and the first empirical evidence on retirement plan fee lawsuits, they offer an overview of the current plan landscape. They then show, based on reforms to a real plan, how streamlining menus, eliminating pitfalls, and adopting static and dynamic limits on participant allocations to certain risky assets or 'guardrails' can reduce mistakes and lead to better retirement outcomes. Focusing on plausible, easy-to-implement interventions, Retirement Guardrails shows that fiduciaries need not be limited to screening out funds but can design menus to actively promote good choices.

The Oxford Handbook of Banking provides an overview and analysis of state-of-the-art research in banking written by leading researchers in the field. This handbook will appeal to graduate students of economics, banking and finance, academics, practitioners and policy makers. Consequently, the book strikes a balance between abstract theory, empirical analysis, and practitioner and policy-related material.
The handbook is split into five parts. Part I, The Theory of Banking, examines the role of banks in the wider financial system, why banks exist, how they function, and their legal and governance structures. Part II entitled Regulatory and Policy Perspectives discusses monetary policy, prudential regulation and supervision, and antitrust policy. Part III deals with Bank Performance. A number of issues are assessed including efficiency, financial innovation and technological change, globalization and ability to deliver small business, consumer, and mortgage lending services. Part IV of the book provides an overview of Macroeconomic Perspectives in Banking. This part includes a discussion of the determinants of bank failures and crises, and the impact on financial stability, institutional development, and economic growth. Part V examines International Differences in Banking Structures and Environments. This part of the handbook examines banking systems in the United States, Western Europe, Transition countries, Latin America, Japan and the developing nations of Asia.

In Legislating International Organization, Kathryn Lavelle argues against the commonly-held idea that key international organizations are entities unto themselves, immune from the influence and pressures of individual states' domestic policies. Covering the history of the IMF and World Bank from their origins, she shows that domestic political constituencies in advanced industrial states have always been important drivers of international financial institution policy. Lavelle focuses in particular on the U.S. Congress, tracing its long history of involvement with these institutions and showing how it wields significant influence. Drawing from archival research and interviews with members and staff, Lavelle shows that Congress is not particularly hostile to the multilateralism inherent in the IMF and World Bank, and has championed them at several key historical junctures. Congress is not uniformly supportive of these institutions, however. As Lavelle illustrates, it is more defensive of its constitutionally designated powers and more open to competing interest group concerns than legislatures in other advanced industrial states. Legislating International Organization will reshape how we think about how the U.S. Congress interacts with international institutions and more broadly about the relationship of domestic politics to global governance throughout the world. This is especially relevant given the impact of 2008 financial crisis, which has made the issue of multilateralism in American politics more important than ever.

The Independence Principle of Letters of Credit and Demand Guarantees offers a comprehensive and authoritative analysis of the principle of independence, a fundamental element of Letters of Credit and Demand Guarantees. It examines the key issues involved in the practical application of this principle and the increasing exceptions to it, including a detailed account of the rules in this area. Beginning with an elementary account of the law of Letters of Credit and Demand Guarantees, the following chapters guide practitioners on the parameters of the Independence Principle. It will discuss the limitations of the principle, and assess whether new exceptions should be introduced. With English law and practice as the main focus of the work, comparisons to other major common law jurisdictions (including Australia, Canada, USA and Singapore) will be made where relevant and instructive. The landscape of the law in this area has changed markedly as a result of judicial decisions within the last five years,and revisions of the ICC Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (2007) and ICC Uniform Rules for Demand Guarantees (2010). The fully updated analysis takes into account all the important developments that have taken place in this field in recent years and will prove a valuable reference tool to practitioners and academics alike.

This book is the first to provide an extensive analysis of the range of defences to payment under letters of credit and demand guarantees.
It considers the extent to which different defences undermine the abstraction of these instruments. This is a fundamental issue, since letters of credit and demand guarantees are designed to be abstract, or autonomous, from the underlying contract that called for their use. The purpose of that abstraction is to provide certainty of payment, but the various defences diminish that certainty. The book examines the spectrum of defences that are frequently litigated and debated in international practice: fraud in the documents, nullity, fraud affecting deferred payment letters of credit, fraud as no honest belief, unconscionable conduct and illegality. Vitally, the book provides analysis of the relevant judicial decisions and offers clear practical guidance on which defences are most suitable for each instrument.
As the instruments are heavily used in international trade, this work is particularly suited to financial and commercial law practitioners who draft agreements, as well as those who advise on disputes concerning these instruments. Accessible and engaging, the book is also relevant for academics and students.

