The recent Victorian Supreme Court decision of Le Roi Homestyle Cookies Pty Ltd (in liquidation) v Gemmell [2013] VSC 452 determined that a person who does not claim privilege when being publicly examined by a liquidator will not be allowed to avoid pleading and providing discovery in subsequent civil proceedings on the basis that complying may expose them to a civil penalty or criminal sanction.
Facts
The defendants were alleged former de facto and shadow directors of Le Roi Homestyle Pty Ltd.
The Federal Court decision of Crumpler (as liquidator and joint representative) of Global Tradewaves Ltd (a company registered in the British Virgin Islands) v Global Tradewaves (in liquidation), in the matter of Global Tradewaves Ltd (in liquidation)[2013] FCA 1127 provides an illustrative example of the way that cross border insolvency recognition can be used to aid a foreign administration.
Facts
In a ground-breaking decision, the Dutch Supreme Court recently found that a foreign bankruptcy trustee may in principle exercise the powers conferred on him under the lex concursus (the law governing the bankruptcy) in the Netherlands as well. Such powers can include the management and disposal of assets located in the Netherlands at the time of the foreign bankruptcy order.
A pre-pack is the term used for the restructuring of a company through a transaction that is prepared as much as possible outside of formal insolvency proceedings, and whereby the enterprise survives but some or all of the company's debt is restructured. The aim of preparing the transaction in advance is to ensure the maximum preservation of value. Several structures can be distinguished.
The recent Federal Court of Australia (Court) decision Hird, in the matter of Allmine Group Limited (Administrators Appointed) (Receivers and Managers Appointed) [2013] FCA 748 involved an application for an extension to the convening period.
Facts
Introduction
The credit crisis has led to many opportunities for financial and strategic buyers to purchase all or part of a business or assets from financially troubled companies at significantly discounted prices. In such deals, buyers run the risk that the transaction may be set aside on the basis of voidable preference rules (the so-called 'actio pauliana').
On October 13 2008 the Amsterdam District Court declared the emergency regulations underthe Financial Supervision Act applicable to the Dutch branch of Landsbanki (Icesave).(1) This update looks at:
On November 1 2007 the State Commission for Insolvency presented the Preliminary Bill for an Insolvency Act to the minister of justice. The bill contains rules for the recognition of insolvency proceedings in non-EU countries and the law applicable to foreign proceedings. This update examines those rules and their relationship to the EU Insolvency Regulation and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency.
Case Law
On November 1 2007 the State Commission for Insolvency Law presented the Preliminary Bill for an Insolvency Act to the minister of justice. The most important changes to the existing Bankruptcy Act are outlined in this update.
This update discusses an issue that may arise in relation to the recognition of foreign bankruptcies where the law of the receiving state does not provide for admittance proceedings. This issue recently arose in the Yukos proceedings.
Facts