{"id":"court_ctb_807_0","court":"CTB","case_no":"22-50073","doc_number":807,"sub_number":0,"doc_type":"ORDER","filed_date":null,"title":"UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT DIVISION | -------------------------------------------","summary_zh":null,"summary_en":null,"body_en":"## **UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT DIVISION**\n\n| ------------------------------------------------------<br>x |             |                         |\n|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------|-------------------------|\n| In re:                                                      | :<br>:      | Chapter 11              |\n| HO WAN KWOK,                                                | :<br>:<br>: | Case No. 22-50073 (JAM) |\n| Debtor.                                                     | :<br>:      |                         |\n| ------------------------------------------------------      | x           |                         |\n\n# **APPLICATION OF CHAPTER 11 TRUSTEE FOR ENTRY OF ORDER, PURSUANT TO BANKRUPTCY CODE SECTIONS 327, 328, AND 330, BANKRUPTCY RULES 2014 AND 2016, AND LOCAL BANKRUPTCY RULES 2014-1 AND 2016-1, AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING RETENTION AND EMPLOYMENT OF HARNEY WESTWOOD AND RIEGELS LP, AS BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS COUNSEL TO THE CHAPTER 11 TRUSTEE**\n\nMr. Luc A. Despins, in his capacity as the Chapter 11 Trustee (the \"Chapter 11 Trustee\") appointed in the above-captioned chapter 11 case (the \"Chapter 11 Case\") of Ho Wan Kwok (the \"Debtor\"), pursuant to sections 327, 328, and 330 of Title 11 of the United States Code (the \"Bankruptcy Code\"), Rules 2014 and 2016 of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure (the \"Bankruptcy Rules\"), and Rules 2014-1 and 2016-1 of the Local Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure (the \"Local Bankruptcy Rules\") for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut (the \"Court\"), respectfully requests (the \"Application\") that the Court authorize his employment of the law firm of Harney Westwood and Riegels (\"Harneys\") as his British Virgin Islands (\"BVI\") counsel with respect to this Chapter 11 Case. In support of this Application, the Chapter 11 Trustee states the following:\n\n### **RELIEF REQUESTED**\n\n1. By this Application, the Chapter 11 Trustee seeks entry of an order, substantially in the form of the proposed order filed herewith (the \"Proposed Order\"), authorizing and approving the retention and employment of Harneys as the Chapter 11 Trustee's BVI counsel effective as of July 31, 2022.\n\n2. In support of this Application, the Chapter 11 Trustee submits the *Declaration of Andrew Thorp in Support of Application of Chapter 11 Trustee for Entry of Order, Pursuant to Sections 327, 328, and 330 of the Bankruptcy Code, Bankruptcy Rules 2014 and 2016, and Local Bankruptcy Rules 2014-1 and 2016-1, Authorizing and Approving Retention and Employment of Harneys as BVI Counsel to the Chapter 11 Trustee* (the \"Thorp Declaration\"), attached as **Exhibit A**, which is incorporated herein by reference.