FORMAL OPINION NO 2005-40 Conflicts of Interest, Current Clients: Representing Debtor and One Or More Creditors in Bankruptcy
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Sovereign Defaults and Debt Restructurings: Historical Overview
Sovereign Defaults and Debt Restructurings: 1 Historical Overview Debt crises and defaults by sovereigns—city-states, kingdoms, and empires—are as old as sovereign borrowing itself. The first recorded default goes back at least to the fourth century B.C., when ten out of thirteen Greek municipalities in the Attic Maritime Association de- faulted on loans from the Delos Temple (Winkler 1933). Most fiscal crises of European antiquity, however, seem to have been resolved through ‘‘currency debasement’’—namely, inflations or devaluations— rather than debt restructurings. Defaults cum debt restructurings picked up in the modern era, beginning with defaults in France, Spain, and Portugal in the mid-sixteenth centuries. Other European states fol- lowed in the seventeenth century, including Prussia in 1683, though France and Spain remained the leading defaulters, with a total of eight defaults and six defaults, respectively, between the sixteenth and the end of the eighteenth centuries (Reinhart, Rogoff, and Savastano 2003). Only in the nineteenth century, however, did debt crises, defaults, and debt restructurings—defined as changes in the originally envis- aged debt service payments, either after a default or under the threat of default—explode in terms of both numbers and geographical inci- dence. This was the by-product of increasing cross-border debt flows, newly independent governments, and the development of modern fi- nancial markets. In what follows, we begin with an overview of the main default and debt restructuring episodes of the last two hundred years.1 We next turn to the history of how debt crises were resolved. We end with a brief review of the creditor experience with sovereign debt since the 1850s. -
FERC Vs. Bankruptcy Courts—The Battle Over Jurisdiction Continues
FERC vs. Bankruptcy Courts—The Battle over Jurisdiction Continues By Hugh M. McDonald and Neil H. Butterklee* In energy industry bankruptcies, the issue of whether a U.S. bankruptcy court has sole and exclusive jurisdiction to determine a debtor’s motion to reject an executory contract has mostly involved a jurisdictional struggle involving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The dearth of judicial (and legislative) guidance on this issue has led to shifting decisions and inconsistent outcomes leaving counterparties to contracts in still uncertain positions when a contract counterparty commences a bankruptcy case. The authors of this article discuss the jurisdiction conundrum. The COVID-19 pandemic has put pressure on all aspects of the United States economy, including the energy sector. Counterparties to energy-related contracts, such as power purchase agreements (“PPAs”) and transportation services agreements (“TSAs”), may need to commence bankruptcy cases to restructure their balance sheets and, as part of such restructuring, may seek to shed unprofitable or out-of-market contracts. However, this situation has created a new stage for the decades-old jurisdictional battle between bankruptcy courts and energy regulators. The U.S. Bankruptcy Code allows a debtor to assume or reject executory contracts with the approval of the bankruptcy judge presiding over the case.1 The standard employed by courts when assessing the debtor’s request to assume or reject is the business judgment standard. A debtor merely has to demonstrate that assumption or rejection is in the best interest of the estate and the debtor’s business. However, most energy-related contracts are subject to regulatory oversight by federal and/or state regulatory bodies, which, depending on the type of contract that is being terminated, apply different standards—most of which take into account public policy concerns. -
What a Creditor Needs to Know About Liquidating an Insolvent BVI Company
What a creditor needs to know about liquidating GUIDE an insolvent BVI company Last reviewed: October 2020 Contents Introduction 3 When is a company insolvent? 3 What is a statutory demand? 3 Written request for payment 3 Is it essential to serve a statutory demand? 3 What must a statutory demand say? 3 Setting aside a statutory demand 4 How may a company be put into liquidation? 4 Qualifying resolution 4 Appointment 4 Liquidator's powers 4 Court order 5 Who may apply? 5 Application 5 Debt should be undisputed 5 When does a company's liquidation start? 5 What are the consequences of a company being put into liquidation? 5 Assets do not vest in liquidator 5 Automatic consequences 5 Restriction on execution and attachment 6 Public documents 6 Other consequences 6 Effect on contracts 6 How do creditors claim in a company's liquidation? 7 Making a claim 7 Currency 7 Contingent debts 7 Interest 7 Admitting or rejecting claims 7 What is a creditors' committee? 7 Establishing the committee 7 2021934/79051506/1 BVI | CAYMAN ISLANDS | GUERNSEY | HONG KONG | JERSEY | LONDON mourant.com Functions 7 Powers 8 What is the order of distribution of the company's assets? 8 Pari passu principle 8 Excluded assets 8 Order of application 8 How are secured creditors affected by a company's liquidation? 8 General position 8 Liquidator challenge 8 Claiming in the liquidation 8 Who are preferential creditors? 9 Preferential creditors 9 Priority 9 What are the claims of current and past shareholders? 9 Do shareholders have to contribute towards the company's debts? -
