As states across Australia grapple with lockdowns and rising COVID-19 cases, lawyers practising in a range of areas, from employment to insurance, are bracing for a fresh wave of pandemic-related litigation before the year is out.
The judge overseeing ASIC’s first COVID-19-related case has criticised personal lender ClearLoans’ delay in responding to the case, saying a change in the company’s legal representation was not an excuse for defaulting on court orders.
BlueScope has labelled “delusional” an argument by the competition regulator that alleged correspondence from a distributor about the steel company’s suggested higher prices was evidence of price-fixing.
Liberal MP Christian Porter has won his bid to block Nine and News Corp from using secret portions of ABC’s defence to his defamation allegations that the media giants accessed as intervenors in the former Attorney-General’s case.
Steel maker Bluescope’s claim that it didn’t engage in cartel conduct because it only encouraged distributors to set a price for its products would “eviscerate” cartel laws, the ACCC has told a court.
A judge has expanded a freezing order over assets owned by Forum Finance director Vincenzo Tesoriero to include property outside Australia, including a yacht in Miami dubbed “XOXO”, after Westpac raised concerns about non-disclosure.
US machinery manufacturer Caterpillar has won its appeal of a decision approving sportswear brand Puma’s ‘Procat’ trade mark application, with a judge finding “a significant number” of consumers might be confused by the mark.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority must develop policies to protect the environment from the threat of climate change, a judge has found in a significant victory for climate advocates.
US footwear company Crocs has taken Mosaic Brands to court for allegedly selling shoes that “flagrantly” copy the look of its unique 13-hole slip-on foam clogs.
National Australia Bank has been hit with a $18.5 million fine after admitting to allegations by ASIC that it failed to adequately disclose its adviser fees for five years.