\n\n### **JURISDICTION, VENUE, AND STATUTORY BASES**\n\n3. The Court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 157 and 1334 and the *Standing Order of Reference* from the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut (as amended). This is a core proceeding within the meaning of 28 U.S.C. § 157(b).\n\n4. Venue in this District is proper pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1408 and 1409.\n\n5. The statutory bases for the relief requested herein are sections 327(a), 328(a), and 330 of the Bankruptcy Code, and, to the extent applicable, Bankruptcy Rules 2014 and 2016, and Local Bankruptcy Rules 2014-1 and 2016-1.\n\n### **BACKGROUND**\n\n6. On February 15, 2022 (the \"Petition Date\"), the Debtor filed with the Court a voluntary petition for relief under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.\n\n7. On March 21, 2022, the United States Trustee appointed an Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors (the \"Committee\") in the Debtor's Chapter 11 Case.\n\n8. On June 15, 2022, the Court entered a memorandum of decision and order [Docket No. 465] (the \"Trustee Order\") directing the United States Trustee to appoint a chapter 11 trustee in the Chapter 11 Case. Pursuant to the Trustee Order, the United States Trustee selected Luc A. Despins as the Chapter 11 Trustee [Docket No. 514].\n\n9. On July 8, 2022, the Court entered an order granting the appointment of Luc A. Despins as the Chapter 11 Trustee in the Chapter 11 Case [Docket No. 523].\n\n10. On August 2, 2022, the Court entered orders authorizing and approving (a) the retention of Paul Hastings LLP (\"Paul Hastings\") as lead counsel to the Chapter 11 Trustee [Docket No. 668]; and (b) the retention of Neubert, Pepe, & Montieth, P.C. (\"NPM\") as local and conflicts counsel to the Chapter 11 Trustee [Docket No. 669].\n\n### **THE FIRM'S QUALIFICATIONS**\n\n11. Harneys is a global offshore law firm that maintains an office in the British Virgin Islands. Harneys was founded in 1960 and has a widely diversified practice including dispute resolution, corporate and commercial law, private wealth, funds, banking and finance and regulatory and tax. The BVI Dispute Resolution Department currently employs 21 lawyers, who are assisted by six paralegals.\n\n12. The Chapter 11 Trustee selected Harneys as his BVI counsel, because of Harney's expertise in insolvency, restructuring, fraud, arbitration, bankruptcy, investigations, corporate crimes and fraud, corporate and commercial litigation matters. Harneys is well suited for the type of representation required by the Chapter 11 Trustee. Harneys has substantial resources and expertise in the areas of the law that may arise in this case.