This new edition of The Law of Trusts provides comprehensive and up to date coverage of both the general principles and the application of trust law in specific areas of legal practice.
The book has been fully revised and updated to take into account recent legislation and case law from key trust jurisdictions, and to include new material on the rule in Hastings-Bass; different applications of the constructive trust; trustees' liability for breach of trust; the taxation of trusts and estate planning; trusts of pension schemes and financial regulation. It also contains expanded material on areas that have recently grown in importance, such as the emergence of shams and retention of control of trust assets by the settlor; and the growing use of Special Purpose Vehicles in offshore commercial dealings.
The book is helpfully split into two parts along these lines: Part One considers the general principles involved and includes coverage of: all aspects of express private trusts; the duties and powers of trustees; the variation of trusts; trusts implied by law; and breach of trusts. Part Two puts the general principles to work by covering key practice areas including: insolvency; private client trusts; international trusts; pension funds; financial transactions; commercial transactions; and trusts of land. This is a substantial work written by expert academics who also have experience of practice, supported by contributions from key specialists.

The Oxford Handbook of Banking provides an overview and analysis of state-of-the-art research in banking written by leading researchers in the field. This handbook will appeal to graduate students of economics, banking and finance, academics, practitioners and policy makers. Consequently, the book strikes a balance between abstract theory, empirical analysis, and practitioner and policy-related material.
The handbook is split into five parts. Part I, The Theory of Banking, examines the role of banks in the wider financial system, why banks exist, how they function, and their legal and governance structures. Part II entitled Regulatory and Policy Perspectives discusses monetary policy, prudential regulation and supervision, and antitrust policy. Part III of the book deals with bank performance. A number of issues are assessed including efficiency, financial innovation and technological change, globalization and ability to deliver small business, consumer, and mortgage lending services. Part IV of the book provides an overview of macroeconomic perspectives in banking. This part of the book includes a discussion of the determinants of bank failures and crises, and the impact on financial stability, institutional development, and economic growth. Part V examines International Differences In Banking Structures And Environments. This part of the handbook examines banking systems in the United States, Western Europe, Transition countries, Latin America, Japan and the Developing nations of Asia.

The European Takeover Directive and Its Implementation describes the history and the political and economic objectives of the Directive. Paul Van Hooghten offers detailed commentary on the text of the Directive including a discussion and explanation of each article. He provides insight on national takeover legislation as amended by the Directive in a number of key jurisdictions.
This publication also addresses the optional agreements provided for in the Directive and all of the different provisions that may apply in the various member states. Particular attention is given to new provisions resulting from the Directive, with analysis from attorneys in each member state. Key issues covered include a discussion of the rights of employees under the Directive, a timetable for implementation, the sanctions for not implementing on schedule, and analysis of whether the Directive is compatible with the WTO obligations of the EU. Special attention in given to the Directive's impact on US companies bidding on companies established in the EU.

This book outlines the financial services regulatory framework in 16 countries in the Asia Pacific region. Contributors from leading commercial law firms across the region provide a clear explanation of the relevant regulatory bodies and their powers, with consideration of the effects of each jurisdiction's national legislation.
This title is supported by two companion volumes covering Europe and the Middle East. The series describes the principle regulatory authorities that oversee the banking, insurance and securities activities within each country. A highly practical Questions and Answers section highlights the key issues of practical importance: What enforcement powers do the relevant authorities in each country have? What scope is there for foreign entities to conduct banking, insurance, securities activities and fund marketing activities in or into each country? What is the authorization and registration process in each jurisdiction? Supporting commentary examines the nature and scope of the current regulation and prospective market developments.
The complete three volume series covers over 60 countries and is an essential reference point for those needing a practical insight into international financial services regulation and the regimes operating within jurisdictions other than their own.

