LITIGATION, ARBITRATION, INVESTIGATIONS AND FINANCIAL CRIME
QUARTERLY UPDATE
Welcome to the latest issue of our Quarterly Update, in which we look at some of the recent highlights and developments in banking and finance disputes and financial crime.
IN THIS ISSUE WE LOOK AT:
A salutary lesson: if you do not intend to be bound by a letter of commitment, say so clearly
GENERAL CORPORATE
In this issue, we focus on cases concerning directors’ considerations when making a solvency statement for a capital reduction, and whether “bad leaver” provisions containing compulsory share transfers are capable of being contractual penalties.
Statements of solvency on a reduction of capital: what must the directors consider?
The High Court has held in BTI 2014 LLC v Sequana SA & others [2016] that payments of dividends were not made in breach of the Companies Act 2006 (the “Act”).
(Bankr. W.D. Ky. Sep. 12, 2016)
The bankruptcy court grants the motion to terminate the automatic stay. The creditor and the debtor entered into a sale contract prepetition for sale of the debtor’s real property. The debtor argued that the sale contract terminated prepetition, and the creditor argued that it should be permitted to pursue its claims on the contract in state court. The court finds that the debtor has no equity in the property and that it is not necessary to an effective reorganization. Thus, stay relief is appropriate. Opinion below.
Judge: Lloyd
(Bankr. W.D. Ky. Sep. 1, 2016)
The bankruptcy court addresses the issue of whether the debtor’s prepetition claim for a surcharge before the Public Service Commission is property of the estate. The pre-petition receiver for the debtor argued that it was not, because the debtor abandoned its assets prepetition in the PSC action. The court disagrees, finding that legal title was not severed in the prepetition proceedings, and thus the bankruptcy trustee has control and authority over the surcharge claim. Opinion below.
Judge: Lloyd
This is an extract from Financier Worldwide's August online publication entitled "Pension challenges in bankruptcy and restructuring processes."
REFLECTING ON THE LAST FEW YEARS, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE OVERALL PENSION CHALLENGES ARISING FOR COMPANIES FACING BANKRUPTCY / INSOLVENCY AND RESTRUCTURING PROCESS? WHAT MAJOR TRENDS HAVE DEFINED THIS SPACE?
(7th Cir. Aug. 23, 2016)
(W.D. Ky. Aug. 15, 2016)
The Seventh Circuit dismisses the appeal, holding that the bankruptcy court’s final order implementing the district court’s order directing turnover of assets to the bankruptcy estate was valid, because it resolved a core proceeding. The appellants contended that it was a non-core proceeding and thus required a district court order to be final. Opinion below.
Judge: Posner
Attorney for Appellants: Jordan Law P.C., Terrence M Jordan
(6th Cir. B.A.P. Aug. 4, 2016)
(Bankr. S.D. Ind. July 29, 2016)
The bankruptcy court denies the debtor’s motion to transfer venue of his chapter 7 bankruptcy case from the Terra Haute Division to the Evansville Division. The debtor failed to satisfy the standard set forth in 28 U.S.C. § 1412 for venue transfer. The debtor’s travel time to each court location was virtually the same, and thus Evansville was no more convenient than Terra Haute. Further, there was no showing that the interests of justice would be better served by the transfer. Opinion below.
Judge: Graham