Settling any remaining uncertainty in how professionals’ hourly rates will be considered for approval in bankruptcy courts in the Eastern District of Virginia, on October 18, the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia approved the professional fee applications in the Nordic Aviation bankruptcy cases, including the rates of each of the professionals as appropriate market rates. In particular, the Bankruptcy Court noted that, “[m]uch ink has since been spilled differentiating so-called ‘local’ rates from ‘national’ rates. The distinction is much ado about nothing.

Saudi Arabia recently published a new Bankruptcy Law. This is the latest development of a string of reforms under Vision 2030 to further encourage the participation of foreign and domestic investors by structuring the business legal framework. This article provides a general analysis of the new bankruptcy law and its implications for businesses operating in the Kingdom.