In Re Cameron Construction & Roofing

When entering into a new venture, it is not uncommon for a new legal entity to be formed in order to insulate an existing company from the liabilities associated with the new business. While the law absolutely permits this, a recent case in the Bankruptcy Court, In Re Cameron Construction & Roofing, is a good reminder that achieving true insulation requires more than simply filing another set of Articles of Incorporation.In 2000, Cameron Construction & Roofing, Inc. (“Inc.”) was formed by Wilfred Cameron, who was the corporation’s President, Treasurer, Clerk and sole Director. Two years later, Mr. Cameron formed Cameron Construction LLC (“LLC”), and he was named its Managing Member. Further, Mr. Cameron owned 99.9% of the equity in LLC, with the remaining 0.1% being held by Inc.By 2014, Inc. had become insolvent, and it filed a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Petition. A Trustee was appointed to marshal and distribute Inc.’s assets, and LLC was joined as a defendant in the bankruptcy proceeding. Specifically, the Trustee sought to have the Court rule that assets of LLC could be used to satisfy the debts of Inc. LLC objected to this, arguing, that it was undisputed that the two … Keep reading