A Hong Kong court has stayed a petition presented on the just and equitable ground to arbitration, on the basis of arbitration agreements found within what the petitioner described as quasi-partnership agreements formed in 2007. The court also dismissed claims that the appointed arbitrator lacked the requisite qualifications and experience, and that a stay would lead to further costs and duplication of resources.
Introduction
1. Covid-19 has posed unprecedented challenges worldwide. Social isolation, confinement measures, spousal hygiene and money (or lack thereof due to unemployment) have been sources of many soured relationships. As such, the pandemic’s impact on people’s personal relationships and finances have become inadvertent fuel for divorce and bankruptcy cases.
2. It is no surprise that local law firms are handling an uptick in divorce cases and receiving more enquiries related to divorce.
簡介
最近在Re Klimvest plc [2022] EWHC 596 (Ch) 一案中，英國高等法院（「法院」）基於一個比較罕見的理由頒令將一家上市公司清盤——失去公司基礎（loss of substratum），即公司放棄其主要宗旨和目的。
背景
Klimvest Plc（「該公司」）於2019年1月出售其業務及資產，其後其唯一重大資產為約800萬英鎊的現金儲備。出售資產後，該公司的最大股東Klimt Invest SA（「第一答辯人」）要求該公司動用出售所得款項作出新投資，而非將在清盤中分派予股東。
Eric Duneau先生（「呈請人」）要求根據英國《1986年無力償債法》第122(1)(g) 條頒令該公司清盤，認為由於該公司已失去其目的或基礎，將該公司清盤屬公正公平。第一答辯人反對呈請，辯稱（其中包括）該公司並無失去其目的或基礎，因為該公司在出售資產前實質上已成為一間控股投資公司，公司的目的仍可透過該投資實現。
失去公司基礎的測試
Introduction
In the recent case of Re Klimvest plc [2022] EWHC 596 (Ch), the English High Court (”Court”) ordered the winding up of a public company on a relatively uncommon ground - loss of substratum, i.e. – the abandonment of a company’s main object and purpose.
Background
简介
最近在Re Klimvest plc [2022] EWHC 596 (Ch) 一案中，英国高等法院（「法院」）基于一个比较罕见的理由颁令将一家上市公司清盘——失去公司基础（loss of substratum），即公司放弃其主要宗旨和目的。
背景
Klimvest Plc（「该公司」）于2019年1月出售其业务及资产，其后其唯一重大资产为约800万英镑的现金储备。出售资产后，该公司的最大股东Klimt Invest SA（「第一答辩人」）要求该公司动用出售所得款项作出新投资，而非将在清盘中分派予股东。
Eric Duneau先生（「呈请人」）要求根据英国《1986年无力偿债法》第122(1)(g) 条颁令该公司清盘，认为由于该公司已失去其目的或基础，将该公司清盘属公正公平。第一答辩人反对呈请，辩称（其中包括）该公司并无失去其目的或基础，因为该公司在出售资产前实质上已成为一间控股投资公司，公司的目的仍可透过该投资实现。
失去公司基础的测试
Court of Final Appeal affirmed the Court of Appeal’s decision that the Trustees in Bankruptcy did not owe an implied duty to act with reasonable care and skill towards a major creditor.
The Claim
Introduction
Ozner Water International Holding Limited (In Liquidation) [2022] HKCFI 363 (date of decision: 27 January 2022)
Hong Kong Fresh Water International Group Limited (In Liquidation) [2022] HKCFI 924 (date of decision: 6 April 2022)
Introduction
In a further development to cross-border insolvency cooperation between Hong Kong and Mainland China, the Hong Kong Court has issued a letter of request to a Mainland Court requesting recognition and assistance of Hong Kong liquidators appointed over a Cayman company, under the mutual recognition arrangement introduced on 14 May 2021 (the “Arrangement“, see our previous update here