The Insolvency and Financial Rehabilitation Law came into effect in 2019. The new law added a new cause of action for imposing personal liability on a director or CEO of a corporation in insolvency in respect of damages caused to the corporation and to its creditors, insofar as such directors and officers failed to take action to minimize the scope of the corporation’s insolvency.

As the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands reopens for 2024, we reflect on 2023 and some of the large-scale cross-border insolvency and restructuring proceedings, and complex commercial disputes dealt with in the jurisdiction over the past year.

Statistics from the Grand Court

There were approximately 1,579 filings made in the Grand Court, which can be broken down as follows:

The last 12 months have seen a steady increase in restructuring and stressed or distressed financing transactions in the European market across a range of sectors, including tech, real estate, hospitality, manufacturing and retail.

“Bankruptcy provides a valuable and desirable venue for the resolution of [mass tort] disputes” by:

一，问题的提出 随着近年来供给侧结构性改革以及优化营商环境指标相关措施的推进，企业破 产案件数量逐年增加。以上海破产法庭为例，2020 年全年立案受理破产、公司 强制清算、衍生诉讼等各类案件共计 1567 件，同比增长 32.7%；2021 年全年立 案受理同类案件共计 2381 件，同比增长 51.9%；2022 年全年立案受理同类案件 共计 3412 件，同比增长 43.3%。 但是仅就重整程序而言，上海破产法庭 2020 年共计办结重整成功案件 4 件，盘 活企业资产总价值 14.66 亿元，普通债权平均清偿率 57.5%[1]；2021 年共计办 结重整成功案件 13 件，盘活企业资产总价值 75.6 亿元，普通债权平均清偿率 10.4%[2]；2022 年盘活企业资产 11.3 亿元，普通债权平均清偿率 4.9%[3]。 可以看出，近年来破产案件受案数量呈现爆发性增长的态势，但是重整成功的 案件数量增长率相较于整体破产案件的涨幅来讲并没有显著增加，同时盘活资 产总价值也存在波动，而评判一个重整案件法律效果和社会效果最直观的指标 “普通债权清偿率”呈现出断崖式下降，降幅高达 91.48%。

Subsequent to the High Court’s decision inGalapagos Bidco S.à r.l. v Dr Frank Kebekus [2023] WHC 13931 (Ch) (for more on which see our commentary), the High Court dismissed yet another claim brought by a junior creditor in the context of a senior creditor enforcement.

A perfect storm of rising costs, labour shortages and high interest rates is resulting in an increasing amount of financial distress in the construction sector. What warning signs should lenders look out for? What are the implications under the loan agreement and how can lenders mitigate the risks of insolvent contractors?

Introduction

새로 제정된 기업구조조정 촉진법(이하 “기촉법”)이 2023. 12. 26. 공포·시행되었습니다. 이에 따라 기촉법에 의한 워크아웃을 통하여 부실징후기업에 대한 신속하고 효율적인 경영정상화를 추진할 수 있게 되었습니다. 이번에 제정된 기촉법에는 2023. 10. 일몰된 제6기 기촉법의 내용이 거의 그대로 유지되면서, 워크아웃기업에 신규로 자금을 지원하는 제3자에게도 우선변제권을 부여하고, 구조조정 담당자의 면책요건을 확대하는 내용이 추가되었습니다. 

I.    제정 배경

기촉법은 2001년 한시법으로 제정된 이후 2023년 10월 실효된 제6기 기촉법에 이르기까지 6차에 걸친 제·개정을 거쳐 유지되어 오면서, 워크아웃의 근거법으로서 부실징후기업의 신속하고 효율적인 경영정상화에 활용되었습니다. 

There are many reasons to mandate mediation in certain circumstances.

• One is to improve the quality of justice.
• Another is to manage an expanding docket and burgeoning caseload.
• A third is to create a mediation culture where none currently exists.

There are two ways to mandate mediation: