Two recent Supreme Court of Canada decisions demonstrate that the corporate attribution doctrine is not a one-size-fits-all approach.
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.
The Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) Scotland Act was passed by the Scottish Government on 28 June 2022 and enacted on 10 August 2022 (the "Act"). It makes two key changes to insolvency and diligence in Scotland.
Bankruptcy floor limit
It would appear that the trend we reported in the rising numbers of Scottish corporate insolvencies is showing no let up.
The recent English High Court decision of Re Glam and Tan Ltd [2022] EWHC 855 (Ch) highlights the ways in which a director can be found liable, as well as the reasons why they may be relieved of responsibility for breaches of section 212 of the Insolvency Act 1986, which penalises delinquent directors and officers.
The legislation
Following the Coronavirus pandemic, the Scottish Government introduced two key Acts. The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 and the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Act 2020 - together, these Acts made two significant changes to personal insolvency in Scotland.
The 2020 Coronavirus (Scotland) Acts
On 26 January 2022, the Covid recovery and Reform Bill (the "Bill") was introduced to the Scottish Parliament. The Bill followed a consultation exercise by the Scottish Government on the proposed changes to Scottish bankruptcy (known as sequestration). These proposed changes generated a good deal of interest with almost 3,000 responses being received from individuals and representative organisations.
The most recent UK and Scotland-specific statistics seem to show that the low comparative levels of corporate insolvency that we have seen as a result of the COVID-19 temporary measures may be coming to an end.
The Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB), the Scottish equivalent of the Insolvency Service, reports that the number of Scottish companies becoming insolvent or entering receivership increased by over 80% in the second quarter of 2021-22, with 211 companies becoming insolvent compared with 117 in the same quarter of 2020-21.
The latest insolvency statistics have now been released by the Insolvency Service and the Accountant in Bankruptcy ("AiB").
The AiB is responsible for the devolved elements of corporate insolvency, which is limited to liquidation and receivership. The Insolvency Service on the other hand records details on matters for which responsibility is retained at Westminster, being administration and CVAs.
In bankruptcy as in federal jurisprudence generally, to characterize something with the near-epithet of “federal common law” virtually dooms it to rejection.