Mach Energy faces $13M lawsuit by second fired exec
TOP STORY
Energy & Natural Resources March 20, 2019 12:43 pm By Christine Caulfield

Mach Energy is fighting a second lawsuit by a former director alleging he is owed $13 million in shares under an equity incentive scheme based on the performance of the Mount Pleasant coal project acquired from Rio Tinto in 2016.

Class action trial against WorleyParsons back on as new judge steps in
Class Actions March 20, 2019 12:55 pm By Miklos Bolza

Trial in a shareholder class action against engineering company WorleyParsons will be heard by a new judge in late August, six months after it was unexpectedly vacated.

ACCC decision on $15B TPG, Vodafone tie-up expected in May
Competition & Consumer Protection March 20, 2019 10:14 pm By Cat Fredenburgh

The ACCC will announce in May whether it will approve the proposed $15 billion merger of telco giants TPG and Vodafone Hutchison Australia, after the parties’ failure to comply with requests for information caused the regulator to suspend its timeline last month.

Other stories
Sandoz wins stay of $26.3M Lexapro judgment
Intellectual Property March 20, 2019 3:41 pm By Miklos Bolza

Generic pharmaceutical firm Sandoz has won a temporary stay of a $26.3 million judgment in a patent case as it awaits a decision by the Commissioner of Patents regarding a licence to make a cheaper version of the bestselling antidepressant Lexapro.

Receivers can pay priority claims of employees directly, judge rules
Construction March 20, 2019 10:32 pm By Christine Caulfield

Receivers, not just liquidators, can distribute assets to satisfy priority claims of an insolvent company’s employees, a judge has ruled, settling a question of law under the Corporations Act.

Whitehaven Coal fined $38k for hazardous fumes at blast site
Environment March 20, 2019 9:29 pm By Miklos Bolza

Australia’s largest independent coal producer Whitehaven Coal Mining has been convicted and fined $38,500 after potentially harmful gas drifted from one of its mines across neighbouring farmland.

ASIC to go after GetSwift’s former general counsel
Securities March 19, 2019 7:59 pm By Miklos Bolza

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission wants to add GetSwift’s former inhouse lawyer as a respondent in its enforcement action against the logistics company, as debate rages over whether a class action against the company should be postponed.

Judge won’t toss $17.5M Equititrust lawsuit against Tucker & Cowen
Restructuring & Insolvency March 19, 2019 11:34 pm By Cat Fredenburgh

A name partner at law firm Tucker & Cowen and the firm itself have lost their bid for summary dismissal of a lawsuit brought by the receiver of failed fund manager Equititrust seeking to recover $17.5 million allegedly acquired through deceptive means.

Prosecutors aim at ‘significant reduction’ in charges in Country Care cartel case
Competition & Consumer Protection March 19, 2019 2:53 pm By Miklos Bolza

The Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions has told the Federal Court it will “very significantly” reduce the number of criminal charges laid against mobility equipment supplier Country Care Group as the landmark cartel case heads to trial in October.

Judge wants four referees in toxic foam class actions
Class Actions March 19, 2019 9:25 pm By Cat Fredenburgh

The Chief Justice of the Federal Court wants four referees to weigh what’s expected to be voluminous expert evidence in three class actions against the Commonwealth of Australia over exposure to allegedly toxic foam used on a government military bases, saying with 60 class actions pending in the Federal Court, devoting a single judge to the case for months on end should be a “mechanism of last resort”.

Meat & Livestock takes aim at bovine gene patent after judge tossed ‘bizarre’ challenge
Intellectual Property March 19, 2019 12:29 pm By Cat Fredenburgh

Industry group Meat & Livestock Australia is challenging a ruling allowing US company Branhaven’s cow genome patent to proceed, after a judge called the group’s challenge […]

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ASIC wins case to wind up landbanking scheme Aviation 3030
Securities March 19, 2019 11:54 pm By Christine Caulfield

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has won its bid to appoint liquidators to solvent landbanking company Aviation 3030, with a judge saying ASIC’s public-interest […]

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Bird & Bird lawyer’s communications not privileged in IP fight over Golden Girls parody
Intellectual Property March 19, 2019 10:55 pm By Christine Caulfield

A judge has rejected a claim of legal privilege over emails at the centre of a copyright lawsuit over a puppet-show parody of the 80s […]

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