\n\n13. Harneys has specific and relevant experience in the representation of liquidators and trustees including trustees in bankruptcy proceedings, and has provided advice on complex and litigious (and potentially litigious) issues that arise in the course of the administration of trusts and regularly appear before the British Virgin Islands courts. Harneys has experience with liaising and working cooperatively with overseas lead counsel by assisting with compliance with BVI rules and procedures, attending to routine and administrative matters as they arise, and otherwise providing services as may be required by lead counsel and in the best interests of its clients, all in a manner that promotes efficiency and avoids any unnecessary duplication of efforts by counsel.\n\n14. Among other things, Harneys will assist with the Chapter 11 Trustee's efforts to exercise, in accordance with the Court's *Order, Pursuant to Bankruptcy Code Sections 363, 521, 541, 1108, and 1505, (A) Confirming that Chapter 11 Trustee Holds All of Debtor's Economic and Corporate Governance Rights in Debtor Controlled Entities, (B) Authorizing Chapter 11 Trustee to Act in any Foreign Country on Behalf of Estate, and (C) Granting Related Relief*  [Docket No. 717] (the \"Corporate Governance Order\"), corporate control over Genever Holdings Corporation (\"Genever (BVI)\") (a BVI entity), which, through its U.S. subsidiary, Genever Holdings LLC, wholly owns an apartment at the Sherry-Netherland building in New York, New York (the \"Sherry-Netherland Apartment\"). In this effort, Harneys has already begun, and will continue to, advise the Chapter 11 Trustee with respect to, among other things, the transfer of the Debtor's shares in Genever (BVI) to the Chapter 11 Trustee and related issues, as well as taking all necessary steps related to Genever (BVI) before BVI courts.\n\n### **THE ANTICIPATED SERVICES**\n\n15. The Chapter 11 Trustee anticipates that Harneys will render general legal services, as BVI counsel, as needed throughout the course of the Chapter 11 Case, including bankruptcy, litigation, investigations, real estate, tax, and other matters.\n\n16. The Chapter 11 Trustee requests to employ Harneys to render general legal services as BVI counsel with respect to this Chapter 11 Case.\n\n17. To avoid any duplication of effort and to provide services to the Chapter 11 Trustee in the most efficient and cost-effective manner, Harneys will coordinate with Paul Hastings and NPM regarding their respective responsibilities in the Chapter 11 Case.\n\n### **COMPENSATION OF PROFESSIONALS**\n\n18. Harneys intends to apply to the Court for compensation for professional services rendered and for reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with this Chapter 11 Case pursuant to sections 330 and 331 of the Bankruptcy Code, Bankruptcy Rule 2016, Local Bankruptcy Rule 2016-1, and any other applicable rules and orders with respect to this Chapter 11 Case. Harneys will charge the Chapter 11 Trustee for its legal services on an hourly basis at its regularly applicable hourly rates in connection with the services required in this Chapter 11 Case.