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Business Bankruptcy
When are Ipso Facto Clauses and Golden Share Arrangements Enforceable in Bankruptcy? “Termination on bankruptcy” provisions—ipso facto clauses—are commonly used in many types of business contracts, providing for the termination of the contract (either automatic or at the non-debtor party’s election) upon the obligor’s filing of bankruptcy or the occurrence of similar events or conditions. However, generally, such clauses are not enforceable in the bankruptcy context, because as a matter of policy, debtors should be allowed access to the protections accorded to debtors under the Bankruptcy Code. In some types […]
What Companies Can Do to Protect Their IP Rights in Bankruptcy The Kodak case brought into sharp focus the treatment of intellectual property rights in bankruptcy. Inventor of the roll-film hand camera in 1888 and maker of the first digital camera, the iconic company licensed thousands of patents in its extensive patent portfolio, estimated at $4.5 billion. In 2012, Kodak filed bankruptcy and sold its assets—at apparent fire-sale prices—in bankruptcy court in New York. Sale of a patent portfolio of that size affects the rights of hundreds, if not thousands, […]
The ABCs of ABCs, Business Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring/Insolvency In this installment, we take you on a tour of the time leading up to the filing of a chapter 11 case and the days that immediately follow. Mostly, we’re referring to first day motions. Before we dive into first day motions, however, you should understand that a debtor and its professionals are typically doing many other things immediately before and after they file a chapter 11 petition. For example: Continuing to explore alternatives to chapter 11 Negotiating with various parties […]
Considerations for Companies in a Cash Crisis A liquidity crisis is a severe financial situation in which a company does not have enough cash or cash-convertible assets, which can lead to defaults and bankruptcy. Managing cash is critical when working to preserve or maintain solvency in order to maximize opportunities for a successful turnaround or corporate restructuring. Near-Death Liquidity Is Like a Melting Ice Cube Insufficient liquidity shrinks the range of options for a financially distressed business. The metaphor of a melting ice cube is often used to illustrate this […]
The ABCs of ABCs, Business Bankruptcy, & Corporate Restructuring/Insolvency In Installment 5, we walked through the lifecycle of a hypothetical traditional chapter 11, and in Installment 6 we discussed key concepts you must comprehend in order to understand any chapter 11 case. Now we pull the camera back and turn our focus away from chapter 11 specifically, to look more broadly at the options available to a company (that is, a “debtor”) and to its various constituents (e.g., creditors and equity owners) when that company is experiencing financial distress so […]
2020 Saw Increased Healthcare Provider Bankruptcies. What Should Companies & Restructuring Professionals Know Moving Forward? Healthcare providers face many pressures, including costs associated with regulatory compliance and necessary technological and infrastructure investments. Congress’ repeated attempts to reform healthcare legislation have long created uncertainties for the healthcare industry. A PwC report predicts that throughout 2021, healthcare will be among retail, oil and gas and hospitality as the sectors most likely to face restructurings. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased healthcare bankruptcy activity due to cancellation of elective procedures and imbalances […]
A Panel Discussion on the Choice and Challenges of Bankruptcy Venue and Venue Transfers In bankruptcy litigation, the venue can have a major influence on an outcome. We selected expert panel members—each a partner or managing director in the restructuring industry—to discuss why venue fights occur and how business owners (and their advisors) should approach choice of bankruptcy venue, as well as venue transfers. Our expert panelists explore how courts resolve disputes over the venue of a case. Expert Panelists Lisa Vandesteeg, Financial Services and Restructuring Partner at Levenfeld Pearlstein, […]
How to Develop Board Committees Equipped for a New Landscape As Covid induced bankruptcies proliferate, creditors who become stockholders will need to focus not only on the future financial health of the reorganized company, but also on its overall governance. The new post-pandemic landscape will be revolutionary, not evolutionary. It will demand new owners and advisors to construct a multi-talented board, capable not only of reacting quickly and intelligently to dislocations and threats, but more importantly, to crafting a strategy that positions the new company as a leader in its […]
Understanding the Right to Credit Bid After Radlax [Editor’s Note: this is part of our irregular series in which we answer readers’ questions. If you have a question, submit it to [email protected] and we will try to answer it.] Question A private equity investor wrote in recently asking us to address credit bidding in the aftermath of Radlax. Answer For investors who are unfamiliar with the concept, the right to credit bid is the “right of the secured creditor under the Bankruptcy Code to use its secured claim against a […]
What Distressed Asset Investors Can Glean from Low Interest Rates, Rising Asset Prices and Insolvency on the Horizon DailyDAC readers know that we try to confine ourselves to publishing “evergreen” thought leadership—general education for business owners and investors about business bankruptcy, its alternatives, and related subjects. There isn’t a stark line between the news of the day about the Markets and the Economy, on the one hand, and the world that is our stock and trade. We have, in the past few weeks, had a number of conversations with some […]