Questionnaire for Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors*
QUESTIONNAIRE FOR OFFICIAL COMMITTEE OF UNSECURED CREDITORS* In Re: Please Type or Print Clearly. I am willing to serve on a Committee of Unsecured Creditors. Yes ( ) No ( ) A. Unsecured Creditor's Name and Contact Information: Name: ___________________________________________ Phone: __________________ Address: ___________________________________________ Fax: __________________ ___________________________________________ E-mail: _____________________________________________________________________________ B. Counsel (If Any) for Creditor and Contact Information: Name: ___________________________________________ Phone: __________________ Address: ___________________________________________ Fax: __________________ ___________________________________________ E-mail: _____________________________________________________________________________ C. If you have been contacted by a professional person(s) (e.g., attorney, accountant, or financial advisor) regarding the formation of this committee, please provide that individual’s name and/or contact information: _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ D. Amount of Unsecured Claim (U.S. $) __________________________ E. Name of each debtor against whom you hold a claim: ____ __________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ∗ Note: This is not a proof of claim form. Proof -
UK (England and Wales)
Restructuring and Insolvency 2006/07 Country Q&A UK (England and Wales) UK (England and Wales) Lyndon Norley, Partha Kar and Graham Lane, Kirkland and Ellis International LLP www.practicallaw.com/2-202-0910 SECURITY AND PRIORITIES ■ Floating charge. A floating charge can be taken over a variety of assets (both existing and future), which fluctuate from 1. What are the most common forms of security taken in rela- day to day. It is usually taken over a debtor's whole business tion to immovable and movable property? Are any specific and undertaking. formalities required for the creation of security by compa- nies? Unlike a fixed charge, a floating charge does not attach to a particular asset, but rather "floats" above one or more assets. During this time, the debtor is free to sell or dispose of the Immovable property assets without the creditor's consent. However, if a default specified in the charge document occurs, the floating charge The most common types of security for immovable property are: will "crystallise" into a fixed charge, which attaches to and encumbers specific assets. ■ Mortgage. A legal mortgage is the main form of security interest over real property. It historically involved legal title If a floating charge over all or substantially all of a com- to a debtor's property being transferred to the creditor as pany's assets has been created before 15 September 2003, security for a claim. The debtor retained possession of the it can be enforced by appointing an administrative receiver. property, but only recovered legal ownership when it repaid On default, the administrative receiver takes control of the the secured debt in full. -
Individual Voluntary Arrangement Factsheet What Is an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA)? an IVA Is a Legally Binding
Individual Voluntary Arrangement Factsheet What is an An IVA is a legally binding arrangement supervised by a Licensed Unlike debt management products, an IVA is legally binding and Individual Insolvency Practitioner, the purpose of which is to enable an precludes all creditors from taking any enforcement action against Voluntary individual, sole trader or partner (the debtor) to reach a compromise the debtor post-agreement, assuming the debtor complies with the Arrangement with his creditors and avoid the consequences of bankruptcy. The his obligations in the IVA. (IVA)? compromise should offer a larger repayment towards the creditor’s debt than could otherwise be expected were the debtor to be made bankrupt. This is often facilitated by the debtor making contributions to the arrangement from his income over a designated period or from a third party contribution or other source that would not ordinarily be available to a trustee in bankruptcy. Who can An IVA is available to all individuals, sole traders and partners who It is also often used by sole traders and partners who have suffered benefit from are experiencing creditor pressure and it is used particularly by those problems with their business but wish to secure its survival as they it? who own their own property and wish to avoid the possibility of losing believe it will be profitable in the future. It enables them to make a it in the event they were made bankrupt. greater repayment to creditors than could otherwise be expected were they made bankrupt and the business consequently were to cease trading. The procedure In theory, it is envisaged that the debtor drafts proposals for In certain circumstances, when it is considered that the debtor in brief presentation to his creditors prior to instructing a nominee, (who requires protection from creditors taking enforcement action whilst must be a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner), to review them before the IVA proposal is being considered, the nominee can file the submission to creditors (or Court if seeking an Interim Order). -