\n\n19. At present, the 2022 hourly rates of Harneys are \\$150.00 - \\$275.00 for paralegal work; \\$400.00 - \\$800.00 for associates and counsel; and up to \\$1050.00 for partners of the firm. Harney's hourly rates are subject to periodic adjustments to reflect economic and other conditions.1\n\n<sup>1</sup> Harneys hourly rates are typically revised at the end of each calendar year to reflect experience, seniority, and standing. These step increases do not constitute \"rate increases\" (as the term is used in the *Guidelines for Reviewing Applications for Compensation and Reimbursement of Expenses Filed Under 11 U.S.C. § 330 by Attorneys in Larger Chapter 11 Cases Effective as of November 1, 2013*) (the \"U.S. Trustee Guidelines\"). As set forth in the Proposed Order, Harneys will provide ten business days' notice to the Debtor, the Assistant United States Trustee for the District of Connecticut (the \"U.S. Trustee\"), and counsel to the Committee and any other official committee, before implementing periodic increases, and shall file any such notice with the Court.\n\nIt is anticipated that Harneys services will primarily be provided by Andrew Thorp, whose hourly rate is \\$1050.00, Olga Osadchaya whose hourly rate is \\$800 and Gerrard Tin, whose hourly rate is \\$475.00.\n\n20. Harneys will also bill for out-of-pocket expenses made on behalf of the Chapter 11 Trustee, including photocopying, filing fees and international couriers, in accordance with practices in this District.\n\n### **HARNEYS IS DISINTERESTED**\n\n21. To the best of the Chapter 11 Trustee's knowledge in reliance upon the Thorp Declaration, and except as disclosed therein, Harneys does not have any relationships with the Debtor, its creditors, or any other party-in-interest, their respective attorneys and accountants, the United States Trustee, or any person employed in the Office of the United States Trustee.\n\n22. More specifically, upon such basis, the Chapter 11 Trustee believes that: (a) Harneys has no connection with the Debtor, his creditors, the U.S. Trustee, any person employed in the office of the U.S. Trustee, or any other party with an actual or potential interest in the Chapter 11 Case or their respective attorneys or accountants; and (b) neither Harneys nor any of its attorneys (i) is a creditor, equity security holder, or insider of the Debtor or his affiliates, (ii) has been, within two years before the Petition Date, a director, officer, or employee of the Debtor or his affiliates, or (iii) has any interest materially adverse to the interests of the Debtor's estate or any class of creditors or equity security holders by reason of any direct or indirect relationship to, connection with, or interest in the Debtor, or for any other reason. Therefore, the Chapter 11 Trustee believes that Harneys is a \"disinterested person\" within the meaning of section 101(14) of the Bankruptcy Code, as modified by section 1107(b).