Introduction
The Chancellor’s 2014 Budget speech revealed significant changes to the way in which pension scheme members will be able to access their savings. This move falls as just one of a raft of changes to workplace pensions which Steve Webb MP has described as a “pensions revolution”.
HR Colsultancy
JOBS ACT - Fixed term employment contract: potential fines for those companies with 20% or more of their employees on fixed term contracts
Current proposed amendments by the Jobs Act include (i) replacing the fine for conversion of fixed term contracts exceeding the 20% limit into open-ended contracts with a fine to be paid to the employee and (ii) the clarification of the reintroduction of basic training for apprentices.
This update focusses on the recent Supreme Court decision in Re Lehman Brothers International (Europe) concerning the application of the “contributory rule” in administration and the admissibility and set-off of contingent claims in administration
Lehmans and the contributory rule
Preamble
Most if not all of our readers will be aware of a recent spate of decisions in which the English courts have been prepared to sanction schemes of arrangements (SofAs) for foreign entities having a “sufficient connection” with England and Wales. The latest decisions in Re Magyar Telecom B.V. (03/12/2013) show just how flexible the English courts can be in finding such a connection.
The background
This update focusses upon two recent High Court decisions dealing with (respectively) the ability of the court to retrospectively extend court-appointed receiverships, and the issue of whether COMI had shifted to England for a German national seeking bankruptcy here.
Extension of court-appointed receiverships
The case of Bank of Ireland v (1) Edeneast (2) Cosgrove and (3) Maguire (17/09/2013) concerned an application by the bank to retrospectively continue and extend the appointment of a courtappointed receiver.
This update focusses on a range of issues affecting IPs from the past two months, covering the consultation on fees announced in February, the HMRC announced changes to the VAT deregistration regime, when accountants may be required to produce documents under Sections 235 and 256 of the Insolvency Act, and a recent Court of Appeal decision on when a company may be considered to be insolvent for the purpose of Section 238 actions
Consultation on the regulation of Insolvency Practitioners and IPs’ fees
Global FDSI Briefing
Welcome to our latest quarterly briefing on legal developments across our global network. I hope you find the articles insightful and thought provoking. Highlights this quarter include recent developments in Italian derivatives case law, an overview of the amendments made to Spain’s insolvency regulation and the UK’s FCA issuing first warning notices against individuals.
If you have any questions or would like further information please do not hesitate to contact me, or one of our global key contacts.
[Matthew Allen]
Matthew Allen
Financial Services Disputes and Investigations
ECHR finds double jeopardy: Crimes sanctioned by Consob and heard by the Court of Appeal cannot be tried again in court proceedings
The Court of Appeal in Pillar Denton Ltd & Others v (1) Jervis (2) Maddison and (3) Game Retail Ltd ([2014] EWCA Civ 180) yesterday overruled previous High Court authority, deciding that rent should be treated as an expense of the administration based on actual usage and not on when the rent falls due. What does this mean for practitioners?
The background
Pillar Denton Ltd & others v Jervis & others [2014] EWCA 180 (“Game Station”)
The outcome of this appeal has been awaited with a high degree of interest. The issue was the extent to which rent should be payable as an expense of an administration or liquidation; if it is payable as an expense, it sits near the top of the priority order for the distribution of the tenant’s assets, and will usually be paid in full. Otherwise, it is among the unsecured debts, and the landlord will have to wait for whatever dividend is ultimately payable.