Divorce and Family partner Lisette Dupré and Commercial Litigation partner Elaina Bailes were among 500 lawyers from more than 50 countries who gathered for the AIJA International Young Lawyers’ Congress in Rio between 20 and 26 August. This year’s theme was rethinking the law in four dimensions, which called upon speakers to think more about how the law may develop in the next five years than simply looking at how it stands today.
Section 423 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (s423) provides for the avoidance of transactions intended to put assets out of the reach of creditors or otherwise prejudice their interests. It is one of the most effective weapons in global asset recovery scenarios and is widely used. Partner Tim Symes, associate Jack Barlow and paralegal Bruno Ponte consider the proof needed to get home on an s423 claim, consider some recent caselaw and provide examples of what a court might order if a claim is successful.
A combination of continued high prices and rising interest rates has heaped pressure on already struggling businesses through the summer of 2023. The challenging circumstances have lead to an overall rise in creditors’ voluntary liquidations (CVLs) compared to both earlier months and the previous year, though the picture borne out by the statistics is more complicated than might be expected.
Insolvency and Asset Recovery partner Tim Symes appeared on Sky News’ Business Live with Ian King as the latest government figures revealed that company and individual insolvencies in England and Wales remain close to an all time high.
Close economic ties and interdependence between the US and Canada have been bolstered by free trade policies and intensified global competition, paving the way for continued opportunities for US businesses to tap into the Canadian market. These opportunities have resulted in an active cross-border lending market. In light of this, US lenders who are lending into Canada may encounter, and should be aware of, Canadian-specific legal issues and considerations.
A recent Alberta case continues the development of a line of cases at the intersection of environmental protection and bankruptcy and insolvency law in Canada.
Recent economic challenges have triggered significant developments for household name companies in 2023.
The latest insolvency statistics in the UK make for grim reading. Per the government’s official assessment, 1,964 corporate insolvencies took place in December 2022, 32% higher than in the same month in the previous year and 76% higher than the number registered three years previously pre-pandemic. With inflation and energy costs remaining high and government support rolling back, companies will be taking whatever steps they can to remain in business.
In the recent decision of Chin v Beauty Express Canada Inc. (“Chin”), the Ontario Superior Court of Justice considered the impact of an employee’s service with a prior employer on the employee’s entitlement to reasonable notice of termination.
FTX was the third-largest cryptocurrency exchange at one point, but came crashing down to earth in 2022 and filed for bankruptcy in the US on 11 November. The platform’s downfall has reignited the debate around the regulation of cryptocurrencies globally and in specific jurisdictions. Marc Jones considers the arguments here.