\n\n23. Based on the Thorp Declaration, the Chapter 11 Trustee believes that Harneys does not represent any adverse interest to unsecured creditors in connection with these cases.\n\n# **BASIS FOR THE RELIEF REQUESTED, NOTICE, AND NO PRIOR REQUEST FOR RELIEF REQUESTED HEREBY**\n\n24. The Chapter 11 Trustee requests to retain and employ Harneys as his attorneys, serving in capacity as BVI counsel pursuant to section 327(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, which provides that a trustee, subject to the approval of the Court, may employ professional persons \"that do not hold or represent an interest adverse to the estate, and that are disinterested persons, to represent or assist the trustee in carrying out the trustee's duties under this title.\"\n\n25. Under section 328(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, with bankruptcy court approval, a trustee may employ professional persons under section 327(a) of the Bankruptcy Code \"on any reasonable terms and conditions of employment, including on a retainer, on an hourly basis, on a fixed or percentage fee basis, or on a contingent fee basis.\" 11 U.S.C. § 328(a).\n\n26. Bankruptcy Rule 2014(a) provides that an application for retention include:\n\nspecific facts showing the necessity for the employment, the name of the [firm] to be employed, the reasons for the selection, the professional services to be rendered, any proposed arrangement for compensation, and, to the best of the applicant's knowledge, all of the [firm's] connections with the debtor, creditors, any other party in interest, their respective attorneys and accountants, the United States trustee.\n\n27. The Chapter 11 Trustee requires the services of BVI counsel to exercise his responsibilities. The BVI counsel will coordinate with and assist the Chapter 11 Trustee and its proposed lead counsel, Paul Hastings and local counsel, Patrick R. Linsey, in complying with BVI rules and procedures, attending to routine and administrative matters as they arise, and otherwise providing services as may be required by lead counsel and in the best interests of its clients. The Chapter 11 Trustee's BVI counsel will endeavor to avoid the duplication of efforts and provide services as efficiently as possible.\n\n28. Accordingly, the employment of Harneys as the Chapter 11 Trustee's BVI counsel, upon the terms set forth herein and in the Proposed Order, is reasonable and in the best interest of the Debtor's estate.\n\n29. The Chapter 11 Trustee submits that Harneys' hourly rates are reasonable, comparable to Harneys' hourly rates for non-bankruptcy engagements, and within the range of rates charged by comparably skilled professionals who offer the same services. This is especially true under the circumstances here where the Debtor' estate currently has no assets to pay professional fees. As a result, Harneys is being retained, for all practical purposes, on a contingency basis—i.e., its compensation will depend on whether assets are eventually brought into the Debtor's estate (which, in turn, will depend on the extent to which Harneys and the Trustee are successful in recovering assets for the benefit of the Debtor's estate and its creditors).