The Federal Court of Australia (Court) has handed down the first reported decision on the ipso facto stay provisions contained in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Act). In Rathner, in the matter of Citius Property Pty Ltd (Administrator Appointed) [2023] FCA 26 the Court examined the operation of the voluntary administration ipso facto stay contained … Read more

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

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

A recent Hong Kong Court of Appeal decision examined a creditor’s right to commence bankruptcy or winding up proceedings where the petition debt arises from an agreement containing an exclusive jurisdiction clause in favour of a foreign court: Guy Kwok-Hung Lam v Tor Asia Credit Master Fund LP [2022] HKCA 1297. Read more

In The Australian Sawmilling Company Pty Ltd (in liq) v Environment Protection Authority [2021] VSCA 294 (Australian Sawmilling), the Victorian Supreme Court of Appeal (VSCA) dismissed an appeal by the liquidators of The Australian Sawmilling Company Pty Ltd (TASCO) against a decision of Garde J of the Victorian Supreme Court (VSC) setting aside the liquidators’ … Read more

Historically, the Hong Kong courts have generally recognised foreign insolvency proceedings commenced in the jurisdiction in which the company is incorporated. This may no longer be the case in Hong Kong following the recent decision of Provisional Liquidator of Global Brands Group Holding Ltd v Computershare Hong Kong Trustees Ltd [2022] HKCFI 1789 (Global Brands). … Read more

The global market in crypto assets is currently experiencing a “crypto winter”, losing approximately US$2 trillion in value since the peak rally in 2021.[1] The price of Bitcoin has retreated approximately 70% from its November 2021 high of nearly US$69,000. In this stormy environment crypto insolvencies are on the rise. However the rapidly evolving nature … Read more

The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal has taken a practical approach in interpreting the second core requirement, out of three needed, for a Hong Kong Court to exercise its discretion to wind up a foreign company. Bringing much relief to creditors, it has decided that commercial pressure to achieve repayment of a debt is … Read more