“He has extensive offshore experience that is invaluable in understanding the structures that we are often dealing with” “Sam is enormously bright, very hard working and a super-pleasant fellow” “Sam combines sound technical knowledge with a great demeanour and client manner”

Questions & Answers

“He can always see where a deal can be cut to secure recoveries cost effectively” “Nick is a very well-known and highly successful practitioner” “He has a thorough, encompassing and determined approach to cases”

Questions & Answers

The High Court has rejected a landlord's challenge to the Caffè Nero CVA, giving support to the ongoing usefulness of CVAs in high street restructurings. The case raised issues around the use of the electronic decision procedure set out in the Insolvency Rules for CVAs, nominee and director decision-making during the CVA process, CVA modifications and provision of information to CVA creditors.

Background

Death does not release an individual from their debts and liabilities, nor does it allow transactions made to loved ones to escape challenge. This is so regardless of whether the transactions were made with the intention to defraud creditors.

Insolvency administration orders (IAOs)

From 1 October 2021, the temporary restrictions in Schedule 10 of the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA) are being replaced[1].

These changes lift the current restrictions on issuing winding up petitions, and replaces them with less stringent and more refined restrictions which are due to remain in place until 31 March 2022.

“Mike is unquestionably the most experienced UK asset recovery expert focused on the offshore jurisdictions” “He is very user friendly and I have absolute confidence that his advice is based on securing the best possible outcome” “His experience on the ground in offshore jurisdictions makes him a valuable resource for any international asset recovery effort”

Questions & Answers

High Court sanctions scheme of arrangement proposed by the Provident Finance group

In our earlier blog, we considered the application to strike out the challenge against the Caffè Nero company voluntary arrangement (“CVA”) (Nero Holdings Ltd v Young) and the rejection of Caffè Nero’s strike-out action by the Court.

The High Court has dismissed an application by a landlord creditor to overturn a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) implemented by coffee shop chain Caffé Nero. The CVA, previously approved by its creditors, compromised rent arrears and reduced future rents for the company's premises. The decision follows a series of previous high-profile challenges to retail and leisure CVAs.

The new month sees a partial re-instatement of the legislation permitting creditors to serve winding up petitions on companies. However, the UK Government has adopted a softly, softly approach; this is seen from the temporary increase in the amount that must be owed from the modest £750 to £10,000 and the requirement for creditors to seek proposals for payment from a debtor business, giving them 21 days for a response, before they can proceed with winding up action. The measures are said to protect small businesses as they seek to rebuild their stability.