Christopher Symes

Research Interests

Corporations and Associations Law

EPrf Christopher Symes

School of Law

College of Business and Law

I am one of Australia's pre-eminent insolvency law researchers. My research has been predominantly Australian corporate and personal insolvency for over 25 years.I practiced as a commercial lawyer and insolvency was a substantial part of my practise. My Master's dissertation was written on the topic of employees and corporate receivership. My PhD explored the history and justification of statutory priorities in corporate insolvency law.I have supervised a number of higher degree students many of whom have researched in insolvency law. I look forward to supervising many more particularly as we advance insolvency law and practice in Australia.

Date Position Institution name
2016 - ongoing Professor University of Adelaide, Adelaide

Language Competency
English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

Date Institution name Country Title
Flinders University, Adelaide Australia PhD
University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia LLM
Flinders University, Adelaide Australia MEd
South Australian Institute of Technolgy Australia Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice
Flinders University, Adelaide Australia Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education

Year Citation
2021 Symes, C., & Harris, J. (2021). The chimera of restructuring reform: An opportunity missed for MSMEs in pt 5.3B. Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 36, 182-193.
2020 Symes, C. (2020). Cross-border insolvency in Australia is bringing about international judicial collegiality: Cooperation with foreign courts and foreign representatives is now mandatory and contemporary. Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 36(1), 103-110.
2020 Lombard, S., & Symes, C. (2020). Judicial guidelines for insolvent litigation funding agreements. Insolvency Law Journal, 28(4), 165-180.
WoS1
2020 Symes, C. F., & Nosworthy, B. (2020). The components of corporate governance for financially distressed companies. Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 35, 98-113.
2020 Symes, C. F. (2020). Landlords are to be paid their rent during a tenant’s formal insolvency proceeding: There’s a priority principle called Lundy Granite but then there is s447A. Insolvency Law Bulletin, 20(9), 183-186.
2019 Harris, J., & Symes, C. (2019). Be careful what you wish for! Evaluating the ipso facto reforms. Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 34(1), 84-102.
2019 Symes, C. F. (2019). Ratcheting up corporate law penalties and the “bystander” impact on insolvency. Insolvency Law Bulletin, 20(4&5), 77-79.
2019 Symes, C. F. (2019). Dissatisfied creditors wanting the exercise of the court’s discretion to terminate DOCAs: Elaborating on the basics of the s445D discretion. Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 34(3), 356-362.
2018 Symes, C. F., & Nosworthy, B. (2018). Paying the liquidators when the company is an insolvent trustee. Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 33, 111-123.
2018 Symes, C. (2018). Section 90-15 of the IPS (Corporations) - The new power for courts to exercise when applications for directions are made from voluntary administrators, liquidators and others. Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 33(2), 275-284.
2018 Nosworthy, B. S., & Symes, C. (2018). The Good Place or the Bad Place: The Position of Directors during a Deed of Company Arrangement. Insolvency Law Journal, 26(4), 191-202.
WoS1
2017 Symes, C., & Nosworthy, B. (2017). Prepayment Consumer Creditors: A Special Case for Insolvency Proceedings?. Insolvency Law Journal, 25(1), 29-43.
WoS3
2017 Symes, C., & Fitzpatrick, J. (2017). A Deliberation on Adapting Aspects of Singapore’s Mediation Initiatives Within the Australian Federal Court’s Practice to Further Improve the Liquidators’ Recovery of Assets. Transnational Dispute Management, 14(4).
2017 Symes, C. (2017). The path that makes sense: Using holding DOCAs. Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 32(3), 386-391.
2017 Symes, C. F., & Nosworthy, B. (2017). To Prioritise or not to Prioritise: the Question of Prepayment Consumer Creditors. Company and Securities Law Journal, 35(8), 583-587.
2016 Nosworthy, B., & Symes, C. (2016). The liquidator: a hybrid of agent, fiduciary and officer. Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 31(1), 65-79.
2014 Symes, C. (2014). After-acquired income and contributions by Australian bankrupts: can pay, should pay, making them pay!. QUT Law Review, 14(3), 53-78.
DOI
2014 Symes, C. (2014). Bankrupts and passports: a call to repeal SS 77(1)(A)(II) and 272(1)(C) of the Bankruptcy Act. QUT Law Review, 14(3), 98-110.
DOI
2013 Symes, C. (2013). The ABC of a bankrupt's overseas travel consents. Insolvency Law Bulletin, 13(10), 237-238.
2013 Brown, D., & Symes, C. (2013). The regulation of insolvency practitioners: getting to 'trust and confidence'. New Zealand Business Law Quarterly, 19(3), 226-248.
2012 Symes, C., & Simpson, M. (2012). Phoenix companies and the AA fund. Insolvency Law Journal, 20(4), 227-239.
WoS3
2011 Symes, C., & Fitzpatrick, J. (2011). A primal sketch of an insolvency Ombudsman. Flinders Law Journal, 13, 1-26.
2010 Fitzpatrick, J., Brand, V., & Symes, C. (2010). 'Fit and proper': The integrity requirement for liquidators. Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 24(3), 244-263.
2010 Symes, C. (2010). Senate inquiry into liquidators and administrators: 30 respondee suggestions. Insolvency Law Bulletin, March, 122-123.
2010 Brown, D., & Symes, C. (2010). 'What’s the Latest?' Corporate Insolvency Statistics. Insolvency Law Bulletin.
2006 Mullins, F., Smith, A., & Symes, C. (2006). Privacy and the sale of customer lists in South African and Australian corporate insolvency law. Insolvency Law Journal, 14(2), 99-114.
2006 Symes, C. (2006). The insolvent company as criminal. Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 19(3), 316-328.
2005 Symes, C. (2005). Reminiscing the taxation priorities in insolvency. Journal of the Australasian Tax Teachers Association, 1(2), 435-449.
2003 Symes, C. F. (2003). A new statutory director’s duty for Australia - A ‘duty’ to be concerned about employee entitlements in the insolvent corporation. International Insolvency Review, 12(3), 133-145.
DOI Scopus1
1997 McMahon, R. G. P., Gerhardy, P. G., & Symes, C. F. (1997). Simplification or Obfuscation: Financial Reporting by Australian Proprietary Companies Now!. Small Enterprise Research, 5(2), 3-19.
DOI

