Ashurst has become the latest law firm to be ensnared in the underpayments scandal affecting Australian businesses, with the firm admitting to underpaying a number of staff covered under the legal services award.
Litigation funder IMF Bentham has shrugged off concerns about the High Court’s recent ruling on common fund orders, telling investors that it’s in a position to take over some class actions from funders daunted by the prospect of bookbuilding.
The judge who last month approved a $29 million settlement in a consumer class action against Radio Rentals has held that courts have power to order part of a settlement sum to go to charitable causes where distributing the funds to group members is too hard or impossible.
A new superannuation bill working its way through the Federal Parliament should include a right of action for employees to seek damages against businesses that fail to make super payments, according to a Maurice Blackburn partner.
The lead applicant in a class action against 7-Eleven has appealed a ruling that denied its bid to block the convenience store chain from seeking litigation releases from franchisees upon renewal of their contracts.
A subsidiary of Fortescue Metals Group has prevented one of its long-held mining licences from falling into the hands of rival Gina Rinehart, with the Western Australian Supreme Court overturning a state government decision voiding the licence because of an 89 second technical delay.
Mortgage lending and investment company RMBL has agreed to pay $3 million to settle a class action alleging it charged excessive fees on loans and made misleading representations under its contributory mortgage fund scheme.
BlueScope’s decision to hide its trade secrets has doomed its patent infringement lawsuit against South Korean rival Dongkuk Steel, with a judge dismissing the case and invalidating two of the steel giant’s patents.
The lead plaintiffs in two shareholder class actions against Dick Smith can amend their case against accounting firm Deloitte, less than two months before a mammoth hearing is set to commence.
An IOOF subsidiary has appealed a $76.6 million judgment finding it breached its duty in the sale of a 46,000 hectare plantation by collapsed forestry giant Gunns Group and shooting down its cross claim seeking to pass liability onto law firm Sparke Helmore.