The facts

Through corporate acquisitions and asset transfers, BAT Industries plc (“BAT”) (a Claimant in the proceedings) became liable to contribute to the clean-up of the sediment of the Lower Fox River in Wisconsin, U.S.A. Arjo Wiggins Appleton Limited (“AWA”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sequana SA (“Sequana”) (a Defendant in proceedings), became liable to indemnify BAT for part of any monies paid out. Provision was duly made in AWA’s accounts to reflect a best estimate of the value of such liability.

Introduction

El Tribunal Supremo aborda la cuestión relativa al tratamiento concursal de los créditos por la indemnización derivada de la extinción del contrato de trabajo por incumplimientos graves del empleador, cuando la sentencia se dicta en momento posterior a la declaración del concurso.

Sentencia del Tribunal Supremo de fecha 13 de julio de 2016 >>

El nuevo sistema de subastas judiciales electrónicas continúa perfeccionándose tras varios meses desde su implantación en toda España, ofreciendo notables diferencias con respecto a las antiguas subastas presenciales.

Agriculture is a long-term business and most people within the sector are proud of its reputation for straight talking and fair dealing. Debt issues can arise at any stage, but there are particular cyclical problems at the moment which mean that there is more debt-chasing activity, as cashflow pressures intensify.

Angel Group Ltd and others concerned a group of companies in Administration where the director asserted that the companies’ bank had “conspired to artificially distress the business”

The facts

In the case of Angel Group Ltd and others [2015] EWHC 3624, Administrators from KPMG were appointed to Angel Group Limited and to seven of its subsidiaries. The Bank of Scotland was the only secured creditor, and was owed a residual balance of £20 million.

The High Court has determined the circumstances in which sums drawn down under a self-investment personal pension scheme could be subject to an income payments order.

The background

El Tribunal Supremo ha aclarado en una reciente sentencia, de fecha 8 de junio de 2016, el orden de pago que corresponde a los honorarios de la administración concursal cuando la masa activa es insuficiente para el abono de la totalidad de los créditos contra la masa. Se distingue, a tal efecto, entre los que resultan estrictamente necesarios para hacer líquidos los activos del concursado y para gestionar el pago, de los que no tienen tal carácter.

The actuary is not required to consider the security of benefits where a bulk transfer without member consents is proposed, the Court has decided.

A transfer without consent cannot be made unless the actuary certifies that, in their opinion, the past service rights each member will be credited with in the receiving scheme will be "broadly no less favourable" than their rights in the transferring scheme.

The Key Provisions

After much delay, the Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 2010 (the “Act”) will come into force on 1 August 2016. The essential purpose of the act is to aid claimants in procuring recoveries from the insurers of insolvent defendants.The Key Provisions

This will be of particular use to businesses that frequently find themselves in litigation with financially weak defendants. However, insolvency practitioners should also take note of the Act as it places new obligations on them.