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With ‘hesitation’, judge OKs $300M settlement in J&J class actions
A judge has approved a $300 million settlement in two pelvic mesh class actions against Johnson & Johnson and unit Ethicon -- the largest settlement in the history of Australian product liability group proceedings -- but a $100 million deduction for legal costs has yet to get the greenlight. 
Boston Scientific’s $105M settlement approved in pelvic mesh class action
Boston Scientific's $105 million settlement of a class action over its pelvic mesh devices has secured court approval, but the costs billed by the law firm running the case will face further scrutiny.
Trade mark reputation not relevant in deceptive similarity cases, High Court rules
The reputation of a registered trade mark and its owner is not relevant in assessing the deceptive similarity of a challenged mark, the High Court has found, clarifying the test for infringement under a section of the Trade Marks Act.
Bayer can take another crack at ‘scientific knowledge’ defence in Essure class action
A class action against Bayer over its Essure contraceptive has lost a bid to knock out the pharmaceutical giant’s defence that argues any defects in the device could not have been discovered given the state of scientific knowledge at the time the implants were sold in Australia.
Barry Nilsson poaches team from Sparke Helmore for insurance group
Boutique law firm Barry Nilsson has snagged five senior lawyers, including a partner, from Sparke Helmore to join its Adelaide insurance team as part of a broader expansion strategy. 
New allegations OK’d on eve of trial in Bayer Essure class action
A class action against Bayer over its Essure device has won court approval to add new allegations, including that the contraceptive caused sexual dysfunction, with a judge finding the new claims could not have taken the German drug maker by surprise.
Melbourne doctor whose WFH request was denied loses discrimination suit
A Melbourne doctor who was not allowed to work from home following an injury has lost his disability discrimination suit against his former employer, and was ordered to pay over $570,000 to the practice for his absences.
TFS pelvic mesh class action reaches partial settlement
A class action filed on behalf of women injured by allegedly defective pelvic mesh products has reached a settlement with the insurer of defunct device maker TFS Manufacturing.
High Court won’t hear HarperCollins’ deep sleep defamation appeal
The High Court has declined HarperCollins' special leave application seeking to appeal a decision that revived a psychiatrist's defamation case over a book about the controversial deep sleep therapy at the Chelmsford Private Hospital in the 1970s.
In first beauty parade of its kind, law firms compete to manage $300M J&J settlement
Sixteen law firms and accounting firms have thrown their hat in the ring to administer a $300 million settlement in two class actions against Johnson & Johnson over pelvic mesh devices that injured thousands of women.