Magister Legum - LLM / The number of environmental offences taking place continues to increase each year. Despite the special position of responsibility occupied by directors as the ‘directing mind and will’ of the companies responsible for the commission of these offences, directors appear to continue to be shielded unconditionally behind the separate legal personality of the company. This thesis consists of a thorough examination of existing environmental laws, as well as the Companies Act 71 of 2008 and the King IV Report on Corporate Governance, to determine whether the provisions contained therein may be interpreted so as to depart from the principle of separate legal personality (as provided for by corporate law) in order to hold directors personally liable for environmental transgressions.

Duty of members of elected bodies and other persons to prevent threatened insolvency of business corporation and consequences of breach of the duty Abstract This diploma thesis deals with the area of civil, commercial and insolvency law. It focuses in particular on the duty of directors of a business corporation and other persons to prevent threatened insolvency with emphasis on the legal regulation of the consequences of breach of such duty. This diploma thesis is divided into four main chapters, where the most important one is the second chapter. The chapters in the diploma thesis flow continuously and logically which facilitates the reader's orientation in the subject. The first chapter defines the basic terms related to the discussed topic which are subsequently used throughout the diploma thesis. Emphasis is placed on the duty of care, whose breach is a prerequisite for the application of the sanctions described in the second chapter. The second chapter deals with the consequences of the breach of the duty to prevent threatened insolvency. The consequences are analysed in detail and the issues over which the legal consensus is missing are set out in the analysis. Different views on these uncertain points in the legislation are set out, and the thesis takes a critical approach in this matter and...

專門職業過去向以其負擔無限責任豎立專業形象，然英美等大型訴訟的發生反使得專業人士成了求償的「深口袋」，這正是英美有限責任合夥制度產生的濫觴。 英美的有限責任合夥立法初衷，係為律師、會計師等專業人士承擔無限責任尋求解套的途徑，而面對我國專門職業者如律師、會計師等，亦遭遇大案，面臨無限責任沈重負擔之際，本論文嘗試從英美法制，尤其是以美國法制為著眼點，尋求制度引進的可行性。事實上令專業負有限責任，在美國尚可組成專業公司或有限責任企業，然此兩種制度除了稅制考量外，也較偏向公司經營管理，甚至因為可以公開招募而容易觸動聯邦證券交易法的干預，也因此，有限責任合夥延續舊有合夥法律關係的組織特性，廣受傳統上以合夥成立的專業組織所青睞。 以美國有限責任合夥法制而言，其本質為合夥，因此其優勢為保有合夥諸多彈性自由的管理規則，賦予合夥人廣大的協議空間，另一方面使合夥人僅負有限責任，免除無限責任的負累，然反面觀之，其最爭議者在於債權人保護的疑慮，美國於2001年爆發恩隆弊案，涉案的安達信會計師事務所正是於伊利諾州註冊登記為有限責任合夥，有限責任合夥在恩隆案中於是受到前所未有的考驗，事實上在美國各州，也透過保險、獨立基金的設置甚至揭開面紗法則適用不同程度保障債權人。 相較之下，英國的有限責任合夥法制，則以公司法為其內涵，因此有限責任合夥法受到更多的管理與限制，除了內部管理沿襲合夥的規定外，在事務執行及破產清算等，均需依循公司法規的管制，在債權人保護上英國法則直接在其有限責任合夥法規定成員擔保及資產取回的機制。 本文認為在立法走向上，得借鏡美國法制，另立新法，使有限責任合夥維持其合夥本質，並賦予法人格，且加強債權人保護之配套措施，期能提供專業組織架構的另一選擇。 / Professionals such as accountants and lawyers used to keep its reputation by taking unlimited liability. However, such unlimited liability makes these professionals to be deep pockets, as the result of the frequent lawsuits in recent years. Due to this reason, adopting limited liability partnership (LLP) seems to be the solution. LLP is a form of doing business, combining the feature of a limited corporation and the flexibility of a general partnership. LLP in United Kingdom and United States all granted the privilege of limited liability to the innocent partners, also keeping their personal assets apart from the creditors’ claim. LLP is available to all types of business in UK; however, in some US states, the LLP is only available to specific licensed professionals. Because of the character of the limited liability, protecting the interest of the creditors would be the most significant problem. To solve this dilemma, US adopt several methods such as using the insurance, doctrine of piercing the veil and creating the asset segregation to balance the interest between the professionals and the creditors. In UK, the company law and insolvency law all tried to cover LLP, in order to keep the LLP’s assets as a guarantee to creditors; such laws also request to disclose important business information of prospective risks to the public. Besides, both UK and US laws require the word “LLP” must be specified in the name of any LLP organizations. In 2001, the Enron scandal was a shock to the world. Arthur Andersen, a well known LLP accounting firm which provides dishonest service for Enron, has triggered the debate of whether LLP is still appropriate. Therefore, my study is going to analyze the pros and cons of LLP in the following chapter. Because of the unlimited liability is the only choice for professionals in Taiwan, we are going to learn from the UK and US laws. As for my conclusion, it is necessary enact an LLP Act to provide an alternative to the professionals.

