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Market-based causation on the line as first shareholder class action judgment looms
The judge who presided over a rare securities class action trial last year against department store Myer will deliver judgment in the case this month that could be the first ruling on causation in Australian shareholder class actions and has the potential to have a chilling effect on law firms bringing the cases.
Full Court finds Bellamy’s cost-capping appeal ‘not strong’, but denies indemnity costs
A failed challenge by baby food maker Bellamy's Australia to a decision rejecting its application to limit legal costs in two class actions was "not strong", but was not so unreasonable as to put them on the hook for indemnity costs, the Full Federal Court has ruled.
After ASIC raises ire, judge sets down new rules for regulators in his court
ASIC and other government regulators bringing enforcement action in the docket of one Federal Court judge must abide by a strict new protocol to prevent a repeat of the corporate watchdog's "wait and see" strategy in a case against ex-Murray Goulburn directors that came close, the judge said, to bringing the administration of justice into disrepute.
ASIC’s belated case against ex-Murray Goulburn execs survives, but judge says never again
A judge has refused a bid by two former Murray Goulburn executives to throw out a disqualification case brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, despite admonishing the corporate regulator for its delay in bringing the case and establishing a protocol for regulators filing cases in his docket.
Ariosa secures leave to appeal Sequenom win over patent for prenatal test
US prenatal genetic test maker Ariosa Diagnostics has won its bid to appeal a ruling that its Harmony test infringed a patent owned by rival Sequenom.
‘That’s something that happens in Victoria’: NSW judge hesitant to reallocate VW class actions settlement approval
The judge overseeing multiple class actions against Volkswagen over its dieselgate emissions scandal has said he will “need persuading” before reallocating the settlement approval to a different judge, because “that’s something that happens in Victoria”.
Ex-Tennis Australia directors lose bid for ASIC chats with witnesses
Two former directors of Tennis Australia can't access chats between ASIC and other executives from the tennis body, with a judge finding the documents recording the communications with the potential witnesses were created in anticipation of litigation and were therefore privileged.
Federal Court approval of funding commission recognises risks faced by funders
In a recent decision, Federal Court Justice Jonathan Beach approved the settlement of the securities class action against Sirtex Medical. The approval included the judge making a common fund order and allowing funder IMF Bentham's commission in the amount of $10 million, namely 25% of the gross settlement sum of $40 million. In approving the commission, Justice Beach noted that the rate should properly provide a reward for the risks undertaken by the funder, writes IMF Bentham's Gavin Beardsell and Kate Hurford.
State Street can use evidence from Maurice Blackburn case in US suit against Fearless Girl artist
State Street Global Advisors has been given the go-ahead to use evidence unearthed in its trade mark and copyright action against Maurice Blackburn over the iconic Fearless Girl statue as evidence in a related US lawsuit against the sculpture's creator.
ACCC loses appeal in cartel case over coal mining licences
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has failed in its challenge to a ruling that dismissed its bid-rigging case over mining exploration licences involving Cascade Coal and the sons of jailed Labor politician Eddie Obeid.