This briefing was originally published on 27 July 2021 following the enactment of the Companies (Rescue Process for Small and Micro Companies) Act 2021. The Act was commenced on 8 December 2021.
Introduction
Examinership is a well-established corporate rescue mechanism for ailing corporates and groups. It combines flexibility with a high degree of commercial and procedural certainty for all involved. It is a process which has evolved with the different economic cycles in Ireland since its inception in 1990 and has responded to downturns in different sectors.
Now that the UK has left the EU and the transition period ended on 31 December 2020, this briefing considers the key points of the legal and regulatory landscape from the perspective of Ireland.
Deal or no-deal?
In effect, there is both. The December 2020 EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement1 (the “TCA”) includes a ‘deal’ so far as concerns EU-UK trade in many types of good. However, the TCA makes little provision for trade in services and so, broadly, it is ‘no-deal’ as regards most types of service.
The High Court has recently struck out proceedings against a defaulting debtor where the bank made a unilateral commercial decision to delay to allow her co-debtor to recover financially so increasing its prospect of recovery.
Background
In Bank of Ireland v Wilson,1 the bank commenced summary proceedings against the defaulting debtors in 2012. The debtors, who were jointly and severally liable on the debt, had been in a relationship but were now estranged.
Karen McMaster, Ben Andrews and James Cameron, Milbank LLP
This is an extract from the 2020 edition of GRR's the Europe, Middle East and Africa Restructuring Review. The whole publication is available here.
In summary
Cristóbal Eyzaguirre B, Rodrigo Ochagavía R-T and Santiago Bravo S, Claro & Cia
This is an extract from the 2021 edition of GRR's The Americas Restructuring Review. The whole publication is available here.
In summary
DJ Miller, Thornton Grout Finnigan
This is an extract from the 2021 edition of GRR's The Americas Restructuring Review. The whole publication is available here.
In summary
This chapter highlights the flexible nature of Canada’s restructuring regime, where creative solutions to novel and complex issues are welcomed by the judiciary.
Discussion points
Luiz Fernando Valente de Paiva, Giuliano Colombo, Andre Marques, Carolina Kiyomi Iwamoto and Ana Beatriz Araujo Ribeiro do Valle, Pinheiro Neto Advogados
This is an extract from the 2021 edition of GRR's The Americas Restructuring Review. The whole publication is available here.
In summary
Adrián Thery, Borja García-Alamán, Juan Verdugo and Juan María Jiménez, Garrigues
This is an extract from the 2020 edition of GRR's the Europe, Middle East and Africa Restructuring Review. The whole publication is available here.
In summary
Ken Baird, Mark Liscio, Samantha Braunstein, Katharina Crinson and Kevin Connolly, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
This is an extract from the 2021 edition of GRR's The Americas Restructuring Review. The whole publication is available here.
In summary