William Steel

Deed polls: a difficult solution to a difficult problem

In recent years, a series of newly incorporated companies have proposed schemes of arrangement or restructuring plans pursuant to Pts 26 or 26A of the Companies Act 2006 (respectively) with the express purpose of compromising or amending debts which they are not contractually party to, and which they have no connection with. Their ability to do so relies on a unilateral instrument known as a “deed poll”. In this article, we examine the reasons why the deed poll structure may be used, and some of the issues that the courts have considered and addressed in recent cases.