This book outlines the financial services regulatory framework in 11 countries in the Middle East. Contributors from leading commercial law firms across the region provide a clear explanation of the relevant regulatory bodies and their powers, with consideration of the effects of each jurisdiction's national legislation.
This title is supported by two companion volumes covering Europe and Asia Pacific. The series describes the principle regulatory authorities that oversee the banking, insurance and securities activities within each country. A highly practical Questions and Answers section highlights the key issues of practical importance: What enforcement powers do the relevant authorities in each country have? What scope is there for foreign entities to conduct banking, insurance, securities activities and fund marketing activities in or into each country? What is the authorisation and registration process in each jurisdiction? Supporting commentary examines the nature and scope of the current regulation and prospective market developments.
The complete three volume series covers over 60 countries and is an essential reference point for those needing a practical insight into international financial services regulation and the regimes operating within jurisdictions other than their own.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) has long been recognized to be one of the most significant decisions ever handed down by the United States Supreme Court. Indeed, many scholars have argued it is the greatest opinion handed down by our greatest Chief Justice. Much of this praise is merited for it is brilliantly argued, far reaching in its implications, and unusually eloquent. While Marshall, dedicated to the vision of a powerful and growing nation, ultimately laid the foundation for the living constitution, the impact of the opinion in his own time was short-lived. Almost all treatments of the case consider it from the vantage point of Chief Marshall's decision in which he famously declared the act creating the Second Bank of the United States constitutional and Maryland's attempt to tax it unconstitutional. Yet a careful examination of the context in which the case emerged reveals other, even more important issues involved that Marshall chose to ignore: the private profit making nature of the Second Bank of the United States; the power of the Bank to create branches in the states without their consent, which many people viewed as a direct assault upon the sovereignty of the states; and the differences between a tax levied by a state for the purposes of raising revenue and one which was meant to destroy the operations of the branches of the Bank. Addressing these issues most likely would have undercut Marshall's extreme nationalist view of the constitution, and his unwillingness to adequately deal with them produced immediate, widespread, yet varied dissatisfaction among the States. These issues are particularly important as the Supreme Court was forced to rehear them in Osborn et. al. v. Bank of the United States (1824) and they also formed the basis for Andrew Jackson's famous veto for the re-chartering of the Bank in 1832. Not only the first in-depth examination of McCulloch v. Maryland, but also a new interpretation of this familiar and landmark decision, this sharply argued book provides much new information and fresh insight into a source of constant division in American politics, past and present.

Subrogation: Law and Practice provides a clear and accessible account of subrogation, explaining when claimants are entitled to the remedy, how they should formulate their claims, and what practical difficulties they might encounter when attempting to enforce their subrogation rights. Although subrogation is a remedy that is frequently claimed in Chancery and commercial practice, the reasons why it is awarded and the way it works can often be misunderstood. In this text authors aim to present the subject in clear and simple terms through a structure that is readily accessible and of benefit to practitioners. Following an introductory overview, and discussion of the rules which determine the discharge of obligations by payment, the book is divided into three parts. Part II considers subrogation to extinguished rights, and explains all the consequences of the House of Lords' finding in Banque Financiere de la Cite v Parc (Battersea) Ltd that this form of subrogation is a remedy for unjust enrichment. The discussion examines the requirements that the defendant has been enriched, and that this enrichment has been gained at the claimant's expense. It also considers the most important reasons why a court might find that a defendant's enrichment is unjust, the defences which can be raised to a claim, the form of the remedy, and additional practical issues. Part III looks at insurers' claims to be subrogated to their insureds' subsisting rights, and carefully analyses the substantial body of case law on this subject which has built up over the past two hundred years. Finally, Part IV concerns the special insolvency rules which entitle claimants to acquire an insolvent party's subsisting indemnity rights against a third party. The discussion takes in claims under the Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 1930 and claims by the creditors of trustees to be indemnified out of the trust estate. This work explains the underlying principles and practical operation of subrogation and is a readily accessible guide for the busy professional.

