On May 22, 2020, the loan market let out a collective sigh of relief as Judge Gardephe dismissed the Millennium Lender Claim Trust’s complaint alleging securities law violations related to the sale of loans. The central question considered was whether loan trading should be subject to securities laws. The loan market operates on the assumption that loans are not securities, and the LSTA and Bank Policy Institute sought authority for leave to file briefs as amicus curiae to support that position. The motion for leave to file was denied, thus heightening concern over the outcome. But the concerns turned out to be unwarranted. Rather than redefining the leveraged loan market, Judge Gardephe stuck with the status quo finding that the loans were not securities after applying the four prong Reves test, which considers: (i) the motivations of Seller and Buyer; (ii) the distribution plan for the loans; (iii) the reasonable expectations of the investing public and (iv) the existence of another regulatory scheme. The Court pointed to the fact that the documents used the terms “loan documents,” “loan,” and “lender” consistently throughout, instead of “investor” which “would lead a reasonable investor to believe that the Notes constitute loans, and not securities.” The Court also noted in light of the Banco Español case, where the Second Circuit affirmed the district court’s finding that because “the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has issued specific policy guidelines addressing the sale of loan participations,” application of securities laws is unnecessary as another regulatory scheme exists. (Order at 21, citing Banco Español de Credito v. Sec. Pac. Nat. Bank, 973 F.2d 51 (2d Cir. 1992)). The Plaintiff has until June 5, 2020 to amend the complaint.