Creditor Control of Corporations Operating Receiverships Corporate Reorganizations Chester Rohrlich
Cornell Law Review Volume 19 Article 3 Issue 1 December 1933 Creditor Control of Corporations Operating Receiverships Corporate Reorganizations Chester Rohrlich Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/clr Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Chester Rohrlich, Creditor Control of Corporations Operating Receiverships Corporate Reorganizations, 19 Cornell L. Rev. 35 (1933) Available at: http://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/clr/vol19/iss1/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Scholarship@Cornell Law: A Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Cornell Law Review by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Cornell Law: A Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CREDITOR CONTROL OF CORPORATIONS; OPERATING RECEIVERSHIPS; COR- PORATE REORGANIZATIONS* CHESTER RoHRmicnt A corporation is, on a smaller scale (in some instances on a larger scale), like the political state, in that beneath the cloak of its unity there is a continuous, at times active but more frequently passive, struggle for power among the various groups in interest. Some of these groups, such as the public that deals with it or the employees who work for it, have as yet achieved only the the barest minimum of legal right to control its destinies.' In the arena of the law, the traditional conflict is between the stockholders2 and the creditors. There is an increasing convergence of interest between these two groups as the former become more and more "investors" rather than entrepreneurs, and the latter less and less inclined, or able, to stand on the letter of their bond'3 both are in the last analysis dependent *This article is the substance of one of the chapters of the author's forthcoming book THE LAW AND PRACTICE OF CORPORATE CONTROL. -
Bankruptcy a Guide for Unsecured Creditors Association Ofbusiness Recoveryprofessionals BANKRUPTCY BANKRUPTCY
Bankruptcy a guide for unsecured creditors Association ofBusiness RecoveryProfessionals BANKRUPTCY BANKRUPTCY Who can be made bankrupt? Bankruptcy An individual Only individuals can be made bankrupt. Bankruptcy does not apply to companies or partnerships, although individual members of a is made bankrupt as a result partnership can be made bankrupt. of a petition presented to How is an individual made bankrupt? Only individuals An individual is made bankrupt as a result of a can be made the court, usually because petition presented to the court, usually because bankrupt he cannot pay his debts. The debtor, one or more of his creditors or the supervisor of a he cannot pay his debts. voluntary arrangement, amongst others, may present a bankruptcy petition. A licensed insolvency practitioner has given you this The purpose of the bankruptcy order is to appoint a responsible because you, or your business, may be owed money person who has a duty to collect the bankrupt's assets and by a private individual or a sole trader who has distribute them to his creditors in accordance with the law. become bankrupt. This guide aims to help you understand your rights Who is appointed to deal with the bankrupt’s estate? as a creditor and to describe how best these rights Once a bankruptcy order is made, the court will usually appoint the Official Receiver to administer a bankrupt’s estate. The Official can be exercised. It is intended to relate only to Receiver is a civil servant and an officer of the court. The Official England and Wales. It is not an exhaustive statement Receiver must then decide within twelve weeks of the bankruptcy of the relevant law or a substitute for specific order whether to call a meeting of creditors to appoint a licensed professional or legal advice. -
The Unsecured Creditor's Bargain: a Reply, 80 Va
Fordham Law School FLASH: The Fordham Law Archive of Scholarship and History Faculty Scholarship 1994 The nsecU ured Creditor's Bargain: A Reply Susan Block-Lieb Fordham University School of Law, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/faculty_scholarship Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Susan Block-Lieb, The Unsecured Creditor's Bargain: A Reply, 80 Va. L. Rev. 1989 (1994) Available at: http://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/faculty_scholarship/740 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by FLASH: The orF dham Law Archive of Scholarship and History. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Scholarship by an authorized administrator of FLASH: The orF dham Law Archive of Scholarship and History. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE UNSECURED CREDITOR'S BARGAIN: A REPLY Susan Block-Lieb* INTRODUCTION U UNLIKE Law and Economics scholars who view secured lend- ing as a consensual relationship benefiting not only debtors and their secured parties but also the debtors' unsecured creditors, Lynn LoPucki describes secured transactions as a subsidy because they benefit debtors and their secured creditors at the expense of unsecured creditors. He believes security "is an institution in need of basic reform" because it "tends to misallocate resources by imposing on unsecured creditors a bargain to which many, if not most, of them have given no meaningful consent."' He divides these unsecured creditors into two groups: involuntary creditors, and -
