Actions brought against the BHS directors by the group’s liquidators have resulted in the largest reported award for wrongful trading since the provision’s introduction, but the judgment highlights some unsettled areas of the...more
Despite three recent landmark UK restructuring plan decisions, uncertainty remains around the value, if any, a plan company should offer dissenting creditors as the “deliverability price” of a plan....more
The characterisation of fixed and floating charges remains a complex area, not least with respect to new intangible asset types. The key distinction between a fixed and a floating charge is well established as a matter of...more
The Legal Statement applies areas of insolvency law to digital assets, providing valuable guidance on the approach English courts will take. In October 2023, the UK’s Jurisdiction Taskforce (UKJT), which is made up of...more
Since its inception under CIGA 2020, there has been no shortage of legal commentary on the effectiveness of the legislation governing Part 26A Restructuring Plans, and the ways in which the judiciary have interpreted and...more
The U.K. Jurisdiction Taskforce has published a consultation relating to its proposed Legal Statement offering guidance on the application of English insolvency law principles to digital assets. The proposed Legal Statement...more
It is now two years since the 30 April 2021 introduction of the Administration (Restrictions on Disposal etc. to Connected Persons) Regulations 2021 (the "Regulations") and a good time to look back at whether the Regulations...more
News of the failure of Silicon Valley Bank in the United States has dominated headlines over the last few days. Late yesterday, Friday, 10 March 2023, the Bank of England made an announcement about the status of Silicon...more
In July 2022, the UK government proposed two key changes to the existing insolvency arrangements in respect of insurance companies as part of a wider set of reforms to the existing Financial Services and Markets Act 2000...more
In Tradition Financial Service Ltd v Bilta (UK) Ltd & Others, the Court of Appeal considered the scope of section 213 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (the ‘Act’) and, specifically, whether those beyond the small group of...more
With the threat of recession impacting businesses across all areas of economic activity in 2023, anyone involved in structures involving Guernsey companies should be aware of significant reforms to the Island’s insolvency...more
Cryptoassets have emerged from relative obscurity to become an increasingly significant and mainstream presence: in just five years the global market cap for cryptocurrencies rose from around $15 billion to over $3 trillion...more
While the timing of competing English and German insolvency applications in Re Galapagos1 allowed for clear determination of jurisdiction under the UK Insolvency Regulation, there remains potential uncertainty as to how...more
In a new ruling, the UK Supreme Court concluded that the rule applies only when a company is “insolvent or bordering on insolvency”. On 5 October 2022, the UK Supreme Court handed down judgment in BTI 2014 LLC v. Sequana...more
Key Points - - The UK Supreme Court has affirmed directors' duty to consider creditors' interests. - The timing for the duty to be engaged is pushed back to when a company is bordering on insolvency. - Once the...more
UK Supreme Court gives important judgment on directors’ “creditor duty” The UK Supreme Court in BTI 2014 LLC v Sequana SA and ors [2022] UKSC 25 has given an important judgment clarifying the nature of the so-called “creditor...more
The Supreme Court’s decision in BTI v Sequana & Others represents the most significant ruling on the duties of directors of distressed companies of the past 30 years. This Supreme Court decision considers the balancing...more
On Thursday, 22 September 2022, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) held a webinar and Q&A session aimed at clarifying the FCA's expectations of office holders, lawyers and consultants navigating insolvencies and...more
On July 7, 2022, the UK Insolvency Service, an executive agency of government responsible for a variety of roles in administering the UK insolvency regime, published a consultation on the UK’s proposed adoption of two...more
Key Point The - UK government's proposals to only partially implement a new UNCITRAL Model Law means that creditors of English law debts who do not consent to a foreign restructuring proceeding will still have recourse to...more
There are distinct advantages to investors sitting on the boards of their portfolio companies, not least their ability to look after their investment and work toward maximising their return. The human capital provided by...more
The National Security Investment Act 2021 (the “Act”) came into effect on 4 January 2022 and introduced a new UK investment screening regime focused on national security risks (the “NSI Regime”). It is similar to the...more
INTRODUCTION - The UK insolvency profession is relatively small and highly specialised. In the region of 1,570 professionally qualified Insolvency Practitioners are authorised under the Insolvency Act 1986 to act as...more
With government support instigated by the Covid-19 pandemic coming to an end, there is an inevitability that some hotel owners will sadly not have the liquidity to continue to operate in the medium term. Eager investors are...more
The UK government has announced that temporary restrictions on creditor action introduced in the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 are to be phased out. These temporary restrictions were put in place to protect...more