Deloitte has lost its appeal of a ruling in a shareholder class action over the collapse of Hastie Group that compelled the production of audit files taken by a partner from the accounting giant’s litigation room, in a ruling that described the actions of the partner as “bordering on contempt” and slammed Deloitte for “cynically” exploiting the situation.
A ruling is expected Thursday in an appeal by the partnership of Deloitte over the production of audit files that were apparently stolen from the accounting giant’s litigation room, a high-stakes decision that will clarify the limits of a partnership’s right to claim privilege against self-incrimination.
A former Norton Rose Fulbright partner has lost his bid to block King & Wood Mallesons and two barristers from representing the law firm in a long-running feud over his termination, with an appeals court calling his allegations against the legal team “unfounded and misconceived”.
A Federal Court judge has ordered Westpac to pay a $9.15 million penalty after one of its financial advisers breached the best interests duty by giving customers bad advice that resulted in millions in losses.
German cladding manufacturer 3A Composites has again threatened to call for the de-classing of a class action brought over allegedly combustible cladding, slamming the case against it as “simply shambolic” and the conduct of the applicant as “utterly irresponsible”.
The ABC and Fairfax have lost their bid to file an amended defence in defamation proceedings brought by Chinese businessman Chau Chak Wing, several months after the Full Federal Court upheld a ruling striking out out the publishers’ truth defence.
Lawyers for Norton Rose Fulbright have flagged their “very real concerns” about further delays to a long-running dispute with a former partner, who has indicated the will try to appeal a ruling partially granting him leave to appeal a discovery decision in the case.
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”.
Publisher Pan Macmillan and nightclub magnate John Ibrahim have reached a $100,000 settlement in a defamation case brought by Sydney identity Thomas Domican over what a judge called a “fleeting reference” in Ibrahim’s autobiography.
German-based 3A Composites has issued an ultimatum in the high-stakes combustible cladding class action against it, saying it will try to shut down the matter as a representative proceeding if group member registration and opt out are not initiated.