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Key Points

  • Costs incurred in preparing to comply with disclosure orders not payable by liquidators
  • Protection for wasted costs should have been sought earlier in the proceedings

The Facts

Key Points

  • Provisions of the Civil Procedure Rules apply to applications for an extension of time to apply for rescission of winding up order
  • Any such extensions of time should be exceptional and for a very short period

The Facts

Liquidators of insolvent Australian companies often pursue directors of the failed company in recovery proceedings for the benefit of creditors. Following a High Court of Australia decision in April 2016, it is now clear that a liquidator can join liability insurers of defendant directors in such proceedings, even when the insurer has denied liability under a policy. The liquidator, even though not a party to the contract, may then seek a declaration in the same proceedings that the insurer is liable to indemnify the insured defendant.

Key Points

  • A dividend is a ‘transaction’ and therefore can be challenged under s 423 IA 86
  • A duty to act in the best interests of creditors does not arise simply because there is a risk of insolvency which is not ‘remote’

The Facts

Having launched the original version three years ago, we have refreshed our Safeguarding Your Business guide as an eBook. The guide assists clients in protecting themselves either proactively or reactively in respect of a counterparty’s insolvency with new sections on trusts and examples of how we have helped, using some of the principles raised.

Key Points

  • Interpretation of EU case law on protection of pension payments on employer insolvency not “entirely free from doubt”

The Facts

The claimant (C) was a member of the T&N defined benefit pension scheme from 1971 to 1998. In 2006, the scheme entered a PPF assessment period and C calculated that his pension under the PPF would, as a result of caps and limitations on indexation, be roughly 67% less than what he had previously expected.

Key Points

  • Trustees in bankruptcy entitled to more than return of shares wrongfully transferred by bankrupt
  • Trustees also entitled to recover loss in the value of shares
  • Appropriate basis of valuation was fair value (not market value)

The Facts

Liquidators of insolvent Australian companies often pursue directors of the failed company in recovery proceedings for the benefit of creditors. Following a High Court of Australia decision in April 2016, it is now clear that the liquidators can join liability insurers of defendant directors in such proceedings, even when the insurer has denied liability under a policy.  The liquidators, even though not a party to the contract, may then seek a declaration in the same proceedings that the insurer is liable to indemnify the insured defendant.

Key points

  • Court does not have jurisdiction to direct detailed assessment of fees agreed by administrators on application of liquidator
  • Administrators can agree solicitors’ fees for work carried out during the administration after they cease holding office
  • The court has no inherent jurisdiction to direct a detailed assessment

The facts