Christine Caulfield

Russian company UC Rusal has lost a High Court leave bid after an "extremely harsh" finding that Rio Tinto was entitled to refuse alumina deliveries because of export sanctions.

A group costs order giving class action solicitors a percentage cut of the proceeds of a case is a factor in weighing whether proceedings should be transferred from Victoria to a state in which such an order could not operate, the High Court has ruled.

Liquidators of collapsed engineering company Hastie Group have brought proceedings against Hall & Wilcox, the law firm for the company's previous liquidators.

Are group costs orders a factor in deciding a bid to transfer a class action? Can the orders survive the move to an inhospitable state? These questions are to be decided by the High Court Wednesday, in a ruling that will clarify the relevance and reach of Victoria's contingency fee regime.

Law firm Holding Redlich faces a possible adverse costs order for racking up what a judge said were "out of hand" fees following the settlement of a property dispute.

The High Court won't hear Bayer's appeal of an invalidity finding over patents for blood thinner Xarelto, despite the company's claim the decision has "profound" consequences for drug R&D.

Fonterra, which has taken cheese maker Bega to court to resolve a dispute over the dairy company's plans to exit the Australian market, is resisting a bid for discovery in the case.

A barrister who won her defamation case over A Current Affairs' reporting on a cavoodle custody battle is challenging an order in favour of her former solicitors over contested costs.

Liquidators of collapsed developer Crown Group have brought legal action against the company's partner in a joint venture to build a residential tower in Melbourne's Southbank, seeking to force a sale of the property.

As the High Court hears oral arguments this week on the reach of power to make common fund orders for firms and funders bringing class actions, Lawyerly gives a cheat sheet on what the justices could do.