We have recently experienced an increase in mandates concerning disputes between shareholders and the Board of a Cayman company, which in many cases, leads to a shareholder applying to appoint provisional liquidators over the Company on a just and equitable basis. Therefore, we considered it important to remind those considering this remedy of the evidentiary hurdles they need to overcome to exercise it successfully.

In yet another example of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) making its company and insolvency law even more versatile, the DIFC has introduced a mechanism which will operate in a similar manner to a scheme of arrangement under English law. The law came into effect on 12 November 2018.

Key terms

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

On 10 October, the Dubai Court of First Instance issued a potentially ground-breaking judgment in respect of directors’ liability in the context of corporate insolvency.

In particular, in the matter of the liquidation of the public company Marka PJSC (“Marka”), the Court held the company’s board of directors and managers personally and jointly liable for the company’s outstanding debts, totalling close to AED 450 million.

In these challenging economic times, some businesses are struggling to cope with financial pressures and financiers are concerned with their customers’ ability to service their financing arrangements. An effective insolvency regime is, therefore, an important element of financial system stability. The statutory insolvency regime in the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) has often been regarded as under-developed and remains largely untested.

In a follow-up action to its 2020 amendment to the 2016 Corporate Bankruptcy Law (that defined an Emergency Financial Crisis as “A general situation that affects trade or investment in the country, such as a pandemic, natural or environmental disaster, war, etc.”) the UAE Cabinet has now officially declared that an Emergency Financial Crisis shall be deemed to exist during the period from 1 April 2020 until 31 July 2021 due to COVID-19 with various implications for businesses distressed as a result of the pandemic.

In a landmark legal development, a judgment of the DIFC Courts has been recognised and enforced for the first time in a Western jurisdiction.

The Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia, issued an order recognising and enforcing the DIFC Courts judgment issued by Justice Sir Richard Field in Legatum Limited v Arif Salim (CFI 027/2014).

Restructurings, especially those involving multiple jurisdictions, are invariably complex matters. This CMS Expert Guide provides an overview of the various restructuring possibilities available in a large number of countries, allowing you to compare how the options are deployed in these jurisdictions.

We intend to update it periodically to reflect important changes as they happen.

If you need more information or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

إن الثقة والإئتمان هي أساس التعامل التجاري في معظم المعاملات بين التجار لأنه يتم في معظم الأحوال أن يقوم التجار فيما بينهم بالتعامل الآجل اي أن يتم توريد البضاعة أو الخدمة وبعد ذلك يتم تحصيل الثمن أو الأجر بعد فترة أو على أقساط ، وإذا استمر التاجر في سداد التزاماته وديونه في مواعيدها فلا يمكن لأحد أن يسبب له اي مشكلة ، أما إذا توقف أوتعثر في سداد تلك الديون فيضطرب مركزه المالي ويهتز ائتمانه وقد يلجأ إلى وسائل أو إجراءات لتهريب أمواله من التنفيذ عليها أو يجامل بعض الدائنين على حساب البعض الآخر وهنا قد يتضرر الدائنين كلهم أو بعضهم حيث قد يمكن لأحدهم أن يحصل على

UPDATED 3 AUGUST 2020

Updates marked with *

Updated: Ireland, Israel

We take a look at some of the recent emergency legislation and measures implemented by various nations around the world in response to COVID-19. As this is a rapidly developing crisis, please ensure you keep a close eye on the Lexology Coronavirus hub page for the most up-to-date information.