Claim Monetization & Dilution

Kobre & Kim represents broad classes of investors, creditors, and their fiduciaries in situations where there is a risk that a debtor will not pay in full, as well as debtors targeted by creditors in similar distressed situations. We deploy aggressive, creative strategies that go beyond legal maneuvers, combining traditional legal skill sets with non-legal disciplines to deliver on a client’s commercial goals.


Accolades October 20, 2021

Kobre & Kim’s Latin American Presence Earns Key Recognitions from Legal 500

Reflecting the firm’s deepening engagement with the region, Kobre & Kim has for the first time been listed in Legal 500’s Latin America International Firms directory, earning a place among the top firms for compliance and investigations, and those with an office in Miami.

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Events October 14, 2021

Jason Masimore Presents Asset-Focused Strategies to Combat Illicit Trade

For victims of illicit trade around the world, ineffective law enforcement has given illicit producers a low risk, high reward environment. The solution is to adopt an aggressive cross-border campaign focused on their assets, as Kobre & Kim’s Jason Masimore will explain during the 2021 PGS Global Brand Innovation Programme at 11:00 am Amsterdam time, October 20.

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Publications October 6, 2021

Andrew Stafford KC and Evelyn Sheehan Ask “Who Owns a Bribe?” in ICLG Expert Analysis Chapter

A typical instance of bribery occurs when an officer of a company bribes an official or politician. But who is the victim here – the company, whose assets were misappropriated, or the state, whose official abused his power? In English common law jurisdictions, the answer decides who receives any recovered assets, as Kobre & Kim’s Andrew Stafford KC and Evelyn Sheehan wrote in an analysis for International Comparative Legal Guides’ “Business Crime 2022.”

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Publications September 30, 2021

John Han Discusses APAC Non-Performing Loans in Global NPL Conference Virtual Panel

Moody’s estimates that non-performing loans (NPLs) across 14 APAC economies will double by 2022, including in China and India. What opportunities does this present to investors? Kobre & Kim’s John Han, who focuses on distressed debt in Asia Pacific, will discuss during a virtual panel at the 3rd Global NPL Conference at 10:30 am Berlin time / 9:30 am London time / 4:30 pm Hong Kong time, October 5, 2021.

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Publications September 27, 2021

John Han Discusses Recovery for Evergrande’s Offshore Noteholders with Financial Times

Chinese property giant Evergrande Group’s possible default, with its US $300 billion worth of liabilities and missed interest payment on one of its US-dollar bonds on September 23, has shaken global financial markets. Kobre & Kim’s John Han, who focuses on the monetization of distressed debt in Greater China, diagnosed the prospects for offshore investors when he spoke with the Financial Times.

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Events September 22, 2021

John Han and Jason Kang Share Award Monetization Strategies Against China-Based Debtors in HKIAC Seminar

Often, creditors who wait until they have won a final arbitral award against China-based debtors to begin enforcement end up with nothing, as debtors find ways to avoid their obligations. But as Kobre & Kim’s Greater China-based lawyers John Han and Jason Kang will explain in a Kobre & Kim-hosted seminar during the Hong Kong Arbitration Week, creditors can adopt an early global enforcement strategy to achieve the best monetization results.

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Events September 20, 2021

Kobre & Kim Team to Discuss Cross-Border Government Investigations and Joint Venture Disputes Facing Korean Investors in IAKL Conference

Korean individuals and companies have increasingly internationalized their businesses, setting up corporate structures and placing assets in key offshore jurisdictions around the world. While this is good for business, it also increases their exposure to complex cross-border disputes, such as investigations by foreign government agencies or asset recovery disputes across multiple jurisdictions, that may require specialized knowledge to effectively mitigate.

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Minority Shareholders Gain Tools Against Corporate Abuse in Korea

  • Minority shareholders of South Korean industrial conglomerates, or “chaebols,” have had few ways to protect their interests against controlling shareholders.
  • However, with the passage of new amendments to the Korea Commercial Code (KCC), minority shareholders have gained new tools to even the playing field.
  • Our Claim Monetization and Dilution team looks at the key changes and implications that minority shareholders and activist investors should know about.

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Publications September 14, 2021

Jason Kang on What Next for Suning.com Founder Zhang Jindong’s Debt Troubles

Zhang Jindong, billionaire founder of Chinese retailer Suning.com, is struggling to delay repayment of a US $600 million bond, even after a US $1.4 billion rescue plan led by the Jiangsu provincial government. Kobre & Kim’s Jason Kang, who focuses on claim monetization efforts in China, told the South China Morning Post what international investors will be keeping an eye on.

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Events September 10, 2021

John Han and Carolina Leung Join Webinar on Securing Chinese Investments in Brazil

Chinese companies have significantly increased the scale and scope of their investments in Brazil over the past decade, but they may face complex barriers when it comes time to collect on their multi-billion-dollar investments. Kobre & Kim’s John Han and Carolina Leung will join a virtual panel discussion on how Chinese investors can secure their investments at 9:00 am São Paulo time, September 14, 2021.

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Maximizing Returns on Distressed Assets: China’s Real Estate Industry

  • Offshore bondholders of distressed Chinese real estate companies often lack leverage in restructuring negotiations, with those companies’ assets located mostly in China.
  • China Evergrande Group is just one of the many Chinese real estate companies teetering on default, with wide-ranging consequences.
  • However, by taking deploying creative strategies and taking positions against competing stakeholders, activist bondholders can carve out a direct path to monetization.

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Publications September 7, 2021

John Han and Su Mien Tee Analyze China Evergrande Group’s “Ominous and Rapidly Unfolding” Credit Outlook in Reorg

As Chinese real estate giant China Evergrande Group’s credit situation continues to deteriorate, Kobre & Kim’s John Han and Su Mien Tee, Hong Kong-based lawyers who focus on claim monetization in distressed industries, spoke with Reorg about Evergrande’s “ominous and rapidly unfolding” outlook.

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Publications August 25, 2021

Wade Weems and Chang Liu Investigate the Possible Limits of China’s New Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law

The Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law (AFSL), recently passed by the Chinese National People’s Congress Standing Committee, indicates a hardening of the Chinese government’s position against foreign sanctions and enforcement. While imposing the AFSL threatens these foreign companies’ ability to operate in China and worries foreign investors and trading partners, fears may be assuaged by bilateral investment treaties (BITs) that could limit the scope of the law. Kobre & Kim’s Wade Weems and Chang Liu delve into this emerging dynamic in an article for Law.com International.

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Publications August 18, 2021

John Han and Henry Cheung in Reorg: Creative Strategies for Tahoe Group Bondholders to Maximize Returns

Chinese property developer Tahoe Group has been embroiled in financial crisis, facing a large-scale bond redemption and cross-default at over US $800 million for its dollar-denominated bonds alone. "No-action" clauses tie bondholders, but an exception at bond maturity gives many investors a chance to recoup a return. Kobre & Kim's John Han and Henry Cheung outline creative strategies beyond restructuring that can maximize returns in a blog post for Reorg

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Using Arbitration to Stop a Winding Up

  • When monetizing a claim against a debtor, the interplay between arbitration and insolvency is not only critical but also varies by jurisdiction.
  • When considering a cross-border strategy, it is essential to understand how each jurisdiction interrelates with the others.
  • Kobre & Kim’s global Claim Monetization and Dilution Team answers the critical questions on these intricacies for key jurisdictions in this comparative guide.

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