Marcus Pesman

Apartment owners in Sydney's Alcove St Ives development have won extra time for evidence ahead of an expert huddle in a $123 million defects suit against a unit of builder Meriton.

A judge has vacated an upcoming trial in a $27 million lawsuit against a unit of Coronation Property over alleged defects in a Liverpool high-rise.

Builder Shinetec has argued $48 million paid to the developer of a $185 million project in Sydney by Bank of China under a standby letter of credit was money it lent to the collapsed developer, with a judge seeming to agree the sum would otherwise be a windfall.

A judge has clarified a warning he made to refer lawyers for Alvarez & Marsal to the legal watchdog after hearing of the hefty costs of complying with discovery orders won by rival EY, saying the threat wasn't directed at counsel.

A judge has flagged the possibility of referring lawyers acting for Alvarez & Marsal to the legal watchdog after hearing the consultant's costs of complying with preliminary discovery orders won by Ernst & Young could top $500,000.

The owners corporation of a 98-unit Parklea development by defunct builder Dyldam Developments have appealed a ruling that found time was up on its insurance claim for building defects in a property completed 17 years ago.

A judge has hit Dyldam Developments' former boss Sam Fayad and his two sons with costs after ordering them to pay $50 million in a case by the liquidator of a special purpose vehicle, but awarded costs to payment intermediaries for the liquidator's "manifestly weak" case against them. 

EY may seek damages against rival consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal after it won preliminary discovery to pursue possible claims over a mass departure of partners and staff from its international tax practice. 

Parkview Constructions is looking to settle a second case over alleged combustible cladding at Australia Towers in Sydney Olympic Park.

The judge in a class action against KPMG and ex-Arrium directors has made soft class closure orders, but chosen the longer period offered by the defendants, saying the risk of locking out unregistered members was no reason to pick an “unrealistically early” date to re-open the class.