Later this year the High Court will hear an appeal from the decision of the Victorian Court of Appeal in Re Willmott Forests Limited (Receivers and Managers appointed) (in liquidation) [2012] VSCA 202.
The decisions of the Court of Appeal and the trial judge were considered in our earlier alert that can be accessed by clicking here.
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi denied the motion of defendant ACA Financial Guaranty Corporation (ACA) to dismiss a class action complaint, finding that the issues were previously adjudicated adversely to ACA in the New York Supreme Court where a companion case, Oppenheimer v. ACA Financial Guaranty Corporation, is currently pending.
The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York granted motions to dismiss involuntary Chapter 7 petitions filed against TPG Troy LLC and T3 Troy LLC (the Troy Entities). Petitioners filed numerous actions against the Troy Entities in the United States and Europe to recover money they alleged was owed in connection with the default of payment-in-kind and subordinated notes.
The liquidators of Lehman Brothers Australia are appealing a landmark Federal Court decision that found it liable for losses suffered by a number of local councils and charity groups.
On 19 April 2013, the Federal Court of Australia handed down its judgment in Eopply New Energy Technology Co Ltd v EP Solar Pty Ltd [2013] FCA 356. The Court enforced a foreign award against a company in liquidation, in the latest evidence of Australia’s pro-arbitration environment.
Background
On April 15 the Federal Reserve Board (Board) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) announced the release of additional guidance, clarification and direction for the first group of institutions filing their resolution plans pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. These 11 institutions filed their initial resolution plans with the Federal Reserve Board and the FDIC in 2012.
In the current economic climate, contactor insolvency is an increasing concern for all participants in the construction industry.
The issue is currently receiving close attention from the NSW Government who commissioned an independent report following a spate of contractor insolvency events in 2012 (including Reed Constructions Australia Pty Ltd, St Hilliers Construction Pty Ltd, Southern Cross Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd and Hastie Group Limited).
A High Court judgment by Mr. Justice Richards handed down on January 29 has confirmed that a client’s open positions on trades, made with a firm regulated by the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) that subsequently enters into an administration or liquidation, should be valued by reference to the market value of the trades at the time of the firm’s failure rather than at the date the positions are closed out.
The Ninth Circuit recently held that: (1) bankruptcy courts lack the constitutional authority to enter a final judgment on all fraudulent transfer claims against non-claimants, whether brought under state or federal law, and (2) a defendant can waive such an argument by not asserting the applicability of Stern v. Marshall1 at the trial level.2 Further, in dicta, the court noted that bankruptcy courts may issue proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law in matters in which the bankruptcy court cannot issue final orders.
Foreign companies are frequently used to hold assets or other investments in Hong Kong. Some of these foreign companies are not registered under Part XI of the Companies Ordinance (“CO”) (“Unregistered Companies”). There are various reasons for not registering foreign companies in Hong Kong, including confidentiality and tax benefits. However, there may be some drawbacks to this approach.