On April 7, 2017, the Azerbaijani Parliament passed in the first reading a Draft Law “On Introducing Amendments to the Law "On Banks" (the “Draft Law”).

Background

Peter Oreb and Ingrid Webber were directors of a group of companies supplying workforce solutions to some of the largest corporations in the world. Four of the companies went into liquidation. Prior to the companies going into liquidation, Peter and Ingrid resigned as directors of those companies.

On March 22, 2017, the Supreme Court, in Czyzewski et al., v. Jevic Holding Corp., et al., confirmed that the Bankruptcy Code does not permit “priority skipping” in Chapter 11 structured dismissals. In doing so, the Court held that, although the Code does not explicitly provide what, if any, priority rules apply to the distribution of estate assets in a Chapter 11 structured dismissal, “[a] distribution scheme in connection with the dismissal of a Chapter 11 case cannot, without the consent of the affected parties, deviate from the basic priority rules that apply under the . . .

Background

In 2009, the Calgary Airport Authority (CAA) entered into a construction agreement with Iona Contractors Ltd. for Iona to improve CAA’s north airfield. By October 2010, the work was substantially complete; however CAA withheld further payment to Iona on the basis that some of Iona’s subcontractors remained unpaid. Iona assigned into bankruptcy and a dispute arose over the entitlement to the withheld amounts (the Funds).

In a much anticipated judgment, the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of NSW has delivered good news for insolvency practitioners concerning their remuneration. This news will be particularly welcome for those practitioners who accept appointments over small to medium sized companies.

In October 2016, the Chamber for Commercial Disputes at the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation considered the cassation appeal of Eurasian Trading Company LLC (hereinafter – the Trading Company) in Case № А57-16992/2015 against the court’s refusal to introduce monitoring procedures with respect to RBP JSC (hereinafter – the Debtor) and decision to dismiss the application by the Trading Company without consideration.

Sultani Decrees

Sultani Decree No. 1/2017 Ratifying the General Budget of State for Fiscal Year 2017 Enacted on 1 January 2017. Effective from 1 January 2017

Ministerial Decisions

Diwani Decision No. 39/2016 Naming members of the Municipal Council, Muscat Governorate, for the second term. Issued on 28 December 2016

Ministerial Decision No. 165/2016 Publishing the Final Account of the State for Fiscal Year 2015. Issued on 21 December 2016

Ministerial Decisions

Ministerial Decision No. 261/2016 Amending Ministerial Decision No. 1020/2009 (on rights of audience for Omani and non-Omani lawyers). This decision extends the period within which non-Omani lawyers may have a right of audience before the Appeal Courts and Supreme Court to 31 December 2020. Issued on 22 December 2016. Effective from 1 January 2017

Royal Orders Conferring Honours

Order conferring the Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Science, Arts and Literature (First Class) to HE Dr. Hamadoun Touré, former Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in recognition of his efforts in the service of the ITU and the achievement of its objectives. Issued on 7 December 2016.

Ministerial Decisions

Ministerial Decisions

Ministerial Decision No. 212/2016 Issuing the Regulations on cultural initiatives Issued on 5 December 2016. Effective from the day after its publication date

Ministerial Decision No. 238/2016 Determining the fees for enrolment in the table of lawyers Issued on 1 December 2016. Effective from the day after its publication date