A judge can still refuse to shut down the company. If employees want to take act...

lazide · on Sept 1, 2022

I'd be surprised if it is profitable. Depending on the way the acquisition was done, they could just cut ties and let it implode in short order.

Not a huge amount the judge could do, practically, if the parent doesn't have a lot of other ties to the country.

b112 · on Sept 1, 2022

In civil court, you can typically register a judgement in another country, and use that to begin asset seizure and collection actions.

This is certainly true in common law courts. The judgement can be challenged locally though.

(My point is, there is recourse. Whether it succeeds??)

lazide · on Sept 1, 2022

1) even in France, it’s hard to go after investors if a company fails, assuming the paperwork is done correctly.

2) it isn’t clear how the actual corporate structure was setup or how the acquisition occurred.

3) all of this of course depends on how it was structured, managed, etc.

But yeah, there is also the ‘go ahead, make me’ element, which even if it never comes to that, plays a part in all this. Some folks do dumb things with structuring, but I’m guessing there is at least 2 corp entity layers and a national border between any one of the French folks employed there and the decision makers and money.

If the other players know the person with the money can just walk away, it tends to make things more polite.

If the person with the money also makes folks comfortable before closing up shop (severance, for instance), it also smooths the way for an amicable resolution and reduces hurt feelings.