We exploit the staggered nature of the Italian bankruptcy law reform of 2005-2006 to disentangle the distinct causal impact of both reorganization and liquidation procedures in bankruptcy on firms' cost of loan financing. Using a unique loan-level data-set covering the universe of firm funding...

We exploit the staggered nature of the Italian bankruptcy law reform of 2005-2006 to disentangle the distinct causal impact of both reorganization and liquidation procedures in bankruptcy on firms' cost of loan financing. Using a unique loan-level dataset covering the universe of firm funding...

We empirically identify the lending standards applied by banks to small and medium firms over the cycle. We exploit an institutional feature of the Italian credit market that generates a sharp discontinuity in the allocation of comparable firms into credit risk categories. Using loan-level data,...

Exploiting the timing of the 2005-06 Italian bankruptcy law reforms, we disentangle the effects of reorganization and liquidation in bankruptcy on bank financing and firms' investment. A 2005 reform introduces procedures facilitating loan renegotiation. The 2006 reform subsequently strengthens...