Judges

Fifteen former Macquarie Bank financial advisers are looking to expand their $2.6 million wages case against the bank, seeking evidence around allegedly unreasonable and unlawful deductions from their commissions.

Explosives maker Dyno Nobel has reached a mid-trial settlement in its case against its major rival, Orica, over a patent for a method for blasting rock at open cut mines.

The liquidators of failed Gold Coast investment group Octaviar have been given the thumbs up to reject over $900 million in proofs of debt from two of the firm's subsidiaries after the Queensland Supreme Court ruled they had received competent legal advice on the matter and were justified in the rejections.

The special purpose liquidator appointed to four companies in the collapsed James Estate Wines group has been given the go-ahead by a judge to enter into a litigation funding arrangement with the conglomerate's former director and pursue $57.1 million in potential claims against ANZ Banking Group.

A challenge against the election of federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and embattled Liberal MP Gladys Liu may be heard by a panel of three judges, Federal Court Chief Justice James Allsop said Tuesday, as the matter speeds towards a possible November hearing.

A judge has given Sydney businessman Charif Kazal a third and final opportunity to replead his “simply incomprehensible” case against Gilbert + Tobin over the law firm's involvement in a business dispute concerning a lucrative waste facility, despite saying it took “an entire week to understand the arcane obscurities” of the pleading.

A major property development CEO accused of paying his Filipino nanny $2.33 an hour has denied underpayment allegations, instead claiming the woman was a “guest of the family” who was “free to decide” whether or not she wished to provide domestic assistance.

The judge overseeing competing employment class actions on behalf of casual coal miners against WorkPac has ordered the law firms running the cases to consider a proposal to jointly run the proceedings.

A judge has appointed provisional liquidators to ‘Diamond Joe’ Gutnick’s mining company Merlin Diamonds, after finding evidence of "serious mismanagement" and citing an urgent need to investigate the company's books.

Three syndicates of Lloyd's London have failed in their bid to toss a case brought by National Australia Bank seeking £357 million ($655 million) in insurance claims relating to two consumer redress schemes in the UK.