Guidance for companies and company directors in Northern Ireland.

Overview

The adverse trading position caused by the COVID-19 situation is significantly impacting the majority of companies and is also bringing the duties of directors – particularly those relating to directors’ actions when a company is in difficulty or insolvent – into sharp relief.

Irish companies are facing challenges with the sudden changes imposed on their businesses as a result of the impact of COVID-19. Some may be experiencing cash flow difficulties; others may have had to temporarily cease trading altogether.

Directors are responsible for managing their company’s affairs. This requires them to identify and navigate risks, and to ensure that appropriate strategies and where necessary contingencies are in place to anticipate and deal with such risks.

We are delighted to publish the latest edition of our newsletter, Compliance Agenda. It contains a round-up of all the latest legal updates of interest to Company Secretaries, Company Directors and Compliance Officers.

Involuntarily struck off, can I bring my company back to life?

Background

Ray & Danny Grehan (theGrehans) acquired property in Maynooth on which subsequently the Maynooth Business Campus (the Campus) was built.

It is almost 30 years since the commencement of the Companies (Amendment) Act 1990 (the “1990 Act”) which introduced the concept of Court protection for certain companies from their creditors to allow a formal restructure of a company’s debt. The examinership process is now governed by Part 10 of the Companies Act 2014 which mirrors the procedure provided for in the 1990 Act.   

Examinership process  

In McKillen v. Wallace (In re Irish Bank Resolution Corp. Ltd.), 2019 WL 4740249 (D. Del. Sept. 27, 2019), the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware had an opportunity to consider, as an apparent matter of first impression, whether the U.S. common law "Barton Doctrine" applies extraterritorially. One of the issues considered by the district court on appeal was whether parties attempting to sue a foreign representative in a chapter 15 case must first obtain permission to sue from the foreign court that appointed the foreign representative.

A Members’ Voluntary Liquidation (“MVL”) is an efficient way to wind up a solvent company and release value to members. It is most often used where the directors wish to retire, the company has realised its potential or the company is dormant. By properly winding up the Company, the danger of the company being involuntarily struck off the Register of Companies and any resulting liability for the Directors is removed. A summary of the process is as follows:

COVID-19 is an unexpected shock for many businesses. Some businesses are being significantly affected, particularly those in the travel and hospitality sectors. We consider some of the options open to otherwise good businesses facing cash-flow and other financial issues as a result of COVID-19.

How are governments dealing with COVID-19

Executive Summary

COVID-19 poses high levels of financial distress for Ireland and Irish business. Ireland's examinership regime (Examinership) and schemes of arrangement under part 9 of the Companies Act 2014 (Schemes) are effective tools for corporate restructuring either immediately and/or once the more immediate threat of COVID-19 has passed.

With the measures in place to deal with the COVID-19 situation, volatility and disruption continue to affect Northern Ireland. As a leading full-service law firm, Arthur Cox is ideally placed to mobilise multi-disciplinary teams of lawyers to provide advice and support to organisations.