The Government has released a consultation paper as part of their commitment to ongoing reform of Australia’s corporate insolvency regime.  Phoenix activity refers to both legitimate business rescue activities and serial insolvency to avoid debts.

In B.E. Capital Management Fund LP v. Fund.Com Inc., C.A. No. 12843-VCL (Del. Ch. October 4, 2017), the Delaware Court of Chancery denied an appeal from a receiver’s decision disallowing a claim for breach of contract against a company in receivership. The Court held that the appropriate standard of review for an appeal of a receiver’s decision was de novo as to both law and facts, and in particular, that the Court had discretion to consider additional evidence not presented on record to the receiver.

On 12 September 2017, the Hon Kelly O'Dwyer MP, Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, announced the Government's plans to crack down on illegal phoenixing activity (ie, the stripping and transferring of assets from one company to another to avoid paying liabilities) and ensure that those involved face tougher penalties. 

The Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Enterprise Incentives No. 2) Act 2017 (Cth), which introduces a safe harbour for directors of insolvent companies and a stay on the operation of ‘ipso facto’ clauses during and after certain formal insolvency processes, received Royal Assent on 18 September 2017.

Director safe harbour

I. Overview

The Senate Economics Legislation Committee has released a report (Report) regarding its inquiry into the provisions of the Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Enterprise Incentives No. 2) Bill 2017 (Bill) which amends:

Effective December 1, 2017, certain amendments to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure (“the Bankruptcy Rules”) recently adopted by the Supreme Court[1] will impact the allowance of secured claims in bankruptcy. Below, we focus on the amendments to Bankruptcy Rule 3002, which will serve to:

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware recently granted in part and denied in part dismissal in favor of the defendant car manufacturer in a fraudulent transfer adversary proceeding brought by the Chapter 11 trustee in Emerald Capital Advisors Corp. ex rel. FAH Liquidating Trust v.

The Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Enterprise Incentives No 2) Bill 2017 was passed by the House of Representatives on 22 June 2017 and has had a second reading moved in the Senate. 

The Bill:

On 1 June 2017, the Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Enterprise Incentives No. 2) Bill 2017 (Bill) was introduced to the House of Representatives. The Bill introduces amendments to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Act) that are aimed at providing a safe harbour for directors from potential insolvent trading liability and also at restrictions on the enforcement of ipso facto clauses.