Barristers

A judge has slapped payday lenders BSF, Cigno and their directors with a combined $7 million in penalties for engaging in unlicensed credit activity, finding a lower penalty was appropriate given they had relied on legal advice from Piper Alderman.

Former ACCC chair Allan Fels says the competition regulator appears to have a strong misuse of market power case against Mastercard, but noted the credit card giant may raise arguments about two-sided markets in defending the claims.

Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith has won bail under strict conditions after persuading a NSW judge there were exceptional circumstances in favour of releasing him from custody pending trial.

A judge has rejected a bid to amend a shareholder class action against Beach Energy, saying the way the applicant had articulated its case on loss by reference to an expert report was “apt to lead to confusion”.

Accenture has lost its bid for summary judgment in a former HR exec's case alleging she was booted from her role after raising concerns the company could be liable for $40 million in backpay.

Builder Watpac has lost its bid for a separate hearing on whether a guarantee provided to the developer of Sydney's One Central Park is time-barred, with a judge saying the question should wait until $180 million in defects claims are determined.

APAC issued a default notice to Dexus' infrastructure fund manager for a purported breach of a shareholder agreement during a share sales process to "get rid of" it, a trial has heard.

Glencore has failed on appeal in a case against Port of Newcastle, with an appeals court finding the coal company could not rely on submissions in litigation leading up to a final determination of the port's access charges.

Former silk Norman O’Bryan argued Thursday for no prison time after pleading guilty in a criminal case over his role in the Banksia Securities class action. And he could win the argument, with a judge saying she was considering a community service sentence.

A Toorak developer has been barred from calling on nearly $500,000 in security, with a court finding an allegation against contractor Kronstruct was “irrational and misconceived" and did not result in the alleged $1.6 million loss.