\n\n30. Based on my experience, a typical contingency fee arrangement where no estate assets are available to fund the compensation of counsel to the trustee would far exceed the hourly rates charged by Harneys (which Harneys would be charging here) for engagements where compensation is not contingent on assets being brought into the estate.\n\n31. Local Bankruptcy Rule 2014-1 provides that if \"an application to employ a professional is filed within thirty (30) days after the commencement of services provided by that professional, the application shall be deemed contemporaneously filed unless the Court orders otherwise.\" Accordingly, the Chapter 11 Trustee requests authority to retain and employ Harneys effective July 31, 2022, which was the date that the Chapter 11 Trustee selected Harneys as BVI counsel and on which Harneys began providing services to the Chapter 11 Trustee.\n\n32. Notice of this Application has been given to the United States Trustee, the Debtor, the Committee, and, by electronic filing utilizing the Court's electronic filing (\"CM/ECF\") system, to all appearing parties who utilize the CM/ECF system.\n\n33. No previous application for the relief requested herein has been made to this or any other Court.\n\n### **CONCLUSION**\n\nWHEREFORE, for the foregoing reasons, Luc A. Despins, the Chapter 11 Trustee, requests that the Court enter an Order, substantially in the form of the Proposed Order filed herewith, granting the Application, and authorizing the Chapter 11 Trustee's employment of Harneys, as his BVI counsel and order such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.\n\nDated: August 30, 2022 Chapter 11 Trustee in Chapter 11 Case of Ho Wan Kwok\n\n> */s/ Luc A. Despins* Luc A. Despins","body_zh":"UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT DIVISION（美国康涅狄格区破产法院布里奇波特分院）\n\nx\n\n关于： :\n: 第 11 章\nHO WAN KWOK（郭文贵）， :\n:\n: 案号 22-50073 (JAM)\n债务人。 :\n\n------------------------------------------------------ x\n第 11 章受托人依据《破产法典》第 327 条、第 328 条和第 330 条、《联邦破产程序规则》第 2014 条和第 2016 条以及《本地破产规则》第 2014-1 条和第 2016-1 条提请下达命令以授权并批准聘用 HARNEY WESTWOOD AND RIEGELS LP 作为第 11 章受托人的英属维尔京群岛法律顾问的申请书\n\nLuc A. Despins（吕克·A·德斯平斯）先生以在上述标题项下 Ho Wan Kwok（郭文贵）（以下简称“债务人”）的第 11 章案件（以下简称“第 11 章案件”）中获任命的第 11 章受托人（以下简称“第 11 章受托人”）身份，依据《美国法典》第 11 编（以下简称“《破产法典》”）第 327 条、第 328 条和第 330 条、《联邦破产程序规则》（以下简称“《破产规则》”）第 2014 条和第 2016 条，以及 United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut（美国康涅狄格区破产法院）（以下简称“本法院”）《本地破产程序规则》（以下简称“《本地破产规则》”）第 2014-1 条和第 2016-1 条，谨此提出请求（以下简称“本申请”），请求本法院授权其聘用 Harney Westwood and Riegels（衡力斯律师事务所，以下简称“Harneys”）作为其就本第 11 章案件的 British Virgin Islands（英属维尔京群岛，以下简称“BVI”）法律顾问。为支持本申请，第 11 章受托人陈述如下：\n所请求的救济\n\n1. 通过本申请，第 11 章受托人请求下达一项命令，其形式大体同随本申请一并提交的拟议命令（以下简称“拟议命令”），授权并批准自 2022 年 7 月 31 日起聘用 Harneys 作为第 11 章受托人的 BVI 法律顾问。