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On September 9, 2016, Hanjin Shipping Co. won a ruling protecting its assets in the U.S. against creditors, while the shipping line proceeds with its reorganization in South Korea. Hanjin filed for relief under Chapter 15 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey (U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge John K. Sherwood in Newark, N.J.).

An issue of potential concern for any licensee of intellectual property is the possibility of losing that license if its licensor files for bankruptcy protection. For a bankrupt licensor, its intellectual property may be a significant asset that could be sold or otherwise licensed as part of a dissolution or restructuring. But any license on such intellectual property essentially acts as an encumberance on that property that may reduce the value of the asset to a potential purchaser.