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Australia Leading Case separate legal personality

Lee v Lee's Air Farming Ltd

[1961] AC 12
JurisdictionAustralia
CourtPrivy Council
Year1961
StatusPersuasive authority

Summary

A controlling shareholder-director can simultaneously be an employee of the same company, as separate legal personality permits this dual relationship.

Key Principle

The Privy Council (on appeal from New Zealand, applied in Australia) held that a person can be both a controlling shareholder/director and an employee of the same company; the separate legal personality of the company permits this dual relationship.

Area of Law

company

Related Cases

Shafron v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2012) 247 CLR 465

A company secretary is an 'officer' under the Corporations Act and owes a duty of care and diligence under s 180 in performing their functions.

Bell Group Ltd (in liq) v Westpac Banking Corporation [2012] WASCA 157

Directors of an insolvent company owe duties to creditors, and bank claims may be subordinated where unconscionable conduct is established in dealings with the insolvent company.

Barclay v Penberthy (2012) 246 CLR 258

The standard of care under s 180 of the Corporations Act is that of a reasonable person in the director's position, having regard to the corporation's circumstances and the director's office.

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