As we previously reported, the CARES Act temporarily expanded the number of small businesses eligible for relief under the

The Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (“SBRA”) took effect in February 2020. The SBRA gives small businesses new forms of bankruptcy relief that were not previously available to them under federal law, including the ability for business owners to retain ownership of their businesses without first paying their creditors in full.

Both commercial landlords and tenants continue to struggle from governmental lockdowns and financial pressures. Recent bankruptcy decisions have added an additional layer of financial distress on commercial landlords by: (i) reducing commercial tenants' rent based on the subject lease's force majeure provision and governmental pandemic orders and (2) ignoring commercial tenants' requirement of timely payment of post-bankruptcy rent and allowing commercial tenants to "pause" payment of rent consistent with the governmental “stay” orders issued because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It may seem counterintuitive for banks and other lenders to provide loans to companies in bankruptcy, but they often do. All companies, especially those in bankruptcy, need liquidity to continue operating. Ensuring the availability of cash is one of the most important considerations in a Chapter 11 reorganization because debtors are often unable to reorganize without adequate cash flow.