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The Supreme Court has confirmed that s.423 of the Insolvency Act 1986, which provides for the avoidance of certain transactions where they have been entered into for the purpose of defrauding creditors, has a broad application and covers not only transactions entered into by the debtor personally, but also those entered into via the debtor's company: El-Husseiny and another v Invest Bank PSC [2025] UKSC 4.

The High Court has held that the recognition of foreign insolvency proceedings under the Cross-Border Insolvency Regulations 2006 (the "CBIR") did not, in itself, vest rights or interests in English land in the foreign representative.

Two recent Supreme Court of Canada decisions demonstrate that the corporate attribution doctrine is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

In a rare case, the High Court has dismissed an application by liquidators pursuant to sections 235 and 236 of the Insolvency Act 1986, which give office-holders broad powers to obtain information and documents concerning the company and its affairs: Webb v Eversholt Rail Limited [2024] EWHC 2217 (Ch).

The High Court has ordered two former directors of British Home Stores ("BHS") to pay equitable compensation of £110 million in respect of misfeasance claims brought by the former retailer's joint liquidators: Wright v Chappell [2024] EWHC 2166 (Ch).

In Sian Participation Corporation (In Liquidation) v Halimeda International Ltd [2024] UKPC 16, the Privy Council considered an appeal from the Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (BVI) as to whether a company should be wound up where the debt on which the winding up application is based is subject to an arbitration agreement and is said to be disputed and/or subject to a cross-claim.

The collapse of UK retailer British Home Stores ("BHS") in 2016 remains one of the most high-profile corporate insolvencies of recent times. It went from being a household name across the UK, with over 11,000 employees, to having reported debts of £1.3 billion, including a pension deficit of nearly £600 million. The group's demise saw the closure of some 164 stores nationwide and significant job losses.

国有企业重组是指通过收购、划转、合并、分立、资产剥离、混改(包括科改)等方式,对国有企业进行重新组织,以实现资源优化配置、企业整体竞争力提升的效果。其中,公司分立是一种常见的重组模式,多适用于分拆上市、解决同业竞争、突出主营业务等场景。笔者结合近期项目经验,就国有企业以分立方式实施重组所涉及的相关法律问题进行探讨。

一、公司分立的基本流程及国企分立特别程序

根据《关于做好公司合并分立登记支持企业兼并重组的意见》(工商企字〔2011〕226号)第二条[1],公司分立是一个公司分成两个或两个以上的公司,包括存续分立和新设分立两种形式。存续分立是一个公司分立成两个以上公司,本公司继续存续,同时设立一个及以上新的公司。新设分立是一个公司分立为两个及以上新的公司,本公司解散。无论采用哪种形式的分立,公司分立前的债务均由分立后的公司承担连带责任。公司分立的常规流程包括制定分立方案、通过分立决议、编制资产负债表和财产清单、签订分立协议、公告及通知债权人及办理公司分立登记。将于2024年7月1日施行的新修订《公司法》增加了“国家企业信用信息公示系统”作为公告的平台(不再仅限于登报公告),其余关于分立的规定并无实质性变化。

在我国商事实践中,由于清算相关主体未必能严格履行清算义务,以及解散清算制度本身的不完备性等原因,导致存在大量公司自行解散清算并注销,却仍遗留部分债务未处理的情况。此时债务人的公司法人人格已经终止,不再是民事责任承担主体,债权人只能选择其他主体主张权利,这无疑增加了债权追偿的难度,在司法实践中引发了大量争议。

2024年7月1日,新《公司法》即将实施,新法一方面对现行的解散清算制度进行了优化,明确了以董事为主的清算主体责任;另一方面则强化了股东的出资责任,特别规定股东的最长认缴出资期限为五年,且要求存量公司逐步调整至该期限内,这预计将引发大量未实缴出资的公司通过解散清算程序进行注销,从而带来更多公司注销后遗留债务的追偿难题。基于这种新形势,笔者根据近年来代理不良债权追偿项目的经验,梳理并归纳了对遗留债务的追偿路径,以期为面临类似情况的债权人提供参考和借鉴。

一、《公司法》修订与遗留债务的追偿现状

Court approval of a sale process in receivership or Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (“BIA”) proposal proceedings is generally a procedural order and objectors do not have an appeal as of right; they must seek leave and meet a high test in order obtain it. However, in Peakhill Capital Inc. v.