Background

Key Point

The liquidation of an agent for service appointed by a Borrower under a loan agreement did not prevent the Lender from validly serving process on the Borrower by delivering documents to that agent.

The facts

A loan agreement contained the following clause:

"Service of process. Without prejudice to any other mode of service allowed under any relevant laws, each Borrower -

In the decision of Divitkos, in the matter of ExDVD Pty Ltd (in liq) [2014] FCA 696, White J may have created a new class of equitable subrogation by allowing a secured creditor to prove in a liquidation as a priority creditor in respect of amounts paid to employees under s433 of the Corporations Act.

FACTS

In the decision Equititrust Limited (In Liq) (Receiver Appointed) (Receivers and Managers Appointed) in its capacity as responsible entity of the Equititrust Income Fund v Equititrust Limited (In Liq) (Receiver Appointed) (Receivers and Managers Appointed) in its own capacity [2014] FCA 692,the Federal Court of Australia considered an application to set aside or stay indefinitely liquidator examinations of former auditors under s596B of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).

Key Point

The Graham Review into pre-pack administrations suggests beefing up SIP16 and creating new steps in the sale process where the sale is to a connected party but stops short of proposing new legislation.

The Graham Review

The High Court recently delivered judgment in the matter of Stewart v Atco Controls Pty Ltd (In Liquidation).^[1] The case turned on the application of the well-known principle in Universal Distributing

In the recent decision of First Strategic Development Corporation Limited (in liq) and Anor v Chan and Ors [2014] QSC 60, the Supreme Court of Queensland considered the solvency of a company with no assets or formalised line of credit, but with a director who claimed to be willing to fund the $2.5 million that the company had committed to spending.

FACTS

In Re John Pettit Pty Limited (Subject to a Deed of Company Arrangement) [2014] NSWSC 728, the Supreme Court of NSW considered an application by the deed administrators of John Pettit Pty Ltd (John Pettit) seeking directions to sell property potentially owned by third parties and orders which limited the Deed Administrators’ personal liability in relation to the sale.

BACKGROUND

Key point

Under English law there is a clear public interest in ensuring the timely and efficient administration of insolvent estates and parties should comply with all time limits in the Insolvency Rules 1986 unless there are good reasons for requiring more time. 

The facts

Key point

The equitable rules designed to protect guarantors from amendments to the original financing agreements made without his consent do not apply to indemnities under English law.

The facts

A company entered into factoring arrangements. The directors entered into indemnities in favour of the factor.