The Blackstone's Guides Series delivers concise and accessible books covering the latest legislation changes and amendments. Published within weeks of an Act, they offer expert commentary by leading names on the effects, extent and scope of the legislation, plus a full copy of the Act itself. They offer a cost-effective solution to key information needs and are the perfect companion for any practitioner needing to get up to speed with the latest changes. The Department of Trade and Industry has been conducting a major revision of consumer credit law over the past few years. Its proposals on substantial changes to existing law were contained in its White Paper published in December 2003: Fair, Clear and Competitive - The Consumer Credit Market in the 21st Century. Since then, this programme has been implemented by a series of new statutory instruments and a major new Consumer Credit Act which runs to 70 sections and revolutionises the present law and practice of consumer credit. The new Act principally amends the Consumer Credit Act 1974, which is the statute governing the licensing of, and other controls on, traders concerned with the provision of credit or the supply of goods on hire or hire-purchase to individuals. Significant changes brought in by the new Act include the following; * The re-definition of "consumers" whose agreements are to be regulated by the Act and financial ceilings on consumer credit and hire agreements removed * The consequences of trading without a license are to be made more severe and the whole process of licensing to be modernised * Consumer credit is to be brought within the remit of the Financial Ombudsman This Guide covers all of these new provisions, together with the growing importance of the internet and electronic technology to this area of the law, whilst also placing the new Act in the context of what has gone before. The commentary in the Guide is structured in a clear and logical way, thus enabling readers to quickly access the information they require.

This book addresses the legal background of the derivative business. The author analyses existing rules and comes to the conclusion that further regulation is superfluous. The European legal systems are aware of substantiated principles that are applicable to this type of business, such as those from the insurance and gambling fields. Established instruments of the law of obligations and criminal law offer better protection than the mere expansion of supervisory authorities.

Countries around the world are facing pressing needs to enhance financial planning mechanisms for individuals with cognitive impairment. The book provides the first comparative study of the three most common of such mechanisms in Asia and the West, namely guardianship, enduring/lasting powers of attorney, and special needs trusts. It involves not only scholarly overviews of the mechanisms in the jurisdictions studied, but also thorough, structured and critical reviews of their operational experiences. This book will have broad appeal to scholars, students, law and policy makers and practitioners in the fields of mental disability, healthcare and elder law. It is widely recognised in the field that books like this one are needed. This book will also be of interest to undergraduate and graduate students in mental health, disability law and elder law.

This book focuses on the legal implications of how assets are held on behalf of investors by other parties (such as brokers, investment managers, specialist custodians and central depositaries) and in particular how the chosen method affects the legal rights of the investor over the assets in question. The impact of immobilisation, dematerialisation, fungible holdings and settlement practices are all considered. The book also covers the effect of the use of custody assets for security, the duties of custodians, the remedies of investors, cross-border custody and the regulatory response to custody business. An authoritative work for practitioners, academics and reference libraries specializing in financial services, banking and investment law, both in the UK and internationally, it provides one of the clearest and most up to date analyses of these subjects available.

In Hong Kong, the banking system is the primary source of financial stability risk. Post-2008 regulatory reforms have focused on financial stability policies and tools while neglecting the design of supervisory models. This book provides a comparative analysis of how supervisory models affect the management of financial stability regulations in Hong Kong's banking system. Regulatory issues discussed span prudential regulations, systemically important banks, unconventional liquidity tools, deposit insurance, lender of last resort, resolution regimes, central clearing counterparties and derivatives, Renminbi infrastructure, stock and bond connect schemes, distributed ledger technology, digital yuan, US dollar sanctions, cryptocurrencies, RegTech, and FinTech. A Regulatory Design for Financial Stability in Hong Kong elucidates the flaws and synergies in Hong Kong's banking regulatory framework and proposes conventional and innovative regulatory reforms. This book will be of great interest to banking, financial, and legal practitioners, central bankers, regulators, policy makers, finance ministries, scholars, researchers, and policy institutes.

In The Financial Courts, Jo Braithwaite analyses thirty years of cases involving the global derivatives markets, exploring the nature of these legal disputes and assessing their impact on financial markets and on commercial law more broadly. Weaving together this substantial body of cases with theoretical insights drawn from the growing literature on the internationalisation of financial law, Braithwaite offers readers a detailed and highly original contribution to the debate about the role of private law in international financial markets. This important work should be read by lawyers, economists and regulators in the field.

