Most Recent
Full Court to decide whether employment class actions ever allowed
The question of whether judges have the power to hear employment cases as representative proceedings is headed to the Full Court after a union raised the issue as it battles to have its underpayments case against McDonald's run instead of a Shine Lawyers class action.
Judge troubled by class action firm’s costs, union’s delay in rival McDonald’s cases
A judge is weighing up a law firm’s high legal costs against a union’s "bizarre" delay in a stoush over who should run a case against McDonald’s alleging 100,000 workers were denied rest breaks. 
News Corp, Ten seek to prove Higgins’ rape claims in Bruce Lehrmann defamation case
Network Ten and News Corp have mounted truth defences in response to a defamation suit by accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann, arguing the claim that he raped fellow Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in 2019 is substantially true.
Judge wary of Bruce Lehrmann cross-examination in limitations stoush
A judge has expressed “reluctance” at a bid for accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann to face cross-examination at an upcoming hearing over whether his defamation claims against Network Ten, News Corp and two journalists should be tossed for being brought out of time.
Barry Nilsson poaches team from Sparke Helmore for insurance group
Boutique law firm Barry Nilsson has snagged five senior lawyers, including a partner, from Sparke Helmore to join its Adelaide insurance team as part of a broader expansion strategy. 
Court won’t allow suit over $200M in Lendlease purchase options
An appeals court has dismissed a challenge in a lengthy legal drama between the children of one of Australia’s richest families, finding that a lawsuit over $200 million in Lendlease purchase options was not brought in good faith.
Inpex loses bid for split trial in spat with insurers over Ichthys LNG defects
Japanese oil company Inpex has lost its bid for a split trial in a dispute with insurers AIG Australia and Mitsui Sumitomo over coverage for litigation related to defects at the $45 billion Ichthys liquified natural gas project in the Northern Territory.
Remarks from bench show Full Court judges lean in favour of CFOs
Two judges on the Full Court bench hearing arguments over power to make common fund orders when approving class action settlements appeared to tip their hand on Monday, chipping away at a High Court judgment that has sowed deep division.
Judge doubts Scenic Tours’ de-classing bid in cruise class action
A judge has questioned a bid by cruise operator Scenic Tours to water down a class action brought over a series of European cruises that went ahead in 2018 despite a record-breaking drought that saw river levels drop so low they became impassable.
‘Court is not a place for their sport’: Judge slams stoush between funder, class action applicant
A judge has ordered a litigation funder and the lead applicant in a settled class action to personally mediate a stoush over expenses, saying he doubted the applicant's $1.2 million claim and said the court is "not a place for their sport”.