A recentPwC reportfound that there has been a slight rise in companies availing of the Small Company Administrative Rescue Process (“SCARP”).

SCARP made up 6% of corporate insolvencies in Q2 2024, up from 3% in the previous quarter.

However, overall, the numbers availing of this insolvency option remain low, which is notable given that insolvencies generally are increasing.

Insolvency Trends

مقدمة

في إطار التزام دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة بتعزيز العدالة الاجتماعية وترسيخ المبادئ الإنسانية، تم تحديث التشريعات المتعلقة بحماية الشخص الطبيعي في حالات الإعسار. هذه الخطوة تعكس رغبة الإمارات في إيجاد حلول مرنة للمشكلات المالية التي تواجه الأفراد، بما يحفظ حقوقهم وكرامتهم، ويدعم الاستقرار الأسري والاقتصادي.

ما هو الإعسار؟

مقدمة

في خطوة مبتكرة نحو ترسيخ مبدأ العدالة الاجتماعية، أعلنت دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة عن إلغاء عقوبة الحبس للمدينين المعسرين. يهدف هذا القرار إلى حماية الأفراد غير القادرين على سداد ديونهم بسبب ظروف خارجة عن إرادتهم، ويشكل انعكاسًا واضحًا لالتزام الإمارات بتطبيق أسس حقوق الإنسان والتسامح. في هذا المقال، سنستعرض تفاصيل هذا القرار وتأثيراته القانونية والاجتماعية على الأفراد والمجتمع.

من هو المدين المعسر؟

In Harrington v Purdue Pharma,¹ the United States Supreme Court held that so-called “non-consensual third-party releases” were not permitted in restructuring plans proposed under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code. A “third-party release” arises where creditors are asked to vote on a restructuring plan or scheme which not only proposes to release the debtor company (i.e. the company that has petitioned for bankruptcy or is proposing the scheme) from all liability but to also release other third parties from any associated liability.

Section 216 Insolvency Act 1986 provides that a person who has been a director of a company at any time in the 12 months before it goes into insolvent liquidation is prohibited for five years from being a director of, or directly or indirectly being concerned in or taking part in, the promotion, formation or management of a company with the same or similar name to the liquidated company (a “prohibited name”). Section 217 imposes personal liability on a director for debts incurred by a company which acts in breach of s 216.

The common law of assignments for benefit of creditors (“ABC”) has been around for centuries.

ABC is a business debtor’s voluntary liquidation tool—typically utilized in cooperation with a major secured creditor.

Historically, ABCs are attractive to debtors and creditors alike as an efficient, mostly out-of-court tool for maximizing the liquidation value of a business—for the benefit of creditors.

The recent revelations about the Atherton Scheme, as reported by The Times, have left many in the legal and business communities surprised. Despite significant government efforts to clamp down on insolvency avoidance practices, this contentious scheme continues to operate, raising serious concerns about its impact on creditors and the integrity of the insolvency regime.

What is the Atherton Scheme?

The decision handed down in Re A Company [2024] EWHC 2656 (Ch) has provided new insight on what constitutes "genuine and serious" cross-claim for the purposes of securing an injunction to restrain presentation of a winding up petition.

Background

Situations Partner Kai Zeng in London Kai Zeng, who advises on cross-border restructurings and special situations matters, has joined the firm in London as a partner in the Restructuring Department and Finance and Hybrid Capital & Special Situations groups.

Kai advises sponsors, debtors, creditors and strategic investors on restructurings of stressed and distressed businesses, as well as hedge and credit funds, investments banks and private equity firms on their review and diligence of European investment opportunities in par, stressed and distressed transactions.

This article explains why the purchase of a shell company should be avoided today and even more so in the future under the new law, and that the formation of a new company is preferable when setting up a business (start-up).

At the end of this article, the possible effects of the revision of the law on legitimate transactions with company shares will also be discussed.

Seeking sound legal advice is therefore worthwhile both when founding a new company and when taking over an operating company.