Company governance, corporate misbehaviour, directors’ duties and the civil law consequences of winding up are among the main topics of the forthcoming Annual Company Law Conference 2017, scheduled for October 25.

The conference is being organised by the Malta Law Academy, within the Chamber of Advocates, in collaboration with the Department of Commercial Law at the University of Malta. Finance Minister Edward Scicluna will deliver the opening address.

David Fabri, head of the department and an adviser to the MLA, has been organising this annual conference since 2000. He noted how every year the conference has enjoyed significant participation, to the extent that his year the venue will be the newly- revamped MITP theatre at the University Valletta Campus, which can house a larger audience. In his presentation, Dr Fabri will address recent issues in company governance focusing on recent cases of corporate wrongdoing.

Other distinguished speakers will include Arthur Galea Salomone, who will discuss the duties of directors of companies which find themselves in financial distress. Marcel Cassar, APS Bank CEO, will tackle current important corporate governance challenges and issues in the banking sector; Robert Attard will analyse the recent ECHR’s decision in ‘Lekic v Slovenia’ and its implications on the corporate veil and state-imposed winding up; while Louis Cassar Pullicino will analyse the company law implications of the possible re-establishment of the Commercial Court. Ian Stafrace will analyse the civil law standing of contractual obligations and guarantees of companies which are being wound-up.

George Hyzler, president of the Chamber of Advocates, will open and close the conference.

Registrations are now open. To reserve a place, call on 2124 8601/ 7724 8601 or send an e-mail to events@avukati.org.