Australia’s current corporate insolvency regime does not expressly cover how companies which structure themselves through a trust, or businesses which have a corporate trustee (corporate trusts) are to be dealt with during insolvency.

On 15 October 2021, the government released a consultation paper seeking stakeholder views on whether the treatment of corporate trusts in Australia’s insolvency law needs to be clarified. Input was also sought on the benefits which this could deliver and how any new framework might operate.

This consultation process closed on 10 December 2021.

Morton as liquidator of MJ Woodman Electrical Contractors Pty Ltd v Metal Manufactures Pty Limited [2021] FCAFC 228

The Full Court of the Federal Court confirms that a statutory set-off under s 553C(1) of the Corporations Act2001 (Cth) is not available against a liquidator’s claim for the recovery of an unfair preference under s 588FA of the Act.

Background

Despite recent criticisms of venue selection and cries to limit or curtail various provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, a recent decision from the Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York demonstrates that the bankruptcy courts may continue to broadly interpret the scope of their jurisdictional reach and the powers and authorities granted to them under the Bankruptcy Code. In In re JPA No. 111 Co., Ltd., No. 21-12075 (DSJ) (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. Feb.

Re GTI Holdings Ltd[2021] HKCFI 3647

The Company was incorporated in the Cayman Islands and listed on the Main Board of the HKEX. The Petitioner sought to wind up the Company on the ground that the Company failed to satisfy a statutory demand served upon it on 21 January 2020. On 26 May 2020, the Company presented a winding up petition (“Petition”) against itself and applied for the appointment of PLs for restructuring purpose with the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. Subsequently, on 28 May 2020, the Cayman Court appointed PLs over the Company.

 有關森信洋紙有限公司 (2021) 粵 03 認港破 1 號

In a recent decision of the Federal Court of Australia (Re WHBO Australia Pty Ltd[2022] FCA 234), Administrators of the Probuild group of companies (the Probuild Group) were granted a three-month extension for the convening period for the second meeting of Creditors largely due to the ‘size and complexity’ of the companies involved.

Key Takeaways

In this week’s update: an updated checklist for managing an electronic signing on a corporate or commercial transaction, the FCA and AIM are to bring an end to temporary relaxations introduced due to Covid-19 and the court orders a listed company to be wound up on “just and equitable grounds.

Good afternoon.

Following are this week’s summaries of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of March 21, 2022.

Areas of law covered in the cases this week included bankruptcy and insolvency (setting aside discharge from bankruptcy and after-acquired property), municipal liability for building inspections, two child protection decisions, guarantees and a partnership dispute.

Wishing everyone an enjoyable weekend.

Table of Contents

Civil Decisions

A key bankruptcy-related response to the pandemic has ended as the increased debt limits under subchapter V of chapter 11, passed by Congress in the CARES Act, have expired. In an effort to provide bankruptcy relief and access to subchapter V of chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code to a greater number of small businesses, Congress raised the debt limit for subchapter V eligibility from the original $2,725,625 million to $7.5 million via the CARES Act, passed in March of 2020.

OVERVIEW

Legislation