The next article in our Commercial Real Estate Finance COVID-19 Impact Series looks at landlord/tenant issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of our Bankruptcy and Restructuring Practice Group, providing informed and real-time guidance tailored to various sectors of commercial real estate owners. In the context of recent bankruptcy filings by national shopping center tenants, this article highlights key areas for consideration when a tenant files bankruptcy and what steps landlords can take to be proactive in these circumstances.
Americans are in an unemployment crisis due to COVID-19 business closings, and many are accruing debt in order to maintain their basic lives – unpaid utilities, buy food on credit, etc. For many, the vehicle to obtain that debt is credit cards, home-equity loans, or simply failing to pay creditors who invoice customers after providing goods and services, such as doctors.[1]
The American bankruptcy process is geared towards providing (a) financially distressed businesses and individuals with a “fresh start” and (b) their creditors a fair opportunity to address their claims. Much of that process takes place in bankruptcy courts all over the country on a daily basis. So, what effect does a pandemic, such as the novel coronavirus (and its attendant disease, COVID-19), have on the administration of bankruptcy cases in the U.S.? Of course, the federal, state and local restrictions on public gatherings create a challenge for U.S.
The question of does a lien exist without a debt for it to secure is a complicated issue that unfortunately does not have a universal answer. This post will use two recent cases to explore concerns that counsel should examine if presented with this question.
A divided Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled in the case of In re FirstEnergy Solutions Corp. on Dec. 12, 2019. The panel decided that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) share jurisdiction when a Chapter 11 debtor moves to reject a power purchase and sale contract over which the FERC has jurisdiction (Power Contract). However, the Sixth Circuit noted that such jurisdiction is not equal; declaring the bankruptcy court’s authority as primary and superior to that of the FERC.
Saam Golshani and Alexis Hojabr, White & Case LLP
This is an extract from the first edition of GRR's The Art of the Pre-Pack. The whole publication is available here.
Christopher Harlowe and Christopher Levers, Mourant
This is an extract from the first edition of GRR's The Art of the Pre-Pack. The whole publication is available here.
The Cayman Islands has established itself as the jurisdiction of choice for financially sophisticated businesses such as hedge funds, private equity funds, special purpose vehicles and trusts that use offshore vehicles.
David Baxter and Brian O’Malley, A&L Goodbody
This is an extract from the first edition of GRR's The Art of the Pre-Pack. The whole publication is available here.
Introduction
Pre-packs in Ireland probably are not as common as they should be. In theory, a pre-pack is broadly available in each of our insolvency procedures: liquidation, examinership and receivership.
Dominic Emmett and Hannah Cooper, Gilbert + Tobin
This is an extract from the first edition of GRR's The Art of the Pre-Pack. The whole publication is available here.
Dennis F Dunne, Dennis C O'Donnell and Nelly Almeida, Milbank LLP
This is an extract from the first edition of GRR's The Art of the Pre-Pack. The whole publication is available here.
Introduction