2016 Harold Ford Lecture
“Corporate Structures, the Veil and the Role of the Courts” presented by The Hon. Marilyn Louise Warren AC
Date: 5 May 2016
Courts are frequently called upon to grapple with the consequences of the principle that corporations are separate legal entities with limited liability. These consequences arise in a range of contexts, from corporate groups to tort liability. The rise of the corporate trustee has added yet further complexity to issues of corporate knowledge, power and responsibility. In this context, an age-old question is more relevant than ever: to what extent can courts look behind corporate structures to commercial realities in determining the disputes before them?