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Filing Fee Rise!

By Hayley Hitch, a Senior Associate of Matthews Folbigg Lawyers in our Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group.

There has been a minimal increase in the costs associated with filing documents in the State’s Courts over the past 3 years whilst the country was dealing with the financial ramifications of COVID-19. However, a rise has been imminent.

The NSW Attorney-General has now considered the costs associated with commencing and running proceedings within the Courts of New South Wales and upon evaluating such costs has enacted the Civil Procedure Amendment (Fees) Regulation 2022 (NSW). [...]  READ MORE →

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KNOWING YOUR LIMITATIONS

By Anica Cunanan, Solicitor at Matthews Folbigg in the Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your approach to debt collection? Have you deferred debt collection, or accepted payment arrangements on matters which you would have previously sent for debt collection? The last few years have certainly tested the limits of creditors’ willingness to defer debt collection. However with debt collection generosity comes the very real risk that some amounts may no longer be available for debt collection. When considering leniency with your debt collection, it is important to know your limitations. [...]  READ MORE →

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GREATER SYDNEY’S 2021 LOCKDOWN: WILL BUSINESSES SINK OR SWIM?

By Anica Cunanan, Solicitor at Matthews Folbigg in the Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

Greater Sydney is currently in a lockdown and has remained in the dark with respect to whether, and when businesses would receive some relief.

Last year, the Federal Government introduced the JobKeeper scheme to assist with keeping businesses afloat (including employees within those businesses) through of the payment of wage subsidies subject to certain criteria.

The Morrison and Berejiklian Governments have announced that NSW businesses will finally receive some relief as we enter the fourth week of lockdown in NSW. It is evident that regardless of whether lockdown is in fact extended past 30 July 2021, businesses have already experienced a substantial hit. Should lockdown continue to be extended, we may see plenty of businesses struggling to make it through this lockdown. [...]  READ MORE →

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The judge, jury and executioner: a Trustee’s capacity to adjudicate proofs of debt for legal fees

By Jodie Rodrigues, Solicitor at Matthews Folbigg in the Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group.

Pursuant to s 102 of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth), a trustee is required to “examine each proof of debt and the grounds of the debt sought to be proved”.

Legal costs can often be a problematic consideration, when questions of assessment, and the nature of the costs claim are taken into account. It is therefore important to have regard to the type of costs claims (for instance those of the bankrupt’s own solicitors, or adverse costs orders against the bankrupt). It is also relevant to consider at what stage in any costs assessment process the question of costs is being considered. [...]  READ MORE →

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A DEBT COLLECTION AGENCY VERSUS A DEBT COLLECTION LAWYER

By Anica Cunanan, Solicitor at Matthews Folbigg in the Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

The debt collection process is one which causes a lot of hesitation and frustration which can lead to a misunderstanding of what the key differences are between a debt collection agency and a debt collection lawyer.

Some creditors choose to handle such matters on their own whilst others choose to engage with a debt collection agency at first instance. That being said, engaging with a debt collection lawyer is a step which many avoid due to some misconceptions of how lawyers deal with the debt recovery process and by the same token, engaging a lawyer can seem daunting. [...]  READ MORE →

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Bankruptcy reform: a vaccine for the economy?

By Andrew Hack, Solicitor, and Stephen Mullette, Principal, of Matthews Folbigg Lawyers, in our Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group.

Countries around the world have commenced their vaccine programs, with Australia’s vaccine expected to commence imminently once the TGA completes its approval process. As to the economic impacts of COVID-19, the Australian Government has been testing its own form of vaccine through legislative changes to corporate insolvency and bankruptcy laws.

In March 2020, the Australian Government enacted a number of changes to corporate insolvency and bankruptcy laws, seeking to address the economic impact of the coronavirus. The significant changes to bankruptcy laws included: [...]  READ MORE →

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Draft Bankruptcy Regulations 2021

By Ellen Ferris, a Solicitor in Matthews Folbigg’s Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group.

On 3 December 2020, the Exposure Draft of the Bankruptcy Regulations 2021 was released for consultation.  These regulations are an updated version of the Bankruptcy Regulations 1996, and the draft copy can be found here.

The consultation period expires on 10 January 2021, and the Bankruptcy Regulations 1996 are due to sunset on 1 April 2021. Submissions can be submitted by email to Bankruptcy@ag.gov.au [...]  READ MORE →

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The handcuffs are on debt recovery, but for how long? What you can do in the meantime…

By Jeffrey Brown, Principal at Matthews Folbigg in the Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

As part of the Federal Government’s response to the COVD-19 crisis, a handbrake has effectively been applied to court proceedings aimed at bankrupting individuals and placing companies into liquidation. This has been achieved by lengthening the time for debtors to respond to formal demands, from 21 days to 6 months, for both bankruptcy notices (in the case of individuals) and statutory demands (for payment of debts incurred by companies). As part of the same reforms, the minimum debt amount that can be the subject of bankruptcy or winding up proceedings has been increased to $20,000.00. [...]  READ MORE →

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I don’t owe them money: invoking bankruptcy jurisdiction to ‘look behind a judgment’

By Andrew Hack, Solicitor, and Stephen Mullette, Principal, of Matthews Folbigg Lawyers, in our Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group.

It is an unfortunate predicament for bankruptcy trustees that they become a new target for the litigious bankrupt. Bankrupts hell-bent on maintaining the original dispute with the petitioning creditor often request bankruptcy courts to ‘look behind the judgment’, an exercise in which a bankruptcy court can determine whether a debt is really owing in substance, notwithstanding that there may be a pre-existing court order. [...]  READ MORE →

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COVID-19: Will my hearing go ahead? – Part 3

By Andrew Hack, Solicitor, and Stephen Mullette, Principal, of Matthews Folbigg Lawyers, in our Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group.

This is part 3 of our series on what will constitute valid grounds for an adjournment of a pending hearing, due to COVID-19 and the global coronavirus pandemic.

In Talent v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy & Anor (No 5) [2020] ACTSC 64 the Plaintiff sought an adjournment of the trial hearing, arguing that he was an ‘at risk’ person because he suffered from leukaemia. Doctors had recommended that he remain isolated. [...]  READ MORE →

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The “arid technicality” of Bankruptcy Notices?

By Andrew Hack, Solicitor, and Stephen Mullette, Principal, of Matthews Folbigg Lawyers, in our Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group.

At a high level the process for applying to make someone bankrupt may appear simple and straightforward. But, as the old adage goes, the devil is in the detail. At a granular level, the rules in bankruptcy proceedings are rather technical and procedures must be strictly adhered to. Often enough, a party will make a mistake where the consequence is they must start all over again, adding to lost time and increased costs. [...]  READ MORE →

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Winter is Coming – COVID-19 Changes Insolvency Law

By Anica Cunanan, Law Clerk at Matthews Folbigg in the Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

The unprecedented financial impact of COVID-19 has forced the laws surrounding insolvencies to change – well at least temporarily.  Analogous to the process of containing the virus, the Government is currently deciding on temporary changes to also flatten the curve of the inevitable insolvencies following this pandemic.

The Treasurer has been given a temporary instrument-making power in the Corporations Act 2001, for a period of six months, in order to provide temporary relief to distressed businesses. This was announced by the Government on 12 March 2020. [...]  READ MORE →