What do I need to know as the member of a Swiss board of directors in times of the coronavirus?
The spread of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is causing turnovers to crash and is plunging the Swiss economy into an unprecedented crisis. If the board of directors fails to respond to this crisis, its members risk becoming liable.
Here you will find the answers to the six most important questions regarding a Swiss board member's duties in the wake of the corona crisis:
Swiss Civil Procedure Law in a Nutshell (Volume 11 of 12)
This blog series provides litigators and corporate counsel from other jurisdictions with a practical understanding of the mechanics, advantages, and limits of litigation before State Courts in Switzerland.
Enforcement of Money Claims
Money claims are enforced by virtue of the Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law. The creditor may either initiate enforcement by virtue of an ex parte freezing order (attachment) or else by a normal summons to pay.
Cross-border insolvencies are often complicated and time-consuming. In the regulated financial sector, significant efforts have already been made in Switzerland and internationally to streamline these processes and to facilitate cooperation between the relevant authorities across jurisdictions. Forthcoming changes to the Swiss Law on Private International Law (PILA) seek to modernise the general regime applicable in Switzerland to cross-border insolvencies outside of the regulated financial sector. The revised rules are expected to enter into force at some point in 2019.
Swiss Civil Procedure Law in a Nutshell (Volume 9 of 12)
This blog series provides litigators and corporate counsel from other jurisdictions with a practical understanding of the mechanics, advantages, and limits of litigation before State Courts in Switzerland.
No Class Actions
Avoidance Actions – What are they?
Debtors may be tempted to protect assets from access by a possible foreclosure. The avoidance action (also called "Pauliana") gives the bankruptcy administration, and under certain conditions the creditors, the opportunity to challenge such legal acts of the debtor. Upon approval of the actions, the assets will be foreclosed.
Der Basler ZPO-Tag 2017 vom 3. November 2017 (Programm) befasste sich mit aktuellen praktischen Fragen und Neuerungen rund um die verschiedenen zivil-prozessrechtlichen Verfahren und die Vollstreckung. Für Gläubiger wie auch Schuldner sind insbesondere der Wegfall des Gefährdungserfordernisses beim Arrest gestützt auf Urteile sowie neue Tendenzen bei der Verjährungsunterbrechung durch Betreibung von Bedeutung.
Anfechtungsklagen – Worum geht es?
Schuldner können versucht sein, Vermögenswerte dem Zugriff durch eine mögliche Zwangsvollstreckung zu entziehen. Die Anfechtungsklage (auch "Pauliana" genannt) gibt der Konkursverwaltung, und unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen den Gläubigern, die Möglichkeit, solche Rechtshandlungen des Schuldners anzufechten. Bei Gutheissung der Klagen werden die Vermögenswerte der Zwangsvollstreckung zugeführt.
Schedule of claims – What is it all about? Once bankruptcy proceedings have been opened over a debtor, the bankruptcy administration must prepare an inventory to determine the extent of the bankruptcy estate. By means of public notice, the creditors and debtors of the bankrupt are requested to come forward (so-called call for claims). Within one month, the creditors must file their claims or other demands against the bankrupt with the bankruptcy administration. Subsequently, the bankruptcy administration draws up a list of claims.