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This week’s TGIF considers a recent decision of the Federal Court where a special purpose liquidator was appointed to investigate suspected illegal phoenix activity.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The company formerly known as Intelara Pty Ltd (Intelara) was wholly owned by and had common directors with Intelara Holdings Pty Ltd (Holdings). The directors of both companies were also the shareholders of Holdings.

This week’s TGIF considers Re Broens Pty Limited (in liq) [2018] NSWSC 1747, in which a liquidator was held to be justified in making distributions to creditors in spite of several claims by employees for long service leave entitlements.

What happened?

On 19 December 2016, voluntary administrators were appointed to Broens Pty Limited (the Company). The Company supplied machinery & services to manufacturers in aerospace, rail, defence and mining industries.

This week’s TGIF considers Australian Worldwide Pty Ltd v AW Exports Pty Ltd where the Court awarded security for costs against plaintiff companies in liquidation, despite a litigation funder’s indemnity against adverse costs.

Background

Background

New rules strengthen the position of individual creditors and weaken the concept of insolvency proceedings as a means of final collective satisfaction of creditors. Taylor Wessing in Bratislava, as an advisor to the Ministry of Justice, has been actively involved in the creation of this new regime.

New provisions

The Existing System

Despite its introduction to the Slovak legal system in 2006, current laws on debt relief within the framework of bankruptcy of natural persons have not been a viable solution.

Basing the legal institute of debt relief on a two-step procedure:

  • starting with bankruptcy (i.e. liquidation of (all) the debtor’s assets)
  • then followed by a three-year trial period at the end of which the court releases a resolution on the possibility of personal bankruptcy

has in fact hindered debtors from filing.