Agriculture

The law firm running the Montara oil spill class action, which has settled for $192.5 million, is looking for a new lead applicant after the first one defected over concerns group members would lose half the settlement amount to legal costs and a funding commission.

Group members in a class action against Fonterra are set to reap about $13 million from a $25 million settlement reached with the dairy company, following deductions including the costs of the litigation funder’s after-the-event insurance.

A litigation funder has abandoned its case seeking to prevent counsel retained by the lead applicant in the settled Montara oil spill class action from providing independent legal advice.

A former director of sandalwood producer Quintis, who is suing the company’s top brass over statements made to the corporate regulator, has won unrestricted access to legal advice the executives sought to keep a lid on.

Fonterra has agreed to shell out $25 million to settle a class action by dairy farmers alleging they were underpaid when Fonterra slashed milk prices and sought a “clawback” in 2016.

US animal health giant Zoetis has offered to shed assets to win competition clearance for its proposed takeover of NSW-based pet drug maker Jurox.

The High Court has dismissed a constitutional challenge by an animal welfare group to legislation banning publication of secret recordings, ruling that the law’s protection of privacy did not violate the activists’ freedom of speech.

Nufarm Australia has successfully challenged a herbicide patent application by Dow Agrosciences’ successor on the grounds that the invention – aimed at limiting the worldwide problem of vapor drift – is neither new nor innovative.

Agricultural chemical company Nufarm has appealed a decision giving rival Advanta Seeds extra time to pay a renewal fee for its patent for a hybrid plant cell after correspondence from its lawyers was sent to employees that had left the company and the patent renewal fell through the cracks.

Two insurers have won an appeal that blocks group members in a class action against sandalwood producer Quintis from receiving a further $11.25 million after a settlement was reached almost two years ago.