In Re Pan American Hospital Corp.

373 B.R. 773, 20 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 530, 2007 Bankr. LEXIS 3016
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in In Re Pan American Hospital Corp.. Read the opinion of the Court — 364 B.R. 839
United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida.·Decided July 17, 2007·No. 16-13453·Published

Opinion

ORDER OVERRULING THE OFFICIAL COMMITTEE OF UNSECURED CREDITORS’ OBJECTION TO FINAL FEE APPLICATION OF SAYBROOK CAPITAL, LLC. AND AWARDING FINAL FEES

A. JAY CRISTOL, Bankruptcy Judge.

THIS MATTER came before the Court for hearing on Tuesday, April 10, 2007, on the Final Fee Application of Saybrook Capital, LLC (“Saybrook”) as financial and capital markets advisors for Pan American Hospital Corporation and Pan American Medical Centers, Inc. (the “Debtors”) and the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors’ Objection to the Final Fee Application of Saybrook (“Committee”). The Court has reviewed the pleadings and other papers submitted by the parties and is fully advised in the premises.

BACKGROUND

On or about January 10, 2007, Saybrook filed an application for approval and payment of all outstanding fees including (i) final approval of compensation in the amount of $100,000 (“Paid Monthly Fees”) for the reasonable and necessary professional services Saybrook has rendered to the Debtors for the period of September 6, 2005 through May 5, 2006, (ii) final approval and payment for the reasonable and necessary professional services that Say-brook has rendered to the Debtors for the period of May 6, 2006 through July 31, 2006 in the amount of $35,483.87, (the “Outstanding Monthly Fees”) and (iii) final approval and payment of the Transaction Fee (“Final Fee Application”)(C.P. # 2183). 1

The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors’ (“Committee”) filed an Objection to the Final Fee Application of Say-brook on or about February 27, 2007 (“Objection”)(C.P. # 2398). The Committee does not object to that portion of the Final Fee Application seeking the payment of the Paid Monthly Fees and the Outstanding Monthly Fees as defined in the Final Fee Application. Rather, the Committee *775 objects to an award of a Transaction Fee. The Committee’s Objection is based primarily on the argument that the terms of Saybrook’s retention entitled Saybrook to a Transaction Fee only if a sale of the Debtors’ assets occurred within the Bid Process which “ultimately concluded with the highest bidder being Larkin Hospital not First Medical.” The Committee argues that since no sale was consummated within that time frame, Saybrook is not entitled to the Transaction Fee.

Saybrook argues that there was never any agreement between Saybrook and other parties, let alone any order by this Court, which defined a time period after which the sale of the Debtors’ assets would no longer entitle Saybrook to the Transaction Fee. Relying on its contractual right to collect the Transaction Fee upon consummation, Saybrook argues that it continued to expend substantial resources helping the Debtors evaluate potential sale transactions well after the point in time when Larkin Hospital was the highest bidder.

Upon consideration of the pertinent documents filed of record, the Court believes Saybrook is entitled to a Transaction Fee.

A. SEPTEMBER IB, 2005 ENGAGEMENT LETTER AND SEPTEMBER 21, 2005 RETENTION APPLICATION (C.P. #987)

On or about September 21, 2005, the Debtors filed the Application for Authorization to Employ Saybrook Capital, LLC as Financial and Capital Market Advisors for the Debtor in Possession Nunc Pro Tunc to September 6, 2006 (C.P. # 987). The Engagement Letter, attached to Brent Williams’ Affidavit filed October 3, 2005 (C.P. # 1004), confirmed the agreement that the Debtors had engaged Say-brook to act as its financial and capital markets advisor. The third paragraph of the Engagement Letter defines the term Transaction as the following:

As used in this Agreement, the term “Transaction” means, whether effected directly or indirectly, (i) any sale or issuance of existing or new debt (including the establishment of a working capital bank facility), and (ii) any joint ventures/co-development projects or licensing/lease agreement, other than letters of interest received prior to the date of the (sic) this engagement letter.

Term 2 of the Engagement Letter specifies Saybrook’s compensation to be as follows:

2. For Saybrook’s services hereunder, the Company agrees to pay to Say-brook the following non-refundable fees in cash:
(a) A monthly cash advisory fee of $12,500 (each, a “Monthly Advisory Fee”), payable in advance for the period commencing on the date of this Agreement with the first payment due upon execution of this Agreement and subsequent payments due on each monthly anniversary of the date of this Agreement.
(b) A transaction fee or fees in an amount equal to 1.25% of each of (i) the principal or face value amount of any new debt raised including mortgage debt (including the total amount of any working capital facility, whether drawn or undrawn); and, if applicable,
An additional transaction fee of (i) In joint ventures/co-development projects in which Pan Am has significant ongoing operational involvement, 1% of the net present value (“NPV”) of future net profits, allotted to Pan Am based on percentage interest, or (ii) In joint ventures/co-development projects in which Pan Am has no or limited operational involvement, 1% of *776 NPY of future licensing fees, management fees or other usage-based compensation.

Term 7 of the Engagement Letter (C.P. # 1004) specifies how a termination of Say-brook’s engagement would affect its entitlement to the Transaction Fee as follows:

Saybrook shall be entitled to payment in full of the fees referred to in Section 2(b) if at any time prior to the expiration of 12 months after the Termination Date, (x) a Transaction is consummated (by virtue of the consummation, or if earlier, the effective date (or any similar term), of a Plan or otherwise) or (y) the Company enters into a letter of intent or any agreement that subsequently results in the consummation of a Transaction.

B. OCTOBER 21, 2005 EMPLOYMENT ORDER (C.P. #1042)

By this Court’s order dated October 21, 2005 (C.P. # 1042) (the “Employment Order”), the Debtors were authorized to retain Saybrook, on the terms and conditions set forth in the Application (C.P. # 987), the Williams Affidavit (C.P. # 1004) and the Engagement Letter (C.P. # 1004). In addition to the Monthly Advisory Fee, Saybrook was also entitled to a transaction fee in an amount equal to 1.25% of the principal or face amount of any new debt raised including mortgage debt (the “Transaction Fee”). The specific duties that the Debtors required of Saybrook are set forth in detail in the Engagement Letter.

In addition to the above, the Employment Order revised the terms of the Engagement Letter by eliminating the additional Transaction Fee related to a joint venture or co-development project and changing the indemnification provision. The Employment Order specifically states that the exclusion of joint ventures and similar transactions was without prejudice to any potential future modification of the scope of Saybrook’s engagement. Term 4 of the Employment Order states:

4.

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In Re Pan American Hospital Corp., 373 B.R. 773, 20 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 530, 2007 Bankr. LEXIS 3016 (Fla. 2007).

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