With the extension of activities by banks and building societies, it is now difficult to demarcate between them. The differences that do still exist are largely due to the historical development of building societies and the purposes for which they were established. Many of the restrictions imposed on building societies have now been removed, but many prefer the freedom afforded to banks and have sought to register themselves under the Banking Act 1987. This book examines the law relating to banks and building societies, highlighting the differences in the regulation process and activities of the two institutions. It takes a close look at the extent to which they are both governed by the same systems of law, particularly in respect of banker and customer relationships.

A globe-spanning group of leading law and finance scholars bring together cutting-edge research to comprehensively examine the challenges legislators face in regulating related party transactions in a socially beneficial way. Combining theoretical analysis of the foundations of efficient regulation with empirical and comparative studies, readers are invited to draw their own conclusions on which regulatory responses work best under differing circumstances. The careful selection of surveyed jurisdictions offers in-depth insight into a broad variety of regulatory strategies and their interdependence with socioeconomic and political conditions. This work should be read by scholars, policymakers, and graduate students interested in a critical, much-debated area of corporate governance.

This collection of cutting-edge scholarship examines the law and policy of financial regulation using a combination of conceptual analysis and strong empirical research. The book's authors range from global leaders to rising stars in the field, all of whom shed light on complex questions of financial sector regulation theory and practice in key economies ranging from the EU to China. Key topics include the role of law in constituting financial markets, the efficiency of markets, the role of interest groups in shaping financial regulation, the interdependence and interactions of international financial regulation with international trade and monetary regimes, and problems of regulation in state capitalism economies. This exciting volume opens the road for further enrichment of the academic and policy-making dialogue on financial regulation and regulatory practice, and reflects new trends in legal and social-science scholarship.

The over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives market has captured the attention of regulators after the Global Financial Crisis due to the risk it poses to financial stability. Under the post-crisis regulatory reform the concentration of business, and risks, among a few major players is changed by the concentration of a large portion of transactions in the new market infrastructures, the Central Counterparties (CCPs). This book, for the first time, analyses the regulatory response of the United Kingdom and the United States, the two largest centres of OTC derivatives transactions, and highlights their shortcomings. The book uses a normative risk-based approach to regulation as a methodological lens to analyse the UK regime of CCPs in the OTC derivatives market. It specifically focuses on prudential supervision and conduct of business rules governing OTC derivatives transactions and the move towards enhancing the use of central clearing. The resulting analysis, from a normative risk based approach, suggests that the UK regime for CCPs does not fulfil what would be expected if a coherent risk based approach was taken. Our comments on the Dodd-Frank Act highlight that the incoherent adoption of risk-based approach to regulation affects the effectiveness of the US regime for CCPs. Such a regime does not follow the pace of events of 'innovation risk'; in particular, the foreseeable changes FinTech will bring to the OTCDM and central clearing services. The second inadequacy of the US regime concerns the dual regulatory structure of the CFTC and the SEC, and the inadequate adoption of different and not well-coordinated regulatory strategies. We also analyse the cross-border implications of the US regime for non-US CCPs that provide clearing services to US market participants. Finally, we study the negative effects of the absence of a clearly defined resolution regime for CCPs.

The current global financial system may not withstand the next global financial crisis. In order to promote the resilience and stability of our global financial system against future shocks and crises, a fundamental reconceptualisation of financial regulation is necessary. This reconceptualisation must begin with a deep understanding of how today's financial markets, regulatory initiatives and laws operate and interact at the global level. This book undertakes a comprehensive analysis of such diverse areas as regulation of financial stability, modes of supply of financial services, market infrastructure, fractional reserve banking, modes of production of global regulatory standards and the pressing need to reform financial sector ethics and culture. Based on this analysis, Reconceptualising Global Finance and its Regulation proposes realistic reform initiatives, which will be of primary interest to regulatory and banking legal practitioners, policy makers, scholars, research students and think tanks.