The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, on May 4, 2015, affirmed U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert D. Drain’s decision confirming the reorganization plan for Momentive Performance Materials Inc. and its affiliated debtors.1 The Bankruptcy Court’s decision was controversial because it forced the debtors’ senior secured creditors to accept new secured notes bearing interest at below- market rates.
On Sept. 12, 2013, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the bankruptcy court’s decision to deny payment of a make-whole premium (the “Make-Whole Amount”) to bondholders under three separate indentures (the “Indentures”) based on the plain language of those agreements. U.S. Bank Trust Nat’l Ass’n v. AMR Corp. et al. (In re AMR Corp.), __ F.3d __, 2013 WL 4840474 (2d Cir. Sept. 12, 2013) (“In re AMR Corp. II”).
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, on Feb. 14, 2013, held that an insider of a Chapter 11 partnership debtor cannot avoid the “competition rule” in a new-value reorganization plan. The debtor’s equity owner arranged for his wife, also an “insider,” to contribute new value to obtain the equity of the reorganized debtor. In re Castleton Plaza, LP, — F.3d –––, 2013 WL 537269 at *1 (7th Cir., Feb. 14, 2013).
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit held on Aug. 3, 2012, that equitable considerations could not prevent a creditor's recouping amounts owed to it by a chapter 7 debtor. Terry v. Standard Ins. Co. (In re Terry), 2012 WL 3139364, *4 (8th Cir. Aug. 3, 2012). Reversing the bankruptcy court and the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel ("BAP"), the Eighth Circuit explained that "once a party meets the same-transaction test . . . a court should not impose an additional 'balancing of the equities' requirement" on the doctrine of recoupment. Id.
FSA has made a statement explaining how the bank’s failure to comply with FSA’s liquidity guidelines as they applied to it was critical. It says that while the bank’s downfall was not directly due to the breaches, the breaches happened at a critical period for the financial markets and at a time FSA needed banks to keep it up to date on their liquidity. (Source: FSA Explains Liquidity Importance)
FSA has published a set of frequently asked questions designed to help readers understand MG Global’s insolvency position and investors’ rights under it. (Source: MF Global Investors – Your Questions Answered)
FSA has won a case in the High Court in which the court held one individual and two businesses were operating a collective investment scheme without authorisation. The court banned James Maynard from selling land for business purposes in the UK for life and made a bankruptcy order against him. It ordered him and Countrywide Land Holdings Limited to pay £31,896,194 to FSA and ordered Plateau Development & Land Limited, now in liquidation, to pay £918,975. Tracey McDermott said there was a low probability of getting meaningful compensation but that FSA had scored an important victory.
WorldSpreads Limited has become the third firm to enter into the Special Administration Regime. The firm, a spread betting company, entered into the regime following the discovery of accounting irregularities which led to a finding that the firm could not continue in business. (Source: Firm Enters Special Administration)
The Internal Market Directorate is discussing with stakeholders whether the debt write-down or bail-in tool would help a managed reorganisation or winding down of a financial institution that faced imminent failure. This discussion takes place in the context of the ongoing work on an EU framework for managing crises in the banking sector. The debt write-down or bail-in tool would complement the special resolution powers that need to be available for authorities to stem risks to financial stability and limit the recourse to taxpayer’s money.
Background
The United Kingdom Supreme Court recently decided the appeal in the important case In the Matter of Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (LBIE) (In Administration) and In the matter of the Insolvency Act 1986 [2012] UK (the Case).
In summary, the Case is about which claims can be treated as claims for client money. This turns on interpreting the rules of the UK’s Financial Services Authority’s (FSA) Client Assets Sourcebook (CASS) in chapter 7 of CASS. These FSA rules stem from the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID).