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The need for a legal ground to stand on: a shareholders class action is dismissed at the authorization stage for failure to meet article 1003 b) C.p.c. (Groupe d’action d’investisseurs dans Biosyntech c. Tsang, 2015 QCCS 3265)

In the spring of 2010, BioSyntech, a start-up biotechnology company, developing a cartilage-repair product, BST-Car Gel, filed a Notice of Intention to make a proposal under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. In the subsequent bankruptcy proceedings, the intellectual property relating to the BST-Car Gel was sold.

Canada, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Beware contractual provisions triggered (even indirectly) by a party’s insolvency

Following a recent ruling of the Ontario Court of Appeal, parties may need to proceed cautiously in enforcing contractual rights and remedies in circumstances where there is a risk of the counterparty subsequently becoming insolvent.

The common law has long recognized that a contractual provision which is explicitly and directly triggered by a party’s insolvency (and which thereby causes subsequent prejudice to the rights of the insolvent party’s creditors) may be unenforceable as a matter of public policy.

Canada, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Common law, Court of Appeal for Ontario
This week at the SCC

The Supreme Court issued one judgment this week in a case of interest to Canadian businesses and professions.

Canada, Employee Benefits & Pensions, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, United Steelworkers