Contractual obligations in a COVID-19 world With the advent of COVID-19, there have, of course, been substantial changes to the global economy and the way we go about business. More challenging, these impacts continue to be in flux as the virus wreaks havoc around the world. As this crisis deepens, […]

Data and privacy implications in a COVID-19 world There is no question data privacy and security are essential. From a commercial perspective, a single company – and no, not just Amazon – may possess the personal information of millions of customers. It is increasingly important this data be kept private and […]

Workplace management in a COVID-19 world There have been unprecedented initiatives, recommendations and measures undertaken by public authorities in light of COVID-19. The problem is these have, in some cases, been knee-jerk reactions often based on insufficient information and which may ultimately lead to questionable financial outcomes for both employers […]

Commercial Leasing and COVID-19 Mandatory Code of Conduct released The economic impact of COVID-19 on business generally, and commercial leasing arrangements has been the focus of many landlords, tenants and governments. On 7 April 2020, the Federal Government released its much-anticipated Mandatory Code of Conduct – SME Commercial Leasing Principles […]

Unfair dismissal at the end of a fixed term contract. What? Fixed-term employment contracts are common in many workplaces. Understandably, most employers consider they would be protected from an unfair dismissal claim once the term ends. However, in Saeid Khayam v Navitas English Pty Ltd t/a Navitas English (‘Navitas’) [2017] […]

Applying for Substitution in Winding Up Proceedings In winding up proceedings, if the debtor company pays out the applicant’s debt, the Court has power to order the substitution of another creditor as the applicant for a winding up. The substitution process can be very cost-effective and efficient because after substitution, […]

Alternative Dispute Resolution Explained Litigation can be a costly and time consuming process and parties are increasingly seeking alternative forms of resolving disputes. This article provides an overview of the main types of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and their respective benefits and limitations.   What is ADR? The term ADR […]

How an ABN clerical error cost a company $23 million The Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth) (PPSA) provides a national framework for registering interests in personal property. These interests are recorded on a central register known as the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR). Registration on the PPSR is an […]

“Without Prejudice” Privilege: Are your rights protected? You may have seen the words “without prejudice” appear on legal correspondence. In this article we look at what those words mean and how they can help you in settlement negotiations.   What is “without prejudice”? At common law, communications between parties (both […]

The financial risk in giving personal guarantees in leases If you are a director of a company entering a commercial or retail lease, a landlord will likely require you to give a personal guarantee for the company’s obligations under the lease. In such cases, directors should fully comprehend the extent […]

Unfair Contracts Update – are you complying with the law The Unfair Contract Terms Regime (UCT Regime) was extended to cover standard form contracts entered into with ‘small business’ in November 2016. The Regime is fully operational and has a significant impact on the way Australian businesses contract with each […]

Leave to proceed against a company in liquidation The insolvency of a company often leads to its liquidation whether instigated voluntarily or by court order. A liquidator is appointed to ascertain and bring in company assets (if any) and convert those assets into cash for distribution amongst the company’s creditors […]