This paper examines two prominent approaches to design efficient mechanisms for debt renegotiation with dispersed bondholders: debt exchange offers that promise enhanced liquidation rights to a restricted number of tendering bondholders (favored under U.S. law), and collective action clauses...

We propose a simple liability rule when several agents are jointly responsible for monitoring a risky economic activity or certifying its security. Examples are safety controls for drugs or technical systems, environmental liability, or air safety accidents. The agents have private knowledge of...

We model bidding behavior and the interaction of private equity and strategic buyers in corporate asset sales. Private equity bidding and in turn seller gains, and type and time of exit, are determined by private equity's ability to enhance the asset's value. Our empirical results show excess...

This survey article summarizes the findings of four research projects on the venture capital industry in Europe and the role played by legal institutions and the legal framework. A study on patent litigation insurance argues that insurance can create a level playing field for small innovators,...

This paper compares the success of venture capital investments in the United States and in Europe by analyzing individual venture-backed companies and the value generated within the stage financing process. We document that US venture capitalists generate significantly more value with their...

We consider the allocation of corporate control in a company with two large and a continuum of small shareholders. Control is determined in a shareholders' meeting, where the large shareholders submit competing proposals in order to attract the vote of small shareholders. The presence of...

This descriptive paper analyzes the performance of the private equity secondaries market during the financial crisis 2008-2009, in order to understand the effective liquidity of private equity investments during this episode of market stress. We document that the secondaries market followed the...