This week’s TGIF considers the case of Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Bettles [2020] FCA 1568, where the Federal Court of Australia confirmed the need for precision in making allegations of illegal phoenix activity.
Key takeaways
Australia has posted a record fall in its GDP in 2020. At the same time, following a series of temporary measures introduced due to COVID-19, Australian insolvency filings have hit record lows.
This week’s TGIF looks at a recent case where the Federal Court ordered the reinstatement of two companies to allow proceedings to be commenced against the liquidator of those companies for alleged breaches of duty (Lee v Parker [2020] FCA 1453).
Key takeaways
This week’s TGIF looks at the decision of the Supreme Court of Victoria in Re Barokes Pty Ltd (in liq)
This week’s TGIF looks at the NSW Supreme Court’s recent guidance on factors relevant to whether a winding up ought be terminated.
Key takeaways
This week’s TGIF discusses the key elements of the Federal Government’s recently announced reforms to insolvency laws for businesses with liabilities below $1 million.
Key takeaways
Trying to collect money from someone who cannot or will not pay you is frustrating. That old chestnut about throwing good money after bad comes to mind. Placing an individual or firm (your “debtor”) into bankruptcy is a powerful remedy to secure payment. But it should not be undertaken without careful thought and planning.
A creditor should ask the following six questions before placing a recalcitrant debtor into bankruptcy.
Who Are You?
This week’s TGIF looks at a decision of the Supreme Court of New South Wales where a liquidator sought to distribute a surplus of $8.7 million despite one of the shareholders who was potentially entitled to a portion of the surplus being bankrupt and a debtor of the company.
Key takeaways
This week’s TGIF examines a decision of the Supreme Court of Victoria in which an unfair preference claim was defended on the basis that the liquidators had been invalidly appointed and lacked standing to continue the proceeding.
Key takeaways
In this series, we look at how various payment rights are treated in bankruptcy. A summary like this could not possibly address every right that might arise in any given bankruptcy case. We have omitted several of the Bankruptcy Code’s more esoteric legal protections and exceptions that arise in specific kinds of bankruptcy cases. When bankruptcy strikes, creditors should always consult a bankruptcy lawyer to understand what actions they need to take to preserve their rights and maximize their recovery.
The Basic Concept of a “Claim”