Year Citation
2020 Symes, C., Fitzpatrick, J. F., Veljanovski, A., & Parker, D. (2020). Business and Corporations Law, 4th Edition. LexisNexis.
2019 Symes, C. F., Brown, D., & Lombard, S. (2019). Australian Insolvency Law (4 ed.). LexisNexis.
2017 Fitzpatrick, J., Symes, C., Veljanovski, A., & Parker, D. (2017). Business and Corporations Law, 3rd Edition (3 ed.). Australia: LexisNexis Butterworths.
2016 Symes, C., Brown, D., & Wellard, M. (2016). Australian Insolvency Law: Cases and Materials. Chatswood: LexisNexis.
2015 Symes, C., & Duns, J. (2015). Australian Insolvency Law (3rd ed.). Chatswood: LexisNexis.
2014 Fitzpatrick, J. F., Symes, C. F., Veljanovski, A., & Parker, D. (2014). Business and Corporations Law, 2nd Edition (2 ed.). Australia: LexisNexis Butterworths.
2013 Ciro, T., & Symes, C. (2013). Corporations Law: In principle (9 ed.). Australia: Thomson Reuters.
2012 Symes, C., & Duns, J. (2012). Australian insolvency law (5th ed.). Australia: LexisNexis Butterworths.
2011 Bradbrook, A., MacCallum, S., Moore, A., Grattan, S., & Griggs, L. (2011). Australian Property Law: Cases and Materials. Sydney: Thomson Reuters.
2011 Fitzpatrick, J., Symes, C., Veljanovski, A., & Parker, D. (2011). Business and corporations law. Chatswood, N.S.W: LexisNexis Butterworths.
2009 Ciro, T., & Symes, C. (2009). Corporations Law : In Principle (8 ed.). Pyrmont, N.S.W.: Thomson Reuters.
2008 Symes, C. (2008). Statutory priorities in corporate insolvency law : an analysis of preferred creditor status. Farnham, England: Ashgate Publishing Limited.
DOI Scopus2

Year Citation
2024 Symes, C. (2024). Sharing australia's cross-border insolvency experiences using the model law with the Arab world. In International Trade with the Middle East and North Africa Legal Commercial and Investment Perspectives (pp. 155-169). Routledge.
DOI
2016 Symes, C. (2016). National report for Australia. In D. Faber, N. Vermunt, J. Kilborn, T. Richter, & I. Tirado (Eds.), Ranking and Priority of Creditors (pp. 1-41). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
2015 Symes, C., Duns, J., & Brown, D. (2015). Australian Cross-Border Insolvency Law. In C. Symes, & J. Duns (Eds.), Australian Insolvency Law, 3rd edition (3 ed., pp. 437-479). Chatswood: LexisNexis.
2015 Symes, C., Duns, J., & Brown, D. (2015). Australian Cross-Border Insolvency Law. In C. Symes, & J. Duns (Eds.), Australian Insolvency Law, 3rd edition (3 ed., pp. 437-479). Chatswood: LexisNexis.
2013 Symes, C., & Fitzpatrick, J. (2013). National Report for Australia. In D. Faber, N. Vermunt, J. Kilborn, & K. van der Linde (Eds.), Treatment of Contracts in Insolvency (pp. 1-28). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
2013 Symes, C. (2013). Fair's fair in Australian insolvency, tacitly. In J. Sarra (Ed.), An exploration of fairness: interdisciplinary inquiries in law, science and the humanities (pp. 317-329). Canada: Carswell.

