With tech now more vital than ever for most businesses, the failure of an IT service provider can be catastrophic. As businesses suffer from the knock-on effects of the pandemic and insolvencies look set to increase, it is important for businesses to protect themselves as far as possible in their commercial relationships.

Protection for both the IT service provider and the business comes from the contract they enter into with each other. We take a look at the key points to consider.

IT service providers

Key Takeaways

Some interesting recent scheme and plan law of late, proving that schemes and plans continue to be popular restructuring tools for all types of companies and international groups.

DeepOcean companies (Part 26A plans) – January 2021

This was the first time that the court had to consider the application of the new ‘cross-class cram down’ procedure under Part 26A. Trower J approved the plans proposed by three DeepOcean companies but had reserved judgment and in late January handed down a written judgment with important guidance for future plans.

SUMMARY

The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (the Act) introduced significant changes to insolvency law, including permitting companies to propose a “restructuring plan”. The restructuring plan offers a flexible option for companies that sponsor defined benefit pension schemes to compromise their obligations to creditors and, potentially, to the pension scheme itself.

On 24 February 2021, the UK government laid The Administration (Restrictions on Disposal etc. to Connected Persons) Regulations 2021 before Parliament.

These draft regulations introduce (among other items) new restrictions on “pre-pack” disposals to connected persons and are seemingly a policy response to growing criticism around the inequity of pre-pack sales.

In Arlington v Woolrych, the failure by a junior creditor to gain the prior written consent of senior creditors pursuant to a Deed of Priority rendered the appointment of administrators invalid.

Facts

These case summaries first appeared in LexisNexis’ Insolvency Case Alerter. They represent some of the more interesting insolvency decisions to have been published recently.

This summary covers:

For most businesses, the Chancellor’s budget statement yesterday brings some welcome news with the extension of certain critical Covid-19 support measures. However, this is coupled with the removal of certain government-backed loan schemes and a future increase in the corporation tax rate from 19 per cent to 25 per cent from 2023 onwards.

While the world wrestles with the day-to-day realities of the pandemic, 2021 will bring further challenges. With the memory of the litigious and regulatory aftermath of the global financial crisis still fresh, what should be on your radar?

1. Disputed margin calls and close-outs