The right to education is entrenched in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. The Constitution, together with various policy documents, provides guiding principles for the transformation of higher education in South Africa. Several universities were placed under administration, before and after the attainment of democracy in South Africa. The independent assessors reports on these institutions have one thing in common, namely that they point out poor administration and ineffective corporate governance practices. Despite many commendable initiatives by Government since 1994 to improve an apparently flawed higher education system, some aspects could be enhanced further, especially concerning corporate governance and governance accountability. Council members and the executive management of higher education institutions are subject to common law fiduciary duties and duties of care and skill. However, their accountability for breaches of these duties is not always clear and is seldom enforced. There is a need to balance effective accountability and the exercise of discretionary powers that are integral to effective governance and management. This thesis considers how corporate governance and compliance in higher education can be improved further, taking into account various legislative changes to the Higher Education Act 101 of 1997, direction provided by the Companies Act 71 of 2008 and the Banks Act 94 of 1990 in respect of the regulation of directors’ duties. An in-depth investigation into the relevant provisions of these Acts was not intended nor undertaken. Rather, the thesis draws from these Acts so that the problems concerning corporate governance in the higher education sector may be dealt with. The regulation of higher education in the foreign jurisdiction of the State of Georgia in the United States of America and in the Canadian province of Ontario was also considered. Based on the research undertaken, specific amendments are proposed to the Higher Education Act of 1997 and the Regulations for Reporting by Public Higher Education Institutions 2014, which are aimed at improvin higher education. / Die reg op onderwys word in die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 1996 verskans. Riglyne vir die transformasie van hoër onderwys in Suid-Afrika word in die Grondwet en verskeie ander beleidsdokumente vervat. Voordat en nadat ‘Suid-Afrika demokraties geword het, is verskeie universiteite onder administrasie geplaas. Luidens die onafhanklike assessore se verslae, het hierdie instellings een ding gemeen gehad: swak administrasie en ondoeltreffende korporatiewe regering. Ondanks talle prysenswaardige stappe van die regering sedert 1994 om die probleme in die hoëronderwysstelsel te ondervang, kan bepaalde aspekte steeds verbeter, in die besonder korporatiewe regering en regeeraanspreeklikheid. Raadslede en lede van die uitvoerende besture van hoëronderwysinstellings is verplig om hulle gemeenregtelike fidusiêre pligte en hulle sorgvuldigheids- en kundigheidsplig na te kom. Hulle verantwoordingspligtigheid in geval van pligsversuim is egter dikwels vaag en word selde afgedwing. Die juiste ewewig moet gevind word tussen doeltreffende verantwoordingspligtigheid en die uitoefening van diskresionêre magte wat onlosmaaklik deel is van doeltreffende korporatiewe regering en