Year Citation
2012 Symes, C. (2012). National Report for Australia. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.

At present I have no teaching activities in 2025.

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 Co-Supervisor Dynamism in Australian Tax Law: An Evaluation of the Capacity of the Law to Address Current and Emerging Societal and Taxpayer Issues Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Michael Lewis Croft
2025 Co-Supervisor Who is Family? Reconsidering Familial Structures in Contemporary Succession Law Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Brooke Carolyn Washusen
2025 Co-Supervisor A Critical Analysis of Intergenerational Equity in Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Simon David Headland
2025 Co-Supervisor This PhD examines the growing misalignment between state and federal taxes in Australia, showing how it increases complexity, costs and unfair outcomes. It proposes reforms to create a more efficient, consistent and economically sound tax system. Master of Philosophy Master Part Time Mr Robert Lloyd Davis
2025 Co-Supervisor Who is Family? Reconsidering Familial Structures in Contemporary Succession Law Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Brooke Carolyn Washusen
2025 Co-Supervisor Dynamism in Australian Tax Law: An Evaluation of the Capacity of the Law to Address Current and Emerging Societal and Taxpayer Issues Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Michael Lewis Croft
2025 Co-Supervisor A Critical Analysis of Intergenerational Equity in Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Simon David Headland
2025 Co-Supervisor This PhD examines the growing misalignment between state and federal taxes in Australia, showing how it increases complexity, costs and unfair outcomes. It proposes reforms to create a more efficient, consistent and economically sound tax system. Master of Philosophy Master Part Time Mr Robert Lloyd Davis
2024 Co-Supervisor Fraud and Falsity in Migration Applications – Reviewing the Review Rights Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Kostiantyn Kuzmin
2024 Co-Supervisor Fraud and Falsity in Migration Applications Reviewing the Review Rights Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Kostiantyn Kuzmin
2023 Co-Supervisor Revival of the walking dead - a comparative and functional study of corporate rescue in four countries Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Preeti Nalavadi
2023 Co-Supervisor Revival of the walking dead - a comparative and functional study of corporate rescue in four countries Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Preeti Nalavadi

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2020 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Use of Part 5.3A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) for Improper Purposes and the Regime’s Objectives Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Paulina Fishman
2019 - 2021 Principal Supervisor Multinational Corporate Tax Avoidance In Australia & Australia’s Anti-Avoidance Law Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Max James Bruce
2019 - 2025 Principal Supervisor THE MEMBERS’ OPPRESSION REMEDY: CAN IT BE USED WHEN A COMPANY IS IN LIQUIDATION? SHOULD IT BE USED? Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Nadia-Ruth Hess
2018 - 2023 Co-Supervisor A new regulatory framework for insolvency practitioners in Australia: Assessing the effectiveness of the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016 (Cth) Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Catherine Robinson
2017 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Pursuing equity in the Australian superannuation system. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr John Harrison
2014 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Corporate Manslaughter and the Attempt to Reduce Work-Related Deaths: A Comparative Study of the United Kingdom, Australia and Malaysia's Legislative Framework Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Aida Abdul Razak
2013 - 2014 Principal Supervisor Predicting Firm Sustainability Through Governance: The Relational Corporate Governance Approach Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Francesco de Zwart
2013 - 2016 Principal Supervisor A Framework for Corporate Insolvency Taxation: The Crossroads of the Theoretical Perspectives in Taxation Law and Insolvency Law Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time APrf Sylvia Villios
2012 - 2013 Principal Supervisor Finding the Fiduciary: Recognition of the Director-Shareholder Relationship in Closely Held Companies Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time APrf Beth Nosworthy
2012 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Promoting an Optimal Corporate Rescue Culture in Australia: the Role and Efficacy of the Voluntary Administration Regime Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Jason Robert Harris

Date Role Board name Institution name Country
2021 - ongoing Chair Aquinas College Council Aquinas College, University Residential College Australia

Date Role Committee Institution Country
2002 - ongoing Member Law Council of Australia Insolvency and Reconstruction Subcommittee Law Council of Australia Australia

Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
2017 - ongoing Editor Australian Journal of Corporate Law LexisNexis Australia
2001 - ongoing Board Member Insolvency Law Bulletin Lexisnexis Australia

Connect With Me

External Profiles

Other Links