Asset-Based Lending and Insolvency

A unique new guide to insolvency law, legal practice and asset-based lending.

Asset-based lending has been a huge success within the UK debt market. However the onset of the international credit crisis has thrown ABL transactions into sharp focus, resulting in the need for specialist reference material and clear guidance for professionals tackling ABL and insolvency.

This timely new guide from two leading experts will prove indispensable to lawyers handling insolvency law, asset-based lenders, and insolvency practitioners.

Andrew Knight and Grant Jones unravel the legal scenarios and financial situations asset-based lenders must negotiate when dealing with an insolvent borrower. What options do you have, what legal issues determine the amount of recoverable debt, which approach is likely to ensure a successful outcome?

These questions plus many more are answered within the pages of this specialist new resource.

Asset-Based Lending and Insolvency outlines your options, and provides the practical tools and techniques to help recover debts, advances and assets - a clear competitive advantage.

Key features and benefits:

• Demonstrates the numerous options available to lenders when dealing with an insolvent borrower.
• Outlines the latest legal techniques covering all aspects of ABL and insolvency.
• Approaches, uniquely, the application of UK insolvency law from an entirely asset-based perspective. 
• Supplies a clear overview of the regulatory framework for insolvency.
• Contains legal tips and suggestions for insolvency lawyers and practitioners.

Table of Contents

About the authors. iii

Preface. . v

Abbreviations. viii

Table of Contents. ix

Tables of Authorities. xvii

1       Asset-Based Lending: an introduction.. 1

1.1....... Asset-based lending and the United Kingdom ABL market 1

1.2....... Financing accounts receivable. 6

1.3....... Asset Based Finance Facilities. 17

1.4....... Additional Invoice financing Arrangements. 22

1.5....... Inventory finance and floor-plan financing. 24

1.6....... Taking Security Over Inventory. 26

1.7....... Plant and machinery finance. 30

2       English Corporate Insolvency Law: core concepts. 38

2.1....... Introduction.. 38

2.2....... Sources of English corporate insolvency law... 39

2.3....... English insolvency legislation.. 40

2.4....... Definition of corporate insolvency. 41

2.5....... Other key insolvency concepts. 43

2.6....... English corporate insolvency procedures. 49

2.7....... Licensed Insolvency Practitioners. 61

3       Insolvency as a Specified Event in ABL Facilities. 63

3.1....... Specified events. 63

3.2....... Absence of specified events. 73

3.3....... Lender liability for wrongful acceleration and termination.. 75

3.4....... Practical considerations for the lender following a specified event 78

4       Working With ABLs and Their Distressed Clients. 85

4.1....... Introduction.. 85

4.2....... Distressed Advisory. 85

4.3....... Conflicts of interest 88

4.4....... Formal Insolvency. 89

4.5....... The decision to trade. 89

4.6....... Going concern sale, particularly pre-packs and MBOs. 94

4.7....... Collection of Receivables. 95

4.8....... Stock / Inventory. 99

4.9....... Realisation Strategy. 101

4.10..... Other assets. 102

4.11..... Insurance. 104

4.12..... Syndicated lending. 104

4.13..... General reporting and Estimated Outcome Statements (EOS) 105

4.14..... Conclusion.. 106

5       Collateral enforcement remedies available to asset-based lenders  107

5.1....... Introduction.. 107

5.2....... Enforcement of debt purchase collateral 109

5.3....... Enforcement of security interests:  accounts receivable. 111

6       Liquidations. 121

6.1....... Creditors Voluntary Liquidation (CVL) 121

7       Receiverships. 125

7.1....... Introduction.. 125

7.2....... Administrative receivership.. 125

7.3....... A QFC, created before 15 September 2003. 127

7.4....... Appointment procedure. 128

7.5....... Appointment checklists. 131

7.6....... Demand.. 131

7.7....... Adherence to the debenture. 131

7.8....... Charge registration.. 131

7.9....... Personal liability of receivers. 132

8       Administration.. 137

8.1....... Administration regimes. 137

8.2....... Who may appoint an administrator?. 137

8.3....... Grounds for appointing an administrator. 139

8.4....... When an administrator can be appointed.. 140

8.5....... Definition of an administrator. 141

8.6....... Definition of a QFC.. 142

8.7....... How a QFC ABL appoints an administrator. 143

8.8....... The effects of administration being granted.. 150

8.9....... Duties of an administrator upon appointment 152

8.10..... Powers of the administrator. 154

8.11..... Relationship between an administrator and secured creditors. 155

8.12..... Payments by the administrator to secured creditors. 159

8.13..... Ending an administration.. 160

9       Reviewable Transactions (Antecedent Transactions or Detrimental Acts)  163

9.1....... Introduction.. 163

9.2....... Preferences. 164

9.3....... Voidable preference. 165

9.4....... Extortionate credit transactions. 167

9.5....... Avoidance of certain floating charges. 169

9.6....... Transactions at an undervalue. 171

10    Set Off. 179

10.1..... Definition.. 179

10.2..... Rights similar to set-off 179

10.3..... Mutuality. 179

10.4..... Set-off and the Insolvency Rules. 181

10.5..... Insolvency set-off 182

10.6..... The administration set-off rule (Rule 2.85) 183

10.7..... CVAs. 183

10.8..... Mutuality. 184

10.9..... Does insolvency set-off apply to a secured creditor?. 185

11    European Insolvency Law... 187

11.1..... Council Regulation on Insolvency Proceeding (the EC Regulation) 187

11.2..... Articles of the EC Regulation relevant to ABLs. 188

11.3..... The distribution rules: 202

11.4..... Article 5: Third parties’ rights in rem, or secured rights. 202

11.5..... Impact of Article 5 on ABLs. 207

11.6..... Centre of main interest (COMI) 212

12    International Connections. 219

13    Insolvency Aspects of Multi-Lender Asset-Based Finance Transactions  221

13.1..... Introduction.. 221

13.2..... The development of multi-lender ABL transactions in the UK.. 222

13.3..... Types of multi-lender ABL transactions. 223

13.4..... Syndicating receivables purchase facilities. 236

13.5..... Insolvency of the borrower or receivables purchase client: ‘true’ syndications and ‘club’ deals  242

13.6..... Insolvency of the borrower or receivables purchase client:  sub-participations  257

13.7. Lender insolvency: ‘true’ syndications and club deals. 260

13.8. Lender insolvency: sub-participations. 277

Appendices.

1.  Summary of Appointment of Administrators by Company or Directors (post 15 September 2003)

2.  Forms 2.8B, 2.9B and 2.10B.. 283

3.  Notice of Appointment of an Administrator by holder of qualifying floating charge (Form 2.6B)

4.  Statement of Proposed Administrator.

5.  Minutes of a Meeting of the Board of Directors resolving to place the company into Administration  

6.  Statement of Affairs.

7.  Deficiency Account

8.  Retention of Title – sample clauses and commentary.

9.  Reservation of Title Claim Questionnaire.

10.  Retention of Title flowchart

11.  Copy of Demand Letter from a Bank.

Index.