As courts across the country deal with scaled back operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, bankruptcy courts in New Jersey and Delaware have issued novel orders to address the impact of the virus on certain debtors. Last month, debtors in the chapter 11 bankruptcy cases of Modell’s Sporting Goods, Inc. and CraftWorks Parent, LLC each sought and obtained court orders suspending certain case activity which, for all intents and purposes “mothballed” the cases for a certain period of time.

The sudden fall of the oil market is already wreaking havoc on companies, and recent bankruptcy filings may be just the beginning.

Enacted March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) places short-term obligations and restrictions on lenders and servicers of federally backed loans. As part of these limitations due to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), lenders and servicers are temporarily subject to moratoriums on foreclosures, mandatory forbearance obligations, and revised credit reporting obligations.

In an increasingly desperate business climate, thousands of businesses are expected to apply for emergency loans created by the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) – but unionized employers may want to think twice before walking this path. Certain commitments necessary to secure these loans– including a commitment not to abrogate existing collective bargaining agreements – could impact your labor relations strategy well beyond the course of the COVID–19 emergency.

In Thakkar v. Bay Point Capital Partners, LP (In re Bay Circle Properties, LLC), 2020 WL 1696303 (11th Cir. Apr. 8, 2020), the Eleventh Circuit dismissed an appeal because the only appellant remaining after a settlement lacked Article III standing (and in any event failed to meet the “person aggrieved doctrine” standard for appealing a bankruptcy court order).

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, Public Law No. 116-136 (the “CARES Act” or the “Act”), the stimulus package designed to mitigate the widespread economic impacts of the coronavirus (“COVID-19”). The Act includes important temporary modifications [1] to Subchapter V of the Bankruptcy Code (the “Code”), applicable to small -business debtor reorganizations.

Temporary Increase in Debt Limit

Recent emergency motions from Modell’s Sporting Goods, Inc. (“Modell’s) and Pier 1 Imports, Inc. (“Pier 1”) to put their chapter 11 cases on ice may signal a growing trend. As the economic consequences of efforts to contain and respond to COVID-19 infections render deal-making difficult or impossible, what were the best-laid plans a few weeks ago often no longer make sense.

When a company faces financial distress and seeks to sell its assets, both the seller and the buyer may prefer to implement the transaction through a Section 363 sale in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of the seller. A Chapter 11 sale process provides certain protections to the buyer from fraudulent transfer and other claims of the seller’s creditors, and a seller may be able to maximize the purchase price of its assets through a Section 363 auction process.

Faced with constantly evolving circumstances in these challenging times, officers and directors should not lose sight of what is arguably their most important corporate role–that is, as a fiduciary. The question, particularly as a corporation’s financial situation changes and restructuring is being considered, is: Who is that fiduciary duty owed to? Unfortunately, the answer depends on whether the corporation is insolvent or near insolvent, which is why being vigilant now will help avoid scrutiny by creditors later.

Many companies are currently experiencing dramatic reductions in revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Such companies (along with their investors and creditors) are justifiably concerned that they may need to restructure and even potentially seek bankruptcy protection. Below is a list of items that any potentially distressed company should attend to as soon as possible to increase the likelihood of obtaining the most favorable outcome under the circumstances.

I. Focus on Cash