Wall Street Journal, Noticias (Argentina) and Liberation (France) Interview Ansa Assuncao Senior Counsel on Argentina Debt-Dispute Judge

Arthur Fergenson, senior counsel to the Firm, was law clerk in his first year on the Bench to Thomas P. Griesa, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York. Judge Griesa is presiding over the dispute between Argentina and certain holders of its debt who chose not to accept a deal offered by Argentina some years ago. Judge Griesa has ruled that the debt holders must be paid in full according to the terms of the bonds before any of the settling bondholders can receive their funds. His recent rulings have infuriated Argentina and the resulting refusal of its current government to abide by this ruling, affirmed by the Second Circuit and not taken for review by the Supreme Court, has caused Argentina to default on its obligations. The saga has played out on an international stage, and reporters from the Wall Street Journal, the Argentine newsweekly Noticias, and the French newspaper Liberation, have interviewed Mr. Fergenson about Judge Griesa. The comments published went beyond Mr. Fergenson’s remembrances of his former boss’s integrity and diligence to include observations about the American judicial system and litigation strategy. The Noticias article may be found at pp.30-31 at http://www.scribd.com/doc/235704863/Noticias-2014-08-02. The Wall Street Journal article is at http://online.wsj.com/articles/argentine-debt-crunch-puts-u-s-judge-in-focus-1406660549. The Liberation article is athttps://fr.news.yahoo.com/l-imperturbable-juge-d%C3%A9fie-l-argentine-174622905.html

Arthur F. Fergenson is a Senior Counsel in our Maryland office.