Personal Insolvency

Corporate and Personal Insolvency Law provides a basic framework of knowledge of the current legal rules and a comprehensive introduction to the underlying issues. It will be ideal for those studying insolvency at undergraduate or postgraduate level and for those studying professional examinations and practising in the area.

As the radical reforms contained in the Enterprise Act 2002 have come fully on-stream, Personal Insolvency Law has become a major focus of attention. At the same time, all evidence points to increasing levels of personal debt with the consequential rise in bankruptcies. Personal Insolvency Law, Regulation and Policy therefore provides a timely evaluation of the current state of English law in this important area. The volume presents a critical analysis of the regimes of bankruptcy and individual voluntary arrangement in the context of current policy goals. It examines the impact of the Insolvency Act 2000 and the Enterprise Act 2002, and discusses the treatment of bankruptcy within the global economy. The book will be a valuable guide for students and academics engaged in the study of this increasingly important branch of private law. The study will also be of value to practitioners and policy makers.

Since 1979 the world has witnessed a remarkable cycle of personal insolvency law reform. Changes in capitalist economies, financial crises and political interest groups all contributed to this cycle of reform. This book examines the role of interest groups and distinct narratives in shaping reform in different countries while drawing attention to the role of timing, path dependency and unintended consequences in the development of personal insolvency law. The book presents case studies of personal insolvency law in the US, France, Sweden, and England and Wales. It then analyses how, following the Great Recession of 2008, international financial institutions paid greater attention to the significance of household debt in contributing to financial instability and the role of individual insolvency law in providing a fresh start. Personal insolvency law reform became part of EU responses to the eurozone crisis and the EU has proposed harmonisation of individual insolvency law to promote entrepreneurialism. This book examines the extent to which these developments represent an emerging international commonsense about personal insolvency and its relationship to neo-liberalism. Finally, this book discusses whether the international emergence of individual personal insolvency law represents a progressive step or a band-aid for the costs of neo-liberal policies, where a significant number of people live close to the precipice of over-indebtedness.

Personal bankruptcy can be one of the most stressful decisions in life. However, done right and guided by a seasoned veteran, the process can turn out to be one of the best decisions you could make. Toronto debt, receivership and creditor Lawyer Frank Bennett brings his wealth of knowledge and an easy to follow step-by-step guide to this updated version of his own self-published hit. This practical book offers up a complete set of every form you will need to review with your lawyer, laid out in a start-to-finish timeline which will ease your stress and let you get back to living your life.

For the person on the receiving end of bankruptcy or insolvency, the experience can be very stressful and, unfortunately, in these enlightened times, shaming. In the last few years, the whole process of bankruptcy has moved from the original position where a person was bankrupt for a number of years to one year, following changes in the law. What is clear is that a concise guide to the law of bankruptcy and personal insolvency is necessary and this book attempts to provide clear answers to complex questions.

Trustees at Work explores the role bankruptcy trustees play in determining who qualifies as a deserving debtor under Canadian personal bankruptcy law. The idea of a deserving debtor is woven throughout bankruptcy law, with debt relief being reserved for those debtors deemed deserving. The legislation and case law invite trustees to assess debtors based on their pre-bankruptcy choices, but in practice, trustees evaluate debtors based on how cooperative the debtors are during bankruptcy proceedings. This book uses interviews and statistical data to explain how the financial and emotional pressures of trustees’ work shape their decision-making process.

The third edition of this title leads the practitioner and student through the full range of this area of law, right from the pre-petition stage to the closing procedures. It covers insolvency in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, as well as England and Wales.

This new handbook expertly guides practitioners step-by-step through personal insolvency law, right from the pre-petition stage to appeals. It combines a succinct analysis of the law with a clear explanation of its practical application. Covering all the relevant topics, including bankruptcy, insolvent partnerships and Individual Voluntary Arrangements, it will prove an indispensable tool for lawyers and insolvency practitioners advising either creditors or debtors. * Up-to-date with key legislative provisions from the Insolvency Act 2000 and the Enterprise Act 2002 * Highly practical treatment, with examples and case studies throughout * Provides all relevant forms * Contains a useful list of all bankruptcy courts