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Even prior to the global impact of COVID-19, commercial bankruptcy filings were already on the rise. As stay-at-home orders caused many businesses to close or significantly curtail operations in 2020, financial struggles in the commercial sector mounted. Government assistance through the passage of different stimulus programs such as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (2020) and Coronavirus Response and Consolidated Appropriations Act (2021) has temporarily helped companies stave off difficult financial decisions.

In Dr. Thomas Markusic et al. v. Michael Blum et al. memorandum opinion 200818, the Delaware Chancery Court (the “Court”) declined to extend the Gentile doctrine. In so doing, the Court held that the counterclaims attempting to rely on it had to be dismissed.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN A MINUTE OR LESS

Companies should anticipate the possibility that they will find themselves in a situation where a vendor, customer, or other contract counterparty commences a bankruptcy case pursuant to Title 11 of the U.S. Code (the Bankruptcy Code). The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused economic stress to a wide variety of business sectors, and it has underscored the risk that a contract counterparty may file for bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy effect on vendor and supply contracts

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN A MINUTE OR LESS

Companies should anticipate the possibility that they will find themselves in a situation where a vendor, customer, or other contract counterparty commences a bankruptcy case pursuant to Title 11 of the U.S. Code (the Bankruptcy Code). The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused economic stress to a wide variety of business sectors, and it has underscored the risk that a contract counterparty may file for bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy effect on vendor and supply contracts

The UK government has extended its suspension of various rules and procedures affecting distressed businesses as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. However, with the UK lockdown easing on a rolling basis up to 21 June 2021, these may be the last of the blanket extensions across all of these areas. Expect the gradual reintroduction of some of the rules and procedures from 1 July onwards.

The Extensions to the End of June 2021

On March 27, 2021, President Biden signed into law the COVID-19 Bankruptcy Relief Extension Act (the Extension Act). The Extension Act temporarily extends certain COVID-19 bankruptcy relief provisions enacted as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), which were further amended and/or extended as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (the CAA). Certain of the amendments included in the CAA and the Extension Act are highlighted below:

Debtors and Paycheck Protection Program Loans

On 1 March 2021, Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (“Brazos”) commenced a chapter 11 bankruptcy case in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Brazos is a Texas-based non-profit electric cooperative corporation that provides wholesale electricity to its members, which, in turn, provide retail electricity to Texas consumers.

知的財産法:改正個人情報保護法に関する動き 競争法/独禁法①:公取委、フランチャイズ・ガイドライン改正案の公表 競争法/独禁法②:ドイツ競争法の重要な改正 エネルギー・インフラ:発電側基本料金制度に関する続報 労働法:「男性の育児休業取得促進策等について」の建議について 会社法:会社法施行規則及び会社計算規則の一部改正-定時株主総会におけるウェブ開示によるみなし提供制度の対象範囲の拡大特例- 危機管理:日本監査役協会が「企業集団における不祥事防止を切り口とした監査体制強化の在り方」を公表 一般民事・債権管理:「事業者を支える融資・再生実務のあり方に関する研究会」による論点整理の公表(新たな担保権「事業成長担保権(仮称)」の提言) M&A:中小企業庁、産業競争力強化法等の一部を改正する等の法律案の概要を公表 ファイナンス・ディスクロージャー:経済産業省「事業報告等と有価証券報告書の一体的開示FAQ(制度編)」 税務:国税庁、「在宅勤務に係る費用負担等に関するFAQ(源泉所得税関係)」を公表 中国・アジア(中国):「外国の法律及び措置の不当な域外適用の阻止に関する規則」の公布 新興国(UAE):オンショアの外資規制緩和を含む会社法の改正 国際訴訟・仲裁:ICC、SIAC等の近時の動向