bestuur. In hierdie tesis word gekyk hoe korporatiewe regering en nakoming in hoër onderwys verbeter kan word met inagneming van verskeie wysigings van die Wet op Hoër Onderwys 101 van 1997, riglyne in die Maatskappywet 71 van 2008 en in die Bankwet 94 van 1990 aangaande die pligte van direkteure. Geen grondige ondersoek na die toepaslike bepalings in hierdie wette is beoog of gedoen nie. Hulle word eerder gebruik om oplossings vir die probleme met korporatiewe regering in hoër onderwys te vind. Hoe hoër onderwys in die Amerikaanse deelstaat Georgia en die Kanadese provinsie Ontario gereël word, is eweneens in ag geneem. Wysigings van die Wet op Hoër Onderwys van 1997 en die Regulations for Reporting by Public Higher Education Institutions 2014, wat poog om verantwoordingspligtigheid en voldoening in hoër onderwys te verbeter, word voorgestel. / Ilungelo lokufunda liqukethwe uMthethosisekelo woMbuso waseNingizimu Afrika, wangonyaka ka 1996. UMthethosisekelo, kanye neminye imibhalo eyahlukahlukene yemigomo, inikeza umhlahlandlela wemigomo yokuguqulwa kwamaziko emfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika. Amanyuvesi ahlukahlukene amiswa futhi, ngaphambili nangemuva kokuthola idemokhrasi eNingizimu Afrika. Imibiko yabaphenyi bamanyuvesi abazimele inophawu olufanayo, lokuthi iveza ukungahanjiswa kahle kohlelo lokuphatha kanye nokungalandelwa kwezingqubo zokuphatha amabhizinisi. Yize kunemizamo eminingi encomekayo evela uHulumeni kusukela ngonyaka ka 1994, imizamo yokuthuthukisa uhlelo lwemfundo ephakeme olwehlulekayo, ezinye zezimpawu zaqhubeka nokuqiniswa, ikakhulu lezo ezimayelana nokuphathwa kwamaziko kanye nokuziphendulela kwamaziko. Amalungu omkhandlu kanye nesigungu sabaphathi bamaziko emfundo ephakeme bayaphoqeleka ukulandela umthetho ngokuthi benze imisebenzi ngokuthembeka okuyimisebenzi emayelana nokunakekela kanye namakhono okusebenza. Yize-kunjalo, ukuziphendulela kwabo uma bephula imithetho kaningi akucaci kahle kanti le mithetho ayivamisile ukuqiniswa. Kunesidingo sokulinganisa uhlelo olusebenzayo lokuziphendulela kanye nokusebenzisa amandla okuphatha onikezwe wona, okungamandla ayinsika ekuqiniseni uhlelo lokuhanjiswa kahle kwamaziko kanye nokuphathwa. Le thesis iqonde ekutheni ngabe uhlelo lokuphathwa kwamaziko kanye nokulandelwa kwemithetho emazikweni emfundo aphakeme kungathuthukiswa kanjani, uma kubhekwa izinguquko zomthetho ezahlukahlukene, kuMthetho 101 weMfundo Ephakeme ka 1997, uma kubhekwa indlela enikezwa uMthetho 71 weziNkampani ka 2008 kanye noMthetho 94 wamaBhange ka 1990 mayelana nomthetho wemisebenzi yabaqondisi. Akukaze kube nenhloso futhi kwenziwe uphenyo olujulile mayelana nemithetho efanele yale Mithetho. Kunalokho, ithesisi yencike phezu kwaleMithetho ukuze izinkinga ezimayelana nokuphathwa kwamaziko emkhakheni wemfundo ephakeme zidingidwe kahle. Umthetho wemfundo ephakeme esiyingini somthetho sangaphandle se-State of Georgia ngase-United States of America kanye nasesifundazweni saseCanada ngase-Ontario nawo uye wabhekwa. Ngenxa yocwaningo olwenziwe, sekuye kwaphakanyiswa ukuthi kube nezinguquke ezithile eMthethweni weMfundo ePhakeme ka 1997 kanye naseMithethweni yokuBika yamaZiko eMfundo ePhakeme oMphakathi ka 2014, okuyimithetho ehlose ukuthuthukisa izinga lokuphatha okunokuziphendulela kanye nokulandela umthetho wemfundo ephakeme. / Mercantile Law / LL. D.