Law Reform Commission of British Columbia Report on Floating Charges
LAW REFORM COMMISSION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA REPORT ON FLOATING CHARGES ON LAND LRC 103 JANUARY 1989 The Law Reform Commission of British Columbia was established by the Law Reform Commission Act in 1969 and began functioning in 1970. The Commissioners are: ARTHUR L. CLOSE, Chairman HON. RONALD I. CHEFFINS, Q.C., Vice-Chairman MARY V. NEWBURY LYMAN R. ROBINSON, Q.C. PETER T. BURNS, Q.C. Thomas G. Anderson is Counsel to the Commission. J. Bruce McKinnon and Linda Reid are Legal Research Officers to the Commission. Sharon St. Michael is Secretary to the Commission. Text processing and technical copy preparation by Linda Grant. The Commission offices are located at Suite 601, Chancery Place, 865 Hornby St., Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 2H4. Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Law Reform Commission of British Columbia. Report on floating charges on land (LRC, ISSN 0843-6053; 103) ISBN 0-7718-8748-5 1. Floating charges. 2. Commercial loans - Law and legislation - British Columbia. 3. Security (Law) - British Columbia. 4. Real property - British Columbia. I. Title. II. Title: Floating charges on land. III. Series: LRC (Law Reform Commission of British Columbia); 103 KEB271.A72L38 1989 346.711'074 C89-092073-7 Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION 1 A. General 1 B. Methodology 1 C. The Need for Flexible Security Over Land 2 D. The Future of the Floating Charge 3 E. The Scope of Reform 4 F. This Report 4 II. THE NEED FOR REFORM 5 A. Introduction 5 B. Overview of the Current Law 5 1. Common Law 5 2. Land Title Registration 5 3. -
Defending Your Position As an Unsecured Creditor of a Company in Liquidation
IIR Conference 31 August 2004 The Seventh Annual Personal & Corporate Insolvency 2004 DEFENDING YOUR POSITION AS AN UNSECURED CREDITOR OF A COMPANY IN LIQUIDATION Michael Quinlan Deputy Practice Group Leader Corporate Insolvency & Restructuring Partner Allens Arthur Robinson Defending Your Position as an Unsecured Creditor of a Company in Liquidation 1. Introduction The reason why we have provisions like uncommercial transaction and unfair preference provisions is that we want to see the money and assets of companies which are insolvent shared fairly. These provisions aim to stop people dealing with insolvent companies from getting unfair or uncommercial benefits which are not available to unsecured creditors generally. In this paper I will first give an overview of the provisions dealing with preferences and uncommercial transactions before looking at some of the ways in which an unsecured creditor might go about avoiding in the first place or defending an unfair preference action including: • avoiding the debtor company going into liquidation; and • avoiding the debtor/unsecured creditor relationship. The paper considers then: • the running account; • when a person might not have reasonable grounds to suspect insolvency; • the doctrine of ultimate effect as a stand alone defence to a preference action; and • whether or not a creditor can set off a preference claim against money owed to it by the debtor. The Corporations Act 2001 (the Act) gives liquidators a wide range of powers to ask a Court to set aside or vary transactions that have been entered into by insolvent companies that are subsequently wound up. The ability of a liquidator to seek Court orders to set aside transactions entered into by an insolvent company is governed by Part 5.7B Division 2 of the Act. -
Chapter 21 Corporate Rescue and Receivership
Chapter 21 Corporate Rescue and Receivership Here, basic guidance to the end-of-chapter questions will be provided. 1. Define the following terms: rescue culture; moratorium; pre-pack administration; company voluntary arrangement; receivership. Term Definition rescue culture Where a legal system puts in place mechanisms designed to help financially struggling companies survive and become profitable moratorium The temporary prohibition of a specified act (e.g. where a company is in administration, the creditors will be prevented from enforcing their security) pre-pack An arrangement under which the sale of all or part of the administration company’s assets or business is negotiated with a purchaser prior to an administrator being appointed, and the administrator effects the sale immediately on, or shortly after, being appointed company voluntary An insolvency procedure under which a company enters into a arrangement binding agreement with its creditors 2. State whether each of the following statements is true or false and, if false, explain why: the principal purpose of administration is to rescue the business of the company as a going concern; an administrator can only be appointed by the company or by the court; when a company enters administration, the directors will vacate office; an administrator’s appointment will automatically terminate after one year, unless an extension is obtained; a CVA does not come with a moratorium; a receiver is a person appointed by a secured creditor to recover payment owed to that creditor. The principal purpose of administration is to rescue the business of the company as a going concern: This statement is false.