Good things take time: Parliamentary Joint Committee delivers report on Australia’s corporate insolvency framework

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services (the Committee) has delivered its report following an inquiry into the “effectiveness of Australia’s corporate insolvency laws in protecting and maximising value for the benefit of all interested parties and the economy”.[1] The Committee has recommended that, as soon as practicable, the Australian government should commission … Read more

TMA submissions on corporate insolvency in Australia

Herbert Smith Freehills’ restructuring, turnaround and insolvency team has supported the Turnaround Management Association of Australia (the TMA) in preparing the TMA’s submissions (TMA Submissions) to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services (the Committee) for the purposes of its inquiry into corporate insolvency in Australia. Read more

Parliamentary inquiry into corporate insolvency in Australia

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services (the Committee) has commenced an inquiry into the “effectiveness of Australia’s corporate insolvency laws in protecting and maximising value for the benefit of all interested parties and the economy”.[1] Read more

Launch of leading Australian book on schemes of arrangement

After almost 9 years in the making, the much anticipated 4th edition of Schemes, Takeovers and Himalayan Peaks: The Use of Schemes of Arrangement has finally been released in conjunction with the Ross Parsons Centre of Commercial, Corporate and Taxation Law at the University of Sydney. The 4th edition covers developments since 2013 and around 800 new … Read more

Herbert Smith Freehills and Nikki Smythe recognised in global TMA Turnaround/Transaction of the Year Awards

We are delighted that Herbert Smith Freehills and partner Nikki Smythe have been recognised by Turnaround Management Association (TMA) in the global 2021 Turnaround/Transaction of the Year Awards for her work on the acquisition of Virgin Australia out of voluntary administration. Herbert Smith Freehills joins Bain Capital, Clayton Utz, Deloitte, Houlihan Lokey, and KordaMentha, in … Read more

ASIC updates relief requirements for section 444GA share transfers

On 22 October 2020, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) announced changes to its requirements for applications for relief from the takeover provisions in Chapter 6 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the Act) in connection with shares being transferred via a deed of company arrangement (a DOCA) and section 444GA of the Act. Read more

That’s gold: Federal Court gives Gascoyne DOCA the green light

On 29 September 2020, the Federal Court of Australia published its much anticipated decision in Habrok (Dalgaranga) Pty Ltd v Gascoyne Resources Ltd [2020] FCA 1395, dismissing Habrok’s attempt to set aside a Deed of Company Arrangement (DOCA) that would mark the end of a 15 month administration period, and facilitate the recapitalisation, refinance, and … Read more