On 15 November 2023, the Temporary Act on Transparency of Expedited Liquidation (Turbo Liquidation Act) will enter into force. It aims to increase trust in the expedited liquidation procedure by improving its transparency, the legal protection of creditors and combatting the abuse of the procedure.
Background
The Federal Court of Justice has lowered the threshold for the approval of an insolvency plan by the insolvency court.
Background
The English Court has, for only the second time, made a compensation order under the Company Directors' Disqualification Act 1986 against a disqualified director.
Background
The UK Jurisdiction Taskforce has launched a new public consultation on the treatment of digital assets in English insolvency law.
Crypto assets are 'property'
In November 2019, the UKJT published its seminal legal statement on the status of crypto assets and smart contracts. Since then, there has been widespread acceptance that crypto assets are 'property' for the purposes of English law. And the Law Commission has recently proposed a new, third category of personal property rights to capture digital assets.
Impact on insolvency law
The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal has confirmed that the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Orphan Well Association v. Grant Thornton Ltd., 2019 SCC 5 [Redwater], applies in Saskatchewan. The Court of Appeal also affirmed that orders made in failed proceedings in Alberta under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCCA) did not have effect in subsequent receivership proceedings in Saskatchewan.
It has long been established that where the circumstances in which funds are advanced by a shareholder to the company in which they own shares is unclear, the court must consider the "surrounding circumstances" when determining how to characterize the advance. Historically, "surrounding circumstances" were understood to be the circumstances extant at the time the transaction was effected: (e.g., Ghassemvand v. Premium Weatherstripping Inc., 2017 BCCA 309 [Ghassemvand]).
The English court has (for the first time) given guidance on the long-established practice of substituting a creditor as petitioner in a winding up petition and hearing argument about the creditor’s standing later.
Background
In March 2021, Citibank petitioned to wind up Liberty Commodities (LCL). The petition was supported by two creditors, White Oak and NPS. Citibank settled with LCL and applied to dismiss the petition. The supporters applied to be substituted.
A recent decision of the German Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) has extended the liability of legal advisors in crisis situations.
Background
Under German law, a lawyer may be liable not only to his client, but also to a third party, if the third party has a special interest in the lawyer's performance. The Bundesgerichtshof has clarified that managing directors and even shadow directors may have such a special interest and may claim damages from their company’s legal advisor for breach of duty (Pflichtverletzung).
Austria implemented the directive on preventive restructuring frameworks more than two years ago, in July 2021. In a first ruling on the proceedings, the Vienna Higher Regional Court has reaffirmed the prerequisites for entering preventive restructuring and clarified the checks to be carried out by the courts at the opening of the proceedings.
Decision
The Court held that:
On 12 September 2023, the government published its long-awaited response to its consultation on the future of insolvency regulation.
The reforms will introduce: