The settlement of the Bell Group case (Westpac Banking Corp v The Bell Group Ltd (in liq) (No 3) [2012] WASCA 157) leaves several important areas of corporate law and accessorial liability in a state of uncertainty. The Court of Appeal’s split decision in Bell gives rise to significant issues for company directors and executives, creditors and external advisors that are in need of clarification. This seminar will discuss what the current state of the law on directors and officers duties in corporate groups is, and why the Bell decision leaves that position in an unsatisfactory state.
Chair: Associate Professor Christopher Symes
Presenters:
Ian Robertson SC, Commercial Chambers
Ian Robertson graduated with a Bachelor of Laws with Honours from the University of Adelaide in 1986. He has a Bachelor of Economics, majoring in Accounting and is a Master of Laws. Upon admission Ian worked as a solicitor and, later, as in-house Counsel with Aldermans, Barristers and Solicitors, and then Piper Alderman. He was made a partner of that firm in 1993. Ian joined the independent referral Bar, practicing from Bar Chambers in Adelaide, from 1995. Since 2006 he has practiced as a barrister from Commercial Chambers. Ian was appointed Senior Counsel in 2008. He was the Honorary Secretary of the South Australian Bar Association for 6 years to June 2004. He was a member of the Council of the South Australian Bar Association from 1996 to 2010 and again from 2013. He is the Chair of the SABA Bar Readers’ Course and a member of the ABA’s Advocacy Training Council. He was appointed a Board Member of the Advocacy Justice Unit of the University of Adelaide in 2012. Ian practices in all jurisdictions, except criminal law and family (custodial matters). He has a particular interest in intellectual property and Equity. Ian is a regular teacher of advocacy for the SABA, ABA and the Australian Advocacy Institute.
Jason Harris, University Technology Sydney
Jason Harris teaches and researches in the areas of Corporate Law, Securities Law and Corporate Insolvency Law, and is a senior lecturer at the UTS Law Faculty. Jason has previously worked at UNSW, ANU, UWS, the Australian Government Solicitor, and South West Sydney Legal Centre. Jason has served as a visiting scholar at the University of Western Ontario in Canada and as an adjunct professor for Widener University (Delaware, USA). Jason was the Insol International Scholar for the Asia Pacific Rim for 2010-2011. Jason is an active researcher in the Corporate Law, Securities Law and Corporate Insolvency fields and has published over 60 articles, books and book chapters on these areas. Jason’s research has been cited in the Supreme Courts of New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia as well as by the Commonwealth parliament and the Corporations and Markets Advisory Committee.
Date: Thursday, 28 November 2013
Time: 7.30 am – 8.40 am
Breakfast: Breakfast will be served, accompanied by tea, coffee and juice
Venue: Hilton Hotel, Victoria Square *Please note new venue*
Cost: $130 – Standard ticket
$110 – Alumni ticket
*$75 – Young lawyers discount ticket (for those who have been admitted for less than 3 years)
$40 – Adelaide GDLP Students
The event will attract 1 CPD point.
Please RSVP by 21 November 2013 here
Information about this and other CPD events in the Adelaide Law School Breakfast Seminar Series is available
here
CRICOS NUMBER 00123M
ADELAIDE LAW SCHOOL