David Batt

A judge has OK'd a settlement in a class action against Treasury Wine Estates, along with $27 million in fees charged by Maurice Blackburn and Slater & Gordon, after initially questioning the difference between the firms' rates.

The Valuer-General of Victoria has won a High Court appeal against developer WSTI Properties over a $2.9 million valuation for a heritage property in Melbourne, which centred on the meaning of an “improvement” to the land. 

The owners of land acquired to build the Mordialloc Freeway have lost a bid for $52.8 million in compensation, with an appeals court affirming that they are only entitled to $2.24 million because of prior compensation paid on the land.

A judge has balked at Maurice Blackburn's hourly rates in a jointly run class action against Treasury Wine Estates, questioning why the firm charged 20 per cent more than fellow preeminent class action firm Slater & Gordon. 

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.

Class action settlements leaped in value last year, with three settlements topping the $200 million mark.

An appeals court has backed a decision by six Rio Tinto units to refuse delivery of alumina to Russia's largest aluminium producer because it would run afoul of sanctions imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine.

A contradictor appointed to represent group members' interests in relation to a $100 million settlement in a class action against AMP wants to shave $2.6 million off the funder’s cut, telling the court that deductions for ATE insurance and administrative fees should not be approved.

The funder of a class action by financial advisers against AMP is seeking a $28.5 million profit from a $100 million settlement, a hefty payout that has prompted the appointment of a contradictor but may survive the scrutiny in light of a recent appeals court decision.

A judge has appointed a contradictor for an upcoming settlement approval hearing in a class action by financial advisers against AMP over its buyer of last resort policy, saying the funder was taking a “very large” cut of the $100 million settlement.