On June 27, the U.S. Supreme Court announced a 5-4 decision rejecting the nonconsensual releases of the Sackler family in the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy case. The split is an interesting alignment of Justices: Gorsuch writing the majority opinion, joined by Thomas, Alito, Barrett and Jackson; Kavanaugh for the dissent, joined by Roberts, Sotomayor and Kagan.

Deal structure matters, particularly in bankruptcy. The Third Circuit recently ruled that a creditor’s right to future royalty payments in a non-executory contract could be discharged in the counterparty-debtor’s bankruptcy. The decision highlights the importance of properly structuring M&A, earn-out, and royalty-based transactions to ensure creditors receive the benefit of their bargain — even (or especially) if their counterparty later encounters financial distress.

Background

Chapter 11 bankruptcy has long been thought of as anathema to commercial real estate (CRE) lenders. This is due to the debtor-friendly bankruptcy forum, particularly with respect to (i) the up to 18 month exclusivity period during which only the debtor could propose a plan of reorganization and (ii) threats of a "cram-down" plan used to lever concessions from lenders. These provisions can be, and often were, abused by debtors with no real rehabilitative intent using bankruptcy only as a leverage tool.

In early February, a Delaware bankruptcy judge set new precedent by granting a creditors’ committee derivative standing to pursue breach of fiduciary duty claims against a Delaware LLC’s members and officers. At least three prior Delaware Bankruptcy Court decisions had held that creditors were barred from pursuing such derivative claims by operation of Delaware state law, specifically under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “DLLCA”).

A Massachusetts Bankruptcy Court’s recent appellate decision in Blumsack v. Harrington (In re Blumsack) leaves the door open for those employed in the cannabis industry to seek bankruptcy relief where certain conditions are met.

Comme nous l’avions prédit dans nos numéros précédents de L’Actualité en insolvabilité, l’augmentation attendue du nombre de dossiers d’insolvabilité des entreprises s’est matérialisée en 2023. Dans ce numéro de L’Actualité en insolvabilité, nous exposons en détail les conclusions suivantes tirées de nos données : – Le nombre de dossiers d’insolvabilité d’entreprises a atteint son plus haut niveau en 2023 depuis 2019, soit une augmentation de 41,4 % comparativement au nombre de dossiers d’insolvabilité d’entreprises en 2020 et une augmentation de 30,7 % comparativement à celui de 2019.

Insolvency Now Business Insolvencies in Canada Hit a Record Post-Pandemic High in 2023 Issue 10

It is a rare occasion that one can be assured with certainty that, if they file a motion with a bankruptcy court, it will be granted. But, in the Third Circuit, that is exactly what will happen if a creditor or other party in interest moves for an examiner to be appointed under Section 1104(c) of the Bankruptcy Code. Once considered to be within the discretion of a bankruptcy court “as is appropriate,” the appointment of an examiner is now guaranteed if the statutory predicates are fulfilled according to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

ntroduction The priority of governments and financial authorities around the world in 2023, including in Canada, has been to reduce inflation while monitoring and addressing financial sector risks. The Bank of Canada estimates that inflation will likely remain near 3% through 2024, given strong household spending levels supported by tight labour markets, population growth and high levels of accumulated household savings.

Executive Summary

In a radical departure from settled case law, the English High Court has eroded the protections of English law creditors guaranteed by the Rule in Gibbs¹ .