Following the insolvency of Monarch Airlines Limited (in administration) (Monarch), a large number of employees of Monarch were made redundant. An employment tribunal has recently found of favour of a claimant who brought a claim against Monarch for its failure to comply with its employment law obligations to consult with employees before making a mass … Continue Reading
Introduction On 9 May 2019 the Airline Insolvency Review (the AIR), chaired by Peter Bucks, published its Final Report on passenger protections in the context of airline insolvencies, having been commissioned by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in November 2017 following the high-profile collapse of Monarch Airlines. Chief among the report’s recommendations are the implementation … Continue Reading
Re Stronghold Insurance Company Limited [2018] EWHC 2909 (Ch) Mr Justice Hildyard, who continues to amass expertise on schemes of arrangements, recently ruled against convening a single meeting of creditors on a scheme of arrangement proposed by Stronghold Insurance Company Limited (Stronghold) (the Scheme). Hildyard J found that where the appropriate comparator to the scheme … Continue Reading
Former world number one and three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker, who was declared bankrupt by an order dated 21 June 2017, is claiming diplomatic immunity against ongoing bankruptcy proceedings in the High Court. Mr Becker claims his role as sports attaché to the Central African Republic (CAR) makes him immune from further actions against his … Continue Reading
A new wave of CVAs? A company voluntary arrangement (CVA) is, provided the voting thresholds are met, a binding agreement made between a company and its creditors, designed to compromise a company’s obligations to its creditors. As retailers and restaurateurs across the UK continue to show signs of financial distress, interest in the use of … Continue Reading
You could be forgiven for thinking that the Bills of Sale Acts of 1878 and 1882 would have been repealed by now, or could never apply to you, over 130 years after they were drafted. But if you’ve ever purchased a second-hand car (or, if you’re lucky enough to be purchasing works of art or … Continue Reading
In a judgment that will undoubtedly impact what has become fairly common practice when filing notices of intention to appoint an administrator (“NOITA”), the Court of Appeal has held in JCAM Commercial Real Estate Property XV Ltd v Davis Haulage Ltd[1] that a company seeking to give notice of intention to appoint under paragraph 26 … Continue Reading
The Insolvency Rules 2016 (the 2016 Rules) have effect from 6 April 2016. A key change introduced by the 2016 Rules is a new approach to decision making, including a deemed consent procedure. The new approach is designed to ease the administrative and cost burden in insolvency proceedings, and is summarised here: Insolvency Rules 2016: … Continue Reading
After much consultation and debate, the Ministry of Justice has published the final version of the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims (the Protocol), which is due to come into force on 1 October 2017. The Protocol is available on the Ministry of Justice website. Following the general trend of civil procedure in the UK, the … Continue Reading
Reed Smith recently released a client alert regarding a decision this week, in which the English High Court has clarified the extent of a third party secured creditor’s duties, when put on notice of a freezing order, and suggested a more limited duty than that previously articulated by the court. Notwithstanding this, the position remains … Continue Reading
The recent case of South Coast Construction provides a helpful insight into the court’s treatment of applications for permission to continue proceedings during the administration moratorium. Mr Justice Coulson heard the matter whilst acknowledging that, by the time judgment was handed down, the interim moratorium (which had arisen following the filing of a notice of … Continue Reading
Starting on October 1st , 2016 the French law on receivable acquisition has changed to become simpler. Before, a formal bailiff’s notification was required in order to render a receivable acquisition enforceable towards the debtor of such receivable. Now a mere notification will achieve the same result. If no special form is imposed upon such … Continue Reading
The degree to which certain elements of a recovery right under a contract, including a debt instrument, are assignable or transferable to a third party has been questionable under English law for some time. “Litigation rights” are one example. Many English legal practitioners regard litigation rights as personal rights, and personal rights are by their … Continue Reading
Evans v Jones [2016] EWCA Civ 660 Executive Summary The Court of Appeal recently considered an appeal from the liquidators of a property development company which went into creditors’ voluntary liquidation. The company had made an unlawful dividend to its shareholders and the Court of Appeal considered whether the unlawful dividend should be treated as … Continue Reading
Currently in the UAE, laws related to insolvency are unclear. Companies face harsh penalties in a bankruptcy scenario, and individuals can face criminal sanctions and penal sentences. However, a new bankruptcy law drawing from international best practice is expected to come into force in early 2017, in the wake of low oil prices since 2015. … Continue Reading
The Pension Protection Fund (“PPF”) has updated its approach to employer restructuring guidance and its general guidance for restructuring and insolvency professionals. These documents set out certain criteria that should be met when making proposals to the PPF in respect of a sponsoring employer suffering an insolvency event. 1. The PPF Approach to Employer Restructuring: … Continue Reading
Rowntree Ventures Ltd v Oak Property Partners Ltd [2016] EWHC 1523 (Ch) Executive Summary The High Court recently re-affirmed the discretionary nature of its right to grant an administration order. In this case, the court refused to grant an administration order even when it determined that the companies were insolvent and the statutory purpose of … Continue Reading
In a decision of 9 June 2016, the German Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof, “BGH”) has ruled that the determination of the close-out amount in a netting provision based on the German Master Agreement for Financial Derivatives Transactions (Rahmenvertrag für Finanztermingeschäfte or DRV) is not legally effective in the event of insolvency to the extent … Continue Reading
OGX Petroleo E Gas S.A., Re [2016] EWHC 25 (Ch) In a recent judgment, Mr Justice Snowden sounded a cautionary note for applicants seeking recognition of a foreign insolvency proceeding under the UNCITRAL Model Law, advising applicants to make full and frank disclosure to the court in relation to the effect that such recognition might … Continue Reading
This appeal arose out of the litigation fallout from the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme. In the appeal, the Privy Council considered whether, at common law, an agreement to submit to jurisdiction must be express or whether it could be implied or inferred. The Board of the Privy Council found that an agreement to submit to … Continue Reading
In October we issued an article on the criminal charges that had been brought against the former directors of City Link Limited (in administration) for their failure to notify the Secretary of State of proposals for collective redundancies under section 193 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. This section applies where an … Continue Reading
Re Omni Trustees Ltd (In Liquidation) [2015] EWHC 2697 (Ch) In an interesting judgment, the High Court in Manchester has decided not to follow the ruling from earlier this year of Mr Justice Richards in Re MF Global (UK) Ltd[1], deciding instead that section 236 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (the “Act”) does indeed have … Continue Reading
The fallout from the OW Bunker bankruptcy in November last year continues with a number of claims being heard in the English courts. Last month the owners of the vessel “Res Cogitans” appealed to the Court of Appeal against the decision that a contract for the supply of bunker fuel was not a contract of … Continue Reading
The recent criminal charges being brought against the former directors of City Link Limited (in administration) are a timely reminder for insolvency practitioners and directors to be mindful of their employment law obligations when initiating and carrying out collective redundancies.… Continue Reading
