Cortview Capital Securities, a regional broker-dealer that will focus on fixed income sales, trading, origination and securitization, serving a national middle-markets client base, today announced the commencement of business operations.

Mariner Real Estate Management, LLC, (MREM) a real estate investment and management firm, which is part of Mariner Holdings, LLC, (Mariner), a $7 billion wealth and asset management company, announced today the closing of a structured transaction with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The transaction involves the purchase of a portfolio consisting of approximately $760 million in real estate loans. The portfolio includes approximately 1,100 residential and commercial acquisition and development loans located in approximately 24 states from 20 banks.

Morrison & Foerster LLP today announced that Elana Hahn has joined the firm's Capital Markets group as a partner in its London office. Ms. Hahn is a well-known capital markets and structured finance lawyer.

KnowledgeWorks Foundation is prepping a new $82 million student loan-backed transaction. The trust collateral consists of 100% FFELP student loans.

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP announced it filed a class-action lawsuit today against Charles Schwab & Co. on behalf of investors who owned shares in the Schwab Total Bond Market Fund (Nasdaq:SWLBX) as of Nov. 30, 2006.