We weren't the only ones disgruntled at the relatively small fine the SEC levied against BofA to settle charges that the bank lied to investors about Merrill Lynch bonuses when BofA acquired Merrill last September. On Monday, Manhattan federal district court judge Jed Rakoff will grill lawyers from the agency and the bank on the details of the proposed settlement--including why it's so small and whether taxpayer money will be used.

Howrey antitrust cochair Trevor Soames acted as Microsoft's lead lawyer. Reached on a cold and rainy night in Brussels (quelle surprise!), Soames said his client "is delighted that the war between it and the commission seems to have come to an end."

The Australian investment bank Macquarie Group must face claims that it paid a consultant to dupe Syncora Guarantee Inc. into insuring the $500 million refinancing of an infrastructure project, a judge in Manhattan ruled Wednesday, handing a win to Quinn Emanuel's Jonathan Pickhardt.

Cite as: Fairfield Sentry Ltd, 10-13164 (BRL), NYLJ 1202495309817, at *1 (Bankruptcy Court, NY, Decided May 23, 2011)Bankruptcy Judge Burton R. Liflandp cl

The 90-page complaint contains lots of detail about the role that BofA's lawyers at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz played during the turbulent deal to acquire Merrill Lynch. The AG owes a big thank you to Wachtell litigation partner Eric Roth, who took copious notes that the AG repeatedly cites as evidence.