Against the backdrop of Hong Kong's emergence from the pandemic and the government's efforts to entice tourists and investors back, there arises a question as to whether the government might consider reviving the corporate rescue bill. Implementing a framework for debt restructuring and negotiations with creditors would help prevent liquidations, which often result in additional job losses and contribute to further economic decline.

13 липня 2023 року Верховна Рада України прийняла Закон України «Про внесення змін до деяких законодавчих актів України щодо окремих питань провадження та застосування процедур банкрутства у період дії воєнного стану» (далі – Закон).

26 липня2023 рокуЗакон було підписано Президентом України. Закон набирає чинності з дня, наступного за днем його опублікування.

What situations call for a Pre-Pack?

Imagine the following scenario: a debtor, in our case a company, is facing severe financial distress. The company, however, still has certain business units that are profitable. In this situation, it may be sensible for the company to sell only these profitable business units. This proactive approach, if implemented quickly, could preserve business value and jobs while minimising disruption to operations and employees.

The questions are: can a Swiss pre-pack achieve this and if so, how?

In figures released on Friday 28 July 2023 from the Insolvency Service, the total number of registered company insolvencies in England and Wales during Q2 2023 was 6,342, the highest since Q2 2009 and up by 9% compared to Q1 2023. The construction industry was again the hardest hit (a trend going back over a decade). Whilst more construction companies went into administration during Q2 compared to Q1, significantly higher numbers went quietly into liquidation during the same period, at an average rate of around 11 per day.

We are excited to share the inaugural edition of R+I In Brief, where we explore the past year of developments in the Australian restructuring and insolvency industry and provide our thoughts on the year ahead.

The 2023 edition of R+I In Brief includes a collection of articles and case notes we have prepared as well as some further commentary on issues we consider pertinent to the restructuring and insolvency industry.

It is broken up into three parts:

In this Part of the 2023 edition of R+I In Brief, we delve into significant judicial developments relating to insolvency law, including:

Part 1 of the 2023 edition of R+I In Brief explores restructuring and insolvency developments in Australia in FY22/23.

Overview

Despite the challenges flowing from increasing global inflation and supply chain disruptions, the Australian economy has to date remained resilient and a technical recession has been avoided in 2023. However, after many years of historically low interest rates, the Reserve Bank of Australia raised interest rates rapidly from April 2022 (12 rate rises and counting) as inflation became uncontrollable.

This Part of the 2023 edition of R+I In Brief provides key industry and sector insights relating to the restructuring space over the past year. These hot topics include:

Section 544(b)(1) of the Bankruptcy Code enables a trustee to step into the shoes of a creditor and avoid a transfer “of an interest of the debtor in property” that an unsecured creditor could avoid under applicable state law. See 11 U.S.C. § 544(b)(1). Thus, for example, if outside of bankruptcy a creditor could avoid a transaction entered by a debtor as a fraudulent transfer, in bankruptcy, the trustee acquires the power to avoid such a transaction.

In a challenging economic climate, we usually see an increase in leases ending prematurely, either by agreement or by landlords irritating (forfeiting) the lease when they are faced with an insolvent tenant or bad payers. Tenants in these circumstances will often leave behind goods and equipment. The temptation for landlords is just to throw the stuff away so they can re-let but there are restrictions on what a landlord can and can't do with abandoned goods in Scotland.

What should you do if a tenant leaves goods behind at the premises (tenant not insolvent)?