It is almost 30 years since the commencement of the Companies (Amendment) Act 1990 (the “1990 Act”) which introduced the concept of Court protection for certain companies from their creditors to allow a formal restructure of a company’s debt. The examinership process is now governed by Part 10 of the Companies Act 2014 which mirrors the procedure provided for in the 1990 Act.   

Examinership process  

In McKillen v. Wallace (In re Irish Bank Resolution Corp. Ltd.), 2019 WL 4740249 (D. Del. Sept. 27, 2019), the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware had an opportunity to consider, as an apparent matter of first impression, whether the U.S. common law "Barton Doctrine" applies extraterritorially. One of the issues considered by the district court on appeal was whether parties attempting to sue a foreign representative in a chapter 15 case must first obtain permission to sue from the foreign court that appointed the foreign representative.

A Members’ Voluntary Liquidation (“MVL”) is an efficient way to wind up a solvent company and release value to members. It is most often used where the directors wish to retire, the company has realised its potential or the company is dormant. By properly winding up the Company, the danger of the company being involuntarily struck off the Register of Companies and any resulting liability for the Directors is removed. A summary of the process is as follows:

COVID-19 is an unexpected shock for many businesses. Some businesses are being significantly affected, particularly those in the travel and hospitality sectors. We consider some of the options open to otherwise good businesses facing cash-flow and other financial issues as a result of COVID-19.

How are governments dealing with COVID-19

Executive Summary

COVID-19 poses high levels of financial distress for Ireland and Irish business. Ireland's examinership regime (Examinership) and schemes of arrangement under part 9 of the Companies Act 2014 (Schemes) are effective tools for corporate restructuring either immediately and/or once the more immediate threat of COVID-19 has passed.

With the measures in place to deal with the COVID-19 situation, volatility and disruption continue to affect Northern Ireland. As a leading full-service law firm, Arthur Cox is ideally placed to mobilise multi-disciplinary teams of lawyers to provide advice and support to organisations.

Businesses in all sectors are facing very challenging times arising from the outset of, and reaction to, the Coronavirus (COVID-19). With the challenges in some instances being unprecedented, directors of affected companies need to be cognisant of their duties especially around decisions they are looking at making to get through current difficulties

Introduction

Summary judgment refers to a process where judgment is given in a case at an early stage, without a full litigation process and without the need for a full trial.  It is confined to specific circumstances. A plaintiff can apply for summary judgment where a defendant has entered an appearance or delivered a defence.  Summary judgment is most commonly granted where the defendant has no bona fide defence to the claim made by the plaintiff. 

A company incorporated under the Companies Act has its own legal personality and can institute legal proceedings in its own name. However, difficulties can arise where proceedings are commenced on behalf of a company where this has not been properly authorised by the company. In addition, where a company is a party to proceedings, in the absence of certain limited exceptions, it must retain legal representation to act on its behalf.

Authority to Institute Proceedings

Directors of the Company

The recent Supreme Court decision in ACC Loan Management v Mark Rickard and Gerard Rickard has confirmed that a judgment creditor may apply to court to appoint a receiver by way of equitable execution over future entitlements due to a judgment debtor, such as the EU Basic Payment Scheme (“BPS”).