Create a bespoke document in minutes,聽or upload and review your own.
Get your first 2 documents free
Your data doesn't train Genie's AI
You keep IP ownership聽of your information
Deed of Company Arrangement
I need a Deed of Company Arrangement for a company undergoing voluntary administration, outlining the terms for restructuring its debts and obligations to creditors. The document should include provisions for creditor approval, a timeline for implementation, and mechanisms for monitoring compliance with the arrangement.
What is a Deed of Company Arrangement?
A Deed of Company Arrangement (DOCA) is a legally binding agreement between a struggling company and its creditors that maps out how the business will handle its debts and operations moving forward. It's one of the key tools in Canadian corporate restructuring, offering an alternative to immediate liquidation when a company faces financial difficulties.
Under this arrangement, creditors might agree to accept partial payment of their debts, extend payment deadlines, or convert debt to equity. The DOCA helps preserve jobs and business value while giving creditors a better outcome than they'd likely get through bankruptcy. Once approved by a majority of creditors and filed with regulatory authorities, it becomes enforceable against all creditors.
When should you use a Deed of Company Arrangement?
Consider a Deed of Company Arrangement (DOCA) when your company faces serious financial challenges but still has viable business prospects. This solution works particularly well when you need breathing room to restructure operations while keeping creditors satisfied and maintaining key business relationships.
The timing is crucial - initiate a DOCA before your financial situation becomes irreparable, but after standard payment negotiations have failed. It's especially valuable when you have multiple creditors with competing interests, seasonal cash flow issues, or temporary market downturns affecting your business. The arrangement helps prevent bankruptcy while giving your company time to implement a realistic recovery plan under Canadian insolvency laws.
What are the different types of Deed of Company Arrangement?
- Basic Recovery DOCA: Focuses on debt restructuring and payment schedules while maintaining normal operations
- Asset Sale DOCA: Enables structured sale of company assets to satisfy creditor claims while preserving core business
- Holding DOCA: Temporarily freezes creditor claims while the company develops a more detailed restructuring plan
- Creditor Trust DOCA: Creates a trust structure to manage creditor payments and business rehabilitation
- Wind-Down DOCA: Provides for gradual, controlled business closure with better returns than immediate liquidation
Who should typically use a Deed of Company Arrangement?
- Company Directors: Initiate the DOCA process and remain responsible for implementing its terms while managing ongoing operations
- Insolvency Practitioners: Draft and oversee the arrangement as appointed administrators, ensuring compliance with Canadian insolvency laws
- Creditors: Vote on the proposed arrangement and become bound by its terms once approved, often accepting modified payment terms
- Legal Counsel: Reviews and refines DOCA terms, ensuring legal compliance and protecting client interests
- Regulatory Bodies: Monitor the arrangement's implementation and ensure compliance with corporate restructuring regulations
How do you write a Deed of Company Arrangement?
- Financial Assessment: Gather detailed company financials, including current assets, liabilities, cash flow projections, and creditor information
- Creditor Details: Compile complete list of creditors, debt amounts, security interests, and proposed payment terms
- Business Plan: Document realistic recovery strategy, including operational changes and revenue forecasts
- Administrator Selection: Appoint a qualified insolvency practitioner to oversee the arrangement
- Document Generation: Use our platform to create a legally compliant DOCA that includes all required elements under Canadian law
- Stakeholder Review: Circulate draft to key parties for input before finalizing terms
What should be included in a Deed of Company Arrangement?
- Party Details: Full legal names and addresses of the company, administrator, and affected creditors
- Financial Terms: Detailed payment schedules, debt compromises, and creditor classification structure
- Implementation Plan: Specific steps and timeline for business restructuring and debt repayment
- Administrator Powers: Clear outline of administrator's authority, duties, and compensation
- Creditor Rights: Voting mechanisms, meeting procedures, and dispute resolution processes
- Termination Provisions: Conditions for early termination or default remedies
- Compliance Statement: Confirmation of adherence to Canadian insolvency regulations
What's the difference between a Deed of Company Arrangement and a Trust Deed?
A Deed of Company Arrangement (DOCA) differs significantly from a Trust Deed in both purpose and legal effect. While both documents deal with financial arrangements, they serve distinct functions in Canadian business law.
- Purpose: A DOCA focuses on corporate restructuring and debt management for struggling companies, while a Trust Deed primarily establishes and governs the terms of a trust arrangement for asset management
- Timing: DOCAs are created during financial distress as part of insolvency proceedings, whereas Trust Deeds are typically established during normal business operations
- Parties Involved: DOCAs involve creditors, administrators, and the company itself, while Trust Deeds primarily concern trustees, beneficiaries, and settlors
- Legal Effect: DOCAs bind all creditors and provide temporary protection from enforcement actions; Trust Deeds create ongoing fiduciary obligations and beneficiary rights
Download our whitepaper on the future of AI in Legal
骋别苍颈别鈥檚 Security Promise
Genie is the safest place to draft. Here鈥檚 how we prioritise your privacy and security.
Your documents are private:
We do not train on your data; 骋别苍颈别鈥檚 AI improves independently
All data stored on Genie is private to your organisation
Your documents are protected:
Your documents are protected by ultra-secure 256-bit encryption
Our bank-grade security infrastructure undergoes regular external audits
We are ISO27001 certified, so your data is secure
Organizational security
You retain IP ownership of your documents
You have full control over your data and who gets to see it
Innovation in privacy:
Genie partnered with the Computational Privacy Department at Imperial College London
Together, we ran a 拢1 million research project on privacy and anonymity in legal contracts
Want to know more?
Visit our for more details and real-time security updates.
Read our Privacy Policy.