The Honourable Mr Justice Harris, the incumbent Companies Judge, has continued the recent development of cross-border assistance in insolvency matters. An example is his Lordship's decision in Re Centaur Litigation SPC (In Liquidation)(HCMP 3389/2015, 10 March 2016), which relates to an application by the liquidators of three companies incorporated and being wound up in the Cayman Islands.
Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (the successors of all undertakings of the Yien Yieh Commercial Bank Limited by virtue of the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (Merger) Ordinance (Cap. 1167) v Ho Chi Lui & Anor - HCA 10239/1999 (31 August 2016)
Introduction
Dispute Resolution Beijing/Hong Kong/Shanghai Client Alert Hong Kong Court Paves a Clear Path for the Recognition and Assistance of Foreign Liquidators Recent developments The recent decision of the Hong Kong court in Re Rennie Produce (Aust) Pty Ltd (In Liquidation in Australia) (HCMP 1640/2016, 26 August 2016), together with the prior decision in Re Joint Official Liquidators of Centaur Litigation SPC (In Liquidation) (HCMP 3389/2015, 3391/2015 and 3393/2015, 10 March 2016) have confirmed the court’s willingness to accede to letters of request issued by foreign courts for the recognition
Introduction
On 1 July 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”), ending more than 150 years of British colonial rule. In general, the laws of Hong Kong as at 30 June 1997 were adopted as the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the “HKSAR”) with effect from 1 July 1997, except for those laws which were in contravention of the constitution of the HKSAR (the “Basic Law”).
JPLs play an unheralded but crucial mediating role in Bermuda
Hong Kong has not adopted into domestic legislation the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross Border Insolvency.
Unlike jurisdictions which have adopted the Model Law, e.g. the United Kingdom, an application to the Hong Kong Courts for recognition of foreign insolvency proceedings requires a balancing exercise of competing aims: assisting the foreign court conducting the main insolvency proceedings in achieving a universal distribution of assets, and ensuring that creditors seeking the Hong Kong Courts' assistance are treated fairly and equitably in enforcing their rights.
Liquidators may often consider it necessary to bring proceedings on behalf of the insolvent company to seek to recover assets or obtain compensation on the company’s behalf. If that action fails, and the insolvent company does not have the funds to meet any costs order made against it, the liquidator is potentially personally exposed to paying those costs pursuant to a non-party costs order. This could operate harshly for liquidators. Every piece of litigation has a winner and a loser.
Under the Bankruptcy Ordinance (Cap. 6) (“BO”), a person who has been adjudged bankrupt will be entitled to be discharged from bankruptcy four years after the making of the bankruptcy order, unless it is a second bankruptcy or the period is extended by the Court. The maximum extension is an additional four year period.
Did you know that when a liquidator makes a court application, it is important to identify the appropriate applicant, not only as a procedural matter, but also from a costs perspective?
All good where the liquidator succeeds in the court application