In Pharmagona Limited v Taheri,(1) the High Court refused to seal and issue a contempt application as the breach, if it had occurred, was only technical, and it was therefore inappropriate for the application to succeed.

Facts

At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, temporary provisions were put in place under the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 ("CIGA") to allow businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic breathing space from the threat of winding up action. Those restrictions will expire on 30 September 2021.

In the hotly anticipated judgment of Mr Justice Zacaroli in the case of Lazari Properties 2 Limited and Ors and New Look Retailers Limited ("New Look") [2021] EWHC 1209 (Ch) New Look has successfully defended a challenge to its CVA on the grounds of jurisdiction, material irregularity and unfair prejudice. The judgment confirms once again that differential treatment of creditors does not on its own establish unfair prejudice but that it will be a matter for determination based on all the circumstances of the case.

Background to the Restructuring Plan

The UK has introduced the Restructuring Plan; a new, flexible court supervised restructuring tool. The Restructuring Plan draws upon features of the existing Companies Act 2006 scheme of arrangement procedure (which remains available) but includes features which are new to the UK but similar to those under U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

The new pre-pack regulations have been approved by Parliament and come into force on 30 April 2021.

Pre-packs: an overview

HMRC clamping down on furlough fraud by companies in Danger Zone

The latest statistics show that over 11 million workers have been furloughed in the UK as part of the government's job retention scheme (that equates to 16% of the population or one in six people) and 41% of employers had staff furloughed. The scheme has so far cost the government over £40 billion and this figure will continue to rise until the end of September this year when the scheme is set to wind down.

In a recent decision in the Admiralty Court before Mr Admiralty Registrar Davison, the Court considered the application of the recently enacted section 233B of the Insolvency Act 1986. Whilst the conclusions reached on that provision are perhaps less surprising given its wide remit, the decision raises some interesting points for contract lawyers on the formation of contracts and the reasonableness of their terms.

Introduction – Section 233B of the Insolvency Act 1986 (Act)

What are the proposed changes to rules on transfer of ownership?

The key takeaway

The Law Commission’s proposed changes are likely to improve consumers’ odds of owning goods bought online in the event of retailer insolvency, even before they have left the retailer’s possession.

The background

In this chapter of our Annual Insurance Review 2021, we look at the main developments in 2020 and expected issues in 2021 for D&O.

Key developments in 2020

For D&O insurers, 2020 was all about the hardening market – with rates doubling in some cases and limits contracting – and the underlying causes of that.

In this chapter of our Annual Insurance Review 2021, we look at the main developments in 2020 and expected issues in 2021 for restructuring and insolvency.

Key developments in 2020

The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 came into force on 26 June 2020. The changes introduced by that Act were some of the most significant made to English insolvency law for decades.