Are bankruptcy doors now opening for cannabis companies? A decision last week from a California bankruptcy court indicates perhaps so, at least for cannabis companies that are no longer operating.

Factual Background

In the current times of financial stress, a borrower seeking to renegotiate or refinance existing financing arrangements may be asked by its lender to enhance or refresh its security package through the grant of a new floating charge.

The question of whether a floating charge can be avoided due to section 245 of the Insolvency Act 1986 ("IA 1986") can arise in such a context.

Void floating charges under section 245 of the IA 1986

The current difficult economy is causing continual financial problems for many businesses. Directors are warned that entering into written agreements to make payments when they know their company is unable to meet its debts may equate to deceit under the terms of the Statute of Frauds (Amendment) Act 1828.

This could result in personal liability for the director who has made an implied representation about his company’s ability to pay.

Case law

近年来，越来越多的企业面临债务困境，由于该等企业较多成立时间久、体量巨大，且存在经营多元化、债权债务形式多样化的情形，企业资金链的断裂易引发债务风险，实践中迫切需要进行债务重组，使债权人得到受偿，让企业重获新生。从目前情况来看，信托工具越来越多地被应用于债务重组中，包括在破产重整前的债务重组阶段，也包括在破产重整阶段。根据中国信托业协会于2022年12月12日发布的《2022年3季度中国信托业发展评析》，截至2022年3季度末，我国信托资产规模余额约为21.07万亿元。另根据建信信托有限责任公司（“建信信托”）发布的《建信信托2021年年度报告》，截至2021年12月31日，建信信托破产重整服务信托规模超2,300亿元[1]；根据中信信托有限责任公司（“中信信托”）发布的《中信信托二〇二一年年度报告》，截至2021年12月31日，中信信托特殊资产服务信托业务受托规模近160亿元[2]。

Introduction The BVI Business Companies Act (as amended) (the Companies Act) provides two ways to dissolve a solvent company incorporated in the BVI (the Company), namely: 1) to complete a voluntary liquidation process, with dissolution occurring immediately thereafter; or 2) to allow the Company to be administratively struck off the Register of Companies (the Register) by the BVI Registrar of Corporate Affairs (the Registrar) and simultaneously dissolved on the date the Registrar publishes a notice of the striking off in the Government of the Virgin Islands Official Gazette (the Gazette).

This article first appeared in Accountancy Daily on 20 January 2023.

With supply chain problems, war in Europe and other issues leading to higher inflation and an increasingly uncertain economic outlook, this article explores the options available to companies experiencing financial distress.

Nicola Sharp of Rahman Ravelli considers a case that shows the courts’ reluctance to expand the jurisdiction of equity to award compound interest in common law claims.

In a landmark decision delivered on the 11th January 2023, in the names ‘Av. Jonathan Abela Fiorentino noe vs Eolia Limited’ (case no. 68/2022 ISB), the Civil Court (Commercial Section) rejected the application filed by defendant company demanding the Court to order a retrial of the liquidation proceedings that led to the company being placed into liquidation.

This decision constitutes the first occasion on which the Court pronounced itself on this specific legal matter, since the issue was previously untested.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code) was introduced as a one stop solution for resolving insolvencies, which previously was a long-drawn process that did not offer an economically viable arrangement. In 2022, the Indian courts have been guided by the principal of ‘resolution of insolvency of debtor’ over ‘recovery by creditors’ and have refused insolvency applications where they found such application were for recovery of money rather for insolvency of the debtor.

In the current economic environment, directors will be fully focussed on avoiding any breach of their fiduciary duties, particularly if they are directors of companies experiencing or at risk of financial distress.

This client briefing provides a general overview of the duties of directors of Guernsey companies in these circumstances and is not comprehensive. We recommend that clients obtain specific legal advice in relation to any individual matter which may concern them.

Who are the Directors?