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S&P class action judge to hear fight over evidence of fraud
A class action over S&P’s rosy ratings on risky financial products faces a preliminary fight over the relevance of expert evidence that seeks to prove fraud on the part of the ratings agency.
CIMIC loses appeal against insurers over coverage for Iraq bribery cases
Insurers have won a challenge to a declaration that engineering firm CIMIC could make claims under policies for costs arising from corruption cases, including a $32 million class action settlement.
McDonald’s opposes ‘skewed’ employee samples in underpayments class action
McDonald’s has raised concerns about a “skewed” sample of employees for the initial trial in a class action alleging the fast food giant denied shift managers compensation for pre- and post-shift work.
In first, court finds non-bank lender Firstmac breached DDO obligations
In a win for ASIC, the Federal Court has found that non-bank lender Firstmac Limited breached the design and distribution obligations, introduced in 2021, by marketing a managed investment scheme that could be unsuitable for customers’ financial needs. 
DePuy class action member loses challenge to compensation, 12 years after settlement
A group member in a class action against Johnson & Johnson unit DePuy International has lost his bid to challenge his compensation determination 12 years after the case settled, with a judge finding that the independent counsel conducting the determination was not bound by the rules of procedural fairness.   
McDonald’s says it can set off claims in class action over unpaid pre-shift work
McDonald’s has hit back at a class action over alleged unpaid work done by managers before and after shifts, saying it paid more than the minimum entitlements and is entitled to set off those payments against claims for compensation. 
Union can take payout from any settlement in McDonald’s class action, says judge
A judge is planning to consolidate an employee class action and a union case against McDonald’s, saying the union can take a payout from any settlement, similar to how a funder receives a commission. 
‘At least unwise’: Emails show silk’s reaction to Higgins’ refusal to assist Chrysanthou in defamation case
Newly released emails show a prominent silk describing Brittany Higgins’ refusal to assist Lisa Wilkinson’s barrister Sue Chrysanthou as “at the least unwise”, amid a dispute over the TV presenter’s decision to hire her own legal team in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case. 
Judge vindicates Lisa Wilkinson’s decision to ditch Ten’s legal team
A judge has found that Lisa Wilkinson acted reasonably in ditching Network Ten’s legal team in a defamation case brought by Bruce Lehrmann, noting the “distrust” between the presenter and her former employer as well as other matters, including a retainer Ten's solicitors had with The Australian newspaper. 
Lisa Wilkinson begged Ten to admit role in Logies speech after media backlash, court told
The Project presenter Lisa Wilkinson has told a court that she begged Network Ten to admit its role in a controversial Logies speech for which she faced criticism in the media, as she pushes to have the network cover her costs in defamation proceedings brought by Bruce Lehrmann.