By Jacqueline Marcus (Weil, Gotshal & Manges) and Doron Kenter (Robins Kaplan)
Sales of a debtor’s assets pursuant to section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code carry significant benefits for buyers and sellers alike. But pursuing a sale process with the overlay of the Bankruptcy Code can also pose challenges and pitfalls, particularly for participants who are unfamiliar with the intricacies of the bankruptcy process and the applicable statutes, rules, and procedures inherent in 363 sales.
Jacqueline Marcus, a partner with Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP, and Doron Kenter, Counsel with Robins Kaplan LLP, recently authored an article for Practical Law Bankruptcy, in which they outline the relative advantages and disadvantages of sales in bankruptcy, from both the buyer’s and the seller’s perspective, and offer a practical guide to participating in section 363 sales. The article discusses the various types of section 363 sales, as well as the forms of sale processes that debtors may choose to employ in selling some or substantially all of their assets. The article discusses the benefits and drawbacks of finding, or being, a stalking horse bidder, and provides guidance for the marketing process, credit bidding, conducting auctions, and choosing a winning bid. It then discusses the competing views regarding the circumstances under which the bankruptcy court may call the debtor’s decision into question or reopen an auction that has otherwise been closed. Finally, the article discusses the considerations that should be taken into account in determining an exit strategy after a debtor completes a sale of substantially all of its assets.
The full text of the article is available here.