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Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

England and Wales: High Court finds BHS directors liable for wrongful trading and novel trading misfeasance; applies Sequana duty, orders IND contributions, rejects s1157 relief (Wright v Chappell)

Published on: 16 July 2024

Published by a LexisNexis Restructuring & Insolvency expert
Legal News
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Article summary

Wright and another (liquidators of BHS Group Ltd and other companies (all in liquidation)) v Chappell and others [2024] EWHC 1417 (Ch)

What are the practical implications of this case?

This is an important judgment that maps the many risks and potentially competing obligations confronting directors as they try to navigate a distressed company away from insolvency, where the prospect of failure can shift from possible, to probable, to inevitable.

The result on the trading misfeasance claim shows that the moment when liability can arise for directors who do not take account of creditors’ interests and who fail to move straight to administration can be identified, even if the criteria for a wrongful trading claim (under IA 1986, s 214) are not yet fulfilled.

It remains to be seen how the court will ultimately assess equitable compensation for that aspect of the liquidators’ claims. The judgment contains a detailed exposition of the law and authorities in this developing area, which is essential reading. The court’s approach to evidence and to compensation also yields practical guidance, including:

  • when dealing with the IA 1986, s 214 knowledge condition, in deciding what a...

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