\n\n2. 为支持本申请，第 11 章受托人提交了作为附件 A 附于此的《Andrew Thorp（安德鲁·索普）支持第 11 章受托人依据〈破产法典〉第 327 条、第 328 条和第 330 条、〈破产规则〉第 2014 条和第 2016 条以及〈本地破产规则〉第 2014-1 条和第 2016-1 条提请下达命令以授权并批准聘用 Harneys 作为第 11 章受托人之 BVI 法律顾问的申请书的声明》（以下简称“《Thorp 声明》”），该声明通过引用并入本申请。\n管辖权、审理地及法定依据\n\n3. 依据 28 U.S.C. §§ 157 和 1334 以及 United States District Court for the District of Connecticut（美国康涅狄格区地方法院）的常规移送命令（经修订），本法院对本事项具有管辖权。本案属于 28 U.S.C. § 157(b) 所指的核心程序。\n\n4. 依据 28 U.S.C. §§ 1408 和 1409，本司法辖区为适当地点。\n\n5. 本申请所请求救济的法定依据为《破产法典》第 327(a) 条、第 328(a) 条和第 330 条，以及在适用范围内的《破产规则》第 2014 条和第 2016 条，以及《本地破产规则》第 2014-1 条和第 2016-1 条。\n背景\n\n6. 2022 年 2 月 15 日（以下简称“申请日”），债务人向本法院提交了依据《破产法典》第 11 章寻求救济的自愿破产申请。\n\n7. 2022 年 3 月 21 日，United States Trustee（美国受托人）在债务人的第 11 章案件中任命了 Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors（无担保债权人官方委员会，以下简称“委员会”）。\n\n8. 2022 年 6 月 15 日，本法院作出一项判决与命令备忘录［案卷编号 465］（以下简称“《受托人命令》”），指示美国受托人在本第 11 章案件中任命一名第 11 章受托人。依据《受托人命令》，美国受托人选定 Luc A. Despins 为第 11 章受托人［案卷编号 514］。\n\n9. 2022 年 7 月 8 日，本法院下达命令，批准任命 Luc A. Despins 为本第 11 章案件的第 11 章受托人［案卷编号 523］。\n\n10. 2022 年 8 月 2 日，本法院下达命令，授权并批准：(a) 聘用 Paul Hastings LLP（普衡律师事务所，以下简称“Paul Hastings”）作为第 11 章受托人的牵头法律顾问［案卷编号 668］；以及 (b) 聘用 Neubert, Pepe, & Montieth, P.C.（以下简称“NPM”）作为第 11 章受托人的本地及利益冲突法律顾问［案卷编号 669］。\n该律所的资质\n\n11. Harneys 是一家全球离岸律师事务所，在英属维尔京群岛设有办事处。Harneys 成立于 1960 年，拥有广泛多元的业务领域，包括争议解决、公司与商法、私人财富、基金、银行与金融以及监管与税务。其 BVI 争议解决部目前拥有 21 名律师，并由 6 名律师助理提供协助。\n\n12. 第 11 章受托人选定 Harneys 作为其 BVI 法律顾问，系因 Harneys 在资不抵债、重组、欺诈、仲裁、破产、调查、公司犯罪与欺诈、公司及商事诉讼事项方面具备专业专长。Harneys 非常适合第 11 章受托人所要求的代理类型。Harneys 拥有雄厚的资源，并在本案中可能涉及的法律领域具有深厚的专业知识。\n\n13. Harneys 在代理清算人和受托人（包括破产程序中的受托人）方面具有特定且相关的经验，并曾就信托管理过程中出现的复杂及诉讼性（和潜在诉讼性）问题提供法律咨询，且经常出庭于英属维尔京群岛法院。Harneys 具有与海外牵头法律顾问联络并密切合作的经验，其协助遵循 BVI 的规则与程序、处理出现的日常及行政事务，并以其他方式提供牵头法律顾问可能要求的、符合其客户最大利益的服务，所有工作均以提高效率并避免法律顾问开展不必要重复工作的方式进行。\n\n14. 除其他事项外，Harneys 将协助第 11 章受托人根据本法院的《依据〈破产法典〉第 363、521、541、1108 和 1505 条 (A) 确认第 11 章受托人享有债务人在债务人控制实体中的全部经济和公司治理权利、(B) 授权第 11 章受托人代表破产财产在任何外国行事以及 (C) 给予相关救济的命令》［案卷编号 717］（以下简称“《公司治理命令》”），对 Genever Holdings Corporation（以下简称“Genever (BVI)”）（一家 BVI 实体）行使公司控制权，该实体通过其美国子公司 Genever Holdings LLC 全资拥有位于 New York, New York（纽约州纽约市）Sherry-Netherland（雪梨荷兰）大楼的一处公寓（以下简称“雪梨荷兰公寓”）。在此项工作中，Harneys 已经开始并将继续就（其中包括）将债务人在 Genever (BVI) 中的股份转让给第 11 章受托人及相关问题向第 11 章受托人提供法律意见，并在 BVI 法院就 Genever (BVI) 采取一切必要措施。\n预期提供的服务\n\n15. 第 11 章受托人预期 Harneys 将作为 BVI 法律顾问，根据整个第 11 章案件过程中的需要提供一般法律服务，包括破产、诉讼、调查、房地产、税务及其他事项。\n\n16. 第 11 章受托人请求聘用 Harneys 就本第 11 章案件作为 BVI 法律顾问提供一般法律服务。\n\n17. 为避免任何重复劳动并以最高效且最具成本效益的方式向第 11 章受托人提供服务，Harneys 将就各自在第 11 章案件中的职责与 Paul Hastings 和 NPM 进行协调。\n专业人员的报酬\n\n18. Harneys 拟依据《破产法典》第 330 条和第 331 条、《破产规则》第 2016 条、《本地破产规则》第 2016-1 条以及就本第 11 章案件适用的任何其他规则和命令，向本法院申请获得所提供专业服务的报酬以及偿还与本第 11 章案件相关的已发生费用。Harneys 将就本第 11 章案件所需的服务，按其通常适用的计时收费标准，按小时向第 11 章受托人收取法律服务费用。\n\n19. 目前，Harneys 在 2022 年的计时收费标准为：律师助理工作每小时 $150.00 - $275.00；初中级律师和法律顾问每小时 $400.00 - $800.00；该律所合伙人每小时最高 $1050.00。Harneys 的计时收费标准会进行定期调整，以反映经济及其他状况。1\n\n1 Harneys 的计时收费标准通常在每个日历年年末进行修订，以反映经验、资历和级别。