Many of you will already be familiar with the annual outstanding Practical Insolvency Conferences held by Traill & Associates in Sydney each year in March/April, chaired by Richard Fisher AM. This year Rosie’s firm is also holding a National Practical Bankruptcy Congress on Monday 9 December 2013 in Sydney. I do not yet know if my practice will permit me time to duck up to Sydney myself, but  I have reviewed the program and it looks excellent. Topics to be covered include –

• Sections 104 and 178 challenges to Trustees’ decisions – a review of recent cases and various practical recommendations;
• Dealing with conflicts of interest – ss 156A and 179 – Applications to remove Trustees – a review of recent cases including Barlaw Pty Ltd v Crouch [2012] FCA 961;
• Trustees’ remuneration issues;
• Regulator issues – AFSA’s practitioner inspection program and other issues, presented by Mark Findlay, Director of Regulation and Enforcement, Central Region, AFSA;
• Part XI – Insolvent estates – a presentation by my highly esteemed Melbourne colleague barrister Peter Agardy, outlining the implications of Re Macryannis; McDonald v Young [2012] FCAFC 137 and other recent cases;
• Dealing with claimed trusts;
• Voidable transactions – ss 120, 121 and 122 – a review of recent cases by the reknowned Sally Nash of Sally Nash & Co Lawyers, Sydney;
• Recent cases on costs and sales of property – coverage of recent cases including Sopikiotis, in the matter of Sopikiotis (Bankrupt) v Vince (Trustee) [2013] FCAFC 24; Tadrosse v Barnden [2013] FCCA 207; Barnden v Tadrosse (No 2) [2013] FCCA 744;
• Personal insolvency agreements;
• Dealing with vexatious and/or litigious bankrupts and unreasonable creditors – presented by Scott Pascoe, partner, PPB Advisory;
• And my personal favourite – s 139ZQ notices – are they a waste of time, or a useful tool when used correctly – to be discussed by a panel of speakers.

For those interested to attend, the full program and invitation to attend may be found here.