A judge has ordered Qantas to hand over instructions it gave to its solicitors at Herbert Smith Freehills that underpinned advice over the airline’s decision to sack 1,700 ground crew during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Merivale will fork over $18 million in a proposed settlement to resolve an employment class action against the hospitality giant, of which $8.6 million is sought to be deducted in legal fees and a funder’s commission.
Qantas has been hit with a $250,000 fine for standing down a health and safety representative who directed co-workers to cease unsafe work during COVID-19, with a judge saying the airline’s conduct was “shameful” and designed to “advance its own commercial interests”.
Optus has paid a $1.5 million penalty after an investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority revealed breaches of public safety rules.
Government consulting firm Scyne Advisory has brought legal action to stop a partner from jumping to the professional services arm of infrastructure giant Downer EDI.
The mother of murder victim Shandee Blackburn has lost her bid to have a judge decide ahead of trial whether acquitted suspect John Peros suffered serious harm from Facebook posts that allegedly accused him of being a murderer.
US digital giant Meta has lost its challenge to registration of the trade mark ‘Ausface’ by Clive Palmer’s Mineralogy, with a delegate saying the chance of consumers confusing the mark with Meta’s Facebook was a “mere possibility”.
A judge has quashed the OAIC’s decision to reject a second class action-style complaint filed over the massive Optus data breach, finding the Privacy Act does not bar second-in-time proceedings.
Downer EDI has named KPMG in a cross-claim in a class action by shareholders, a move the accounting giant says has forced it to resign as auditor for the infrastructure services company.
A judge has ordered a litigation funder bankrolling an investor class action against Virgin Australia to show evidence it can meet a $10 million agreed indemnity with the airline, saying it was not being transparent about its financial position.