这些梯级增加不构成《2013年11月1日生效的关于审查较大规模第11章案件中律师依据11 U.S.C. § 330提交的报酬与费用偿还申请的指南》（以下简称“《美国受托人指南》”）中所指的“费率上调”。如拟议命令所述，Harneys 在实施定期上调前，将向债务人、United States Trustee for the District of Connecticut（美国康涅狄格区助理受托人）（以下简称“美国受托人”）以及委员会和任何其他官方委员会的法律顾问发出为期十个工作日的通知，并应将任何此类通知向本法院备案。\n\n预计 Harneys 的服务将主要由 Andrew Thorp（其计时收费标准为每小时 $1050.00）、Olga Osadchaya（其计时收费标准为每小时 $800）和 Gerrard Tin（其计时收费标准为每小时 $475.00）提供。\n\n20. Harneys 还将根据本司法辖区的惯例，针对代表第 11 章受托人支出的垫付费用开具账单，包括复印费、立案费和国际快递费。\nHARNEYS 具有无利害关系性\n\n21. 据第 11 章受托人依赖《Thorp 声明》所知悉的最大范围，除该声明所披露的内容外，Harneys 与债务人、其债权人或任何其他利害关系方、其各自的律师和会计师、美国受托人或美国受托人办公室雇用的任何人员均无任何关系。\n\n22. 更具体而言，在此基础上，第 11 章受托人认为：(a) Harneys 与债务人、其债权人、美国受托人、美国受托人办公室雇用的任何人员、或在第 11 章案件中具有实际或潜在利益的任何其他当事人或其各自的律师或会计师均无任何关联；且 (b) Harneys 及其任何律师均 (i) 不是债务人或其关联方的债权人、股权证券持有人或内部人，(ii) 在申请日前两年内未曾担任过债务人或其关联方的董事、高级职员或雇员，或 (iii) 未因与债务人的任何直接或间接关系、关联或利益，或出于任何其他原因，而具有与债务人破产财产或任何类别的债权人或股权证券持有人的利益存在重大不利的任何利益。因此，第 11 章受托人认为 Harneys 属于《破产法典》第 101(14) 条（经第 1107(b) 条修正）所指的“无利害关系人”。\n\n23. 基于《Thorp 声明》，第 11 章受托人认为 Harneys 在与这些案件相关的事务中不代表任何与无担保债权人对立的利益。\n所请求救济的依据、通知以及此前未就此请求过救济\n\n24. 第 11 章受托人请求依据《破产法典》第 327(a) 条聘用 Harneys 作为其律师，以 BVI 法律顾问的身份提供服务，该条规定，受托人经本法院批准，可以聘用“不持有或不代表与破产财产对立的利益且为无利害关系人的专业人员，以代表或协助受托人履行本编项下的受托人职责”。\n\n25. 依据《破产法典》第 328(a) 条，经破产法院批准，受托人可依据《破产法典》第 327(a) 条“按任何合理的聘用条款和条件聘用专业人员，包括按预付聘金、按小时计费、按固定或百分比收费、或按风险代理收费”。11 U.S.C. § 328(a)。\n\n26. 《联邦破产规则》（Bankruptcy Rule）第 2014(a) 条规定，聘用申请应包括：\n\n说明聘用必要性的具体事实、拟聘用[律所]的名称、选聘理由、拟提供的专业服务、任何拟议的报酬安排，以及据申请人所知，该[律所]与债务人、债权人、任何其他利害关系方、他们各自的律师和会计师、美国破产受托人（United States trustee）的所有关联关系。\n\n27. 第 11 章受托人需要 BVI（英属维尔京群岛）律师的服务来履行其职责。BVI 律师将与第 11 章受托人及其拟任主要法律顾问 Paul Hastings（普衡律师事务所）以及当地法律顾问 Patrick R. Linsey 协调并协助其遵守 BVI 规则和程序，处理出现的日常和行政事务，并以其他方式提供主要法律顾问可能要求且符合其客户最大利益的服务。第 11 章受托人的 BVI 律师将努力避免重复工作，并尽可能高效地提供服务。\n\n28. 因此，按照本申请及《拟议裁定》（Proposed Order）中规定的条款，聘用 Harneys（衡力斯律师事务所）作为第 11 章受托人的 BVI 律师是合理的，且符合债务人破产财产的最大利益。\n\n29. 第 11 章受托人认为，Harneys 的计时费率是合理的，与其在非破产业务中的计时费率相当，并且在提供相同服务且具备同等技能的专业人士所收取的费率范围之内。在债务人破产财产目前没有资产支付专业服务费用的情况下，尤其如此。因此，实际上 Harneys 是在风险代理（contingency）的基础上被聘用的——即其报酬将取决于最终是否有资产进入债务人的破产财产（这进而又取决于 Harneys 和受托人在为债务人破产财产及其债权人的利益追回资产方面的成功程度）。\n\n30. 根据我的经验，在没有破产财产资产可用于支付受托人律师报酬的情况下，典型的风险代理收费安排将远远超过 Harneys 在报酬不以资产进入破产财产为条件的情形下所收取的计时费率（即 Harneys 在本案中收取的费率）。\n\n31. 《当地破产规则》（Local Bankruptcy Rule）第 2014-1 条规定，“若聘用专业人士的申请在该专业人士开始提供服务后三十（30）天内提交，除非法院另有命令，否则该申请应被视为同时提交。”因此，第 11 章受托人请求获得授权，自 2022年7月31日（即第 11 章受托人选定 Harneys 为 BVI 律师且 Harneys 开始向第 11 章受托人提供服务之日）起聘用 Harneys。\n\n32. 本申请的通知已送达至美国受托人、债务人、委员会，并通过利用法院电子备案（“CM/ECF”）系统的电子备案方式，送达至所有使用 CM/ECF 系统的出庭当事人。\n\n33. 此前未曾向本法院或任何其他法院提出过针对本申请所请求之救济的申请。\n\n结论\n\n综上所述，基于前述理由，第 11 章受托人 Luc A. Despins 请求法院作出裁定（其格式实质上与随本申请一同提交的《拟议裁定》一致），批准本申请，并授权第 11 章受托人聘用 Harneys 作为其 BVI 律师，并命令给予法院认为公正和适当的其他及进一步救济。\n\n日期：2022年8月30日\nHo Wan Kwok（郭文贵）第 11 章破产案之第 11 章受托人\n\n/s/ Luc A. Despins\nLuc A. Despins","key_entities":["Despins","Paul Hastings","Kwok","Ho Wan Kwok","CIPA","Je"],"ecf_references":[],"word_count":2514,"status":"published","published_at":null,"created_at":null,"updated_at":"2026-08-23 13:18:20"}