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Aristocrat’s 6-year battle to patent Lightning Link poker machine ends in defeat
A judge has ruled gaming giant Aristocrat Technologies cannot patent its Lightning Link electronic poker machine, after six High Court Justices split on whether the popular game was eligible for patent protection.
Indigenous fishing rights class action against NSW could cover 15,000 people, court told
A class action against the New South Wales government alleging it discriminated against Indigenous communities on the south coast for engaging in cultural fishing practices will include up to 15,000 people, a court has heard.
Noumi can’t keep lid on PwC report in ASIC case
A former director of Noumi has won his challenge to the food manufacturer’s claim for legal professional privilege over a PricewaterhouseCoopers report commissioned by its lawyers at Ashurst, with a judge finding the company waived privilege by disclosing it to Australian Securities and Investments Commission. 
Invisalign wins appeal against penniless SmileDirectClub over teeth straightener claims
Dental aligner maker Invisalign has won an appeal of a decision rejecting its case accusing SmileDirectClub of misleading consumers, but the appeals court noted that the prospect of a new trial was “remote” after its competitor went under.
ASIC launches appeal in landmark case over Finder Wallet’s cryptocurrency
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is challenging a decision that Finder Wallet did not need a financial services licence to sell its defunct cryptocurrency product.
Postgrads class action faces knockout bid as UTS flags novel fight
An underpayments class action brought by postgraduate research candidates at the University of Sydney is facing another summary dismissal bid from the federal government, as the university foreshadows a novel argument that the group members are not employees.
Qatar Airways passengers can’t sue airline over strip searches
A judge has summarily dismissed a case by five passengers against Qatar Airways that alleged the airline was liable for invasive examinations conducted by Qatar police after a newborn baby was found in a bin at the Doha airport. But the case is allowed to continue against subsidiary MATAR.
Judge approves GCO in James Hardie class action, says funded cases ‘more expensive’
A judge has approved a group costs order in a shareholder class action against building materials giant James Hardie Industries, giving firm Echo Law a 27.5 per cent cut of any proceeds from the case.
Dumpling chain fined $4M for ‘calculated scheme to rob employees’
The collapsed companies behind dumpling chain Din Tai Fung have been hit with over $3.8 million in penalties after a judge found they engaged in a “a calculated scheme to rob employees of their hard-earned wages and deceive the authorities”.
Genuine redundancy exception to unfair dismissal not a given, court says
The allowance for genuine redundancies is “not absolute” and employers need to consider measures to redeploy workers, including retraining, an appeals court has said in an unfair dismissal case involving 22 mining workers.