2021 was a precedent-setting year for litigation relating to dangerous recreational activities (DRAs) and the engagement of the dangerous recreational activity defence under section 5L of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW).

Even before March 2020, before COVID Omicron, the RAT’s and the lockdowns, knowing what ‘normal’ was meant to look like was always a challenge. For employers and their advisors, we relied on the laws and decisions of the Tribunals and Courts to provide direction about what could (or should) be done (or not done).

Changes to the Corporations Act for COVID-19 that allowed virtual company meetings and electronic execution of company documents have been made permanent. These changes mean that companies no longer have to fear a return to doing everything in hard copy and in person. 

Entering into a contract to build a new home for a fixed price would seem, at least on the surface, to be the easiest and most stress-free way to get yourself a brand-new home...  

Under section 596A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), an eligible applicant can apply to the Court and the Court can, in turn, summon an officer of a company under external administration for examination about the company’s affairs.

Mrs Nasr, the claimant, was injured in a car park, when Mr Fawcett (QBE’s Insured driver) collided with the left-hand side of her vehicle. The claimant then lost control of her vehicle, driving through a fence before colliding with a tree. 

In the recent case of Grant v Dateline Imports Pty Ltd [2022] NSWPICPD 3, the President of the Personal Injury Commission (PIC) confirmed that a clear diagnosis supporting an alleged consequential condition would aid in discharging the worker’s onus of proving an entitlement to lump sum benefits pursuant to s 66 of the Workers Compensation Act 1987 (the 1987 Act).

Last Thursday (16 December 2021), in the decision of Morton as Liquidator of MJ Woodman Electrical Contractors Pty Ltd v Metal Manufacturers Pty Limited [2021] FCAFC 228 (MJ Woodman), the Full Court of the Federal Court delivered a highly anticipated decision surrounding section 553C of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Act) and a liquidator’s unfair preference claim.

When you pass away, it is important to ensure your loved ones are not left with a financial and legal headache.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Australia in March 2020, there has been significant shifts towards working from home across multiple industries. The NSW Personal Injury Commission has now considered in what circumstances being refused the opportunity to work from home may amount to the withdrawal of an employment benefit or transfer, namely for the purpose of a section 11A defence to a psychological injury condition.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, legal practitioners and their clients faced particular challenges with regard to the signing and witnessing of certain legal documents. The stay-at-home orders and self-isolation rules raised an urgent question:

While most businesses are returning to more normal operations following rolling lockdowns, it’s not all smooth sailing for employers and managers. Many business and employment decisions on how to best respond to and plan for COVID-19 related impacts are being made with little guidance from Governments or legal precedents.

In an increasingly competitive property market, developers require streamlined processes to enable them to secure sales as quickly as possible. The process of converting a sale into an exchanged contract requires a swift and seamless approach – however developers are often let down by slow turnaround times and unreliable processes.

During 2020, the Commonwealth Government introduced restrictions on the issuing of creditor’s statutory demands for payment of debt to debtor companies, increasing the threshold for debts from $2,000 to $20,000 and the time for compliance from 21 days to 6 months.