A Federal Court judge has praised an attempt by Shine Lawyer’s head of litigation to create an audio-visual opt out notice for its insurance class action against Westpac, but jokingly remarked that her performance would not win her any acting plaudits.
Arguing that the court should not be “baulking at problems that have the potential to occur”, counsel for a class action against Ford is pushing back against a bid by the car maker to put the brakes on an upcoming virtual trial the company says will be too difficult and costly.
Personal healthcare giant PZ Cussons is seeking indemnity costs from the ACCC, claiming the regulator unreasonably rejected a settlement offer in its case over an alleged laundry detergent cartel.
A judge has approved a notice in a class action against Westpac alerting group members that an “expense sharing order” will be sought by the applicants if or when the case settles, the first ruling of its kind since the High Court struck down common fund orders.
Westpac is still locked in mediation with AUSTRAC over allegations that it committed over 23 million breaches of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws, with the bank’s hopes of moving to a penalty hearing in the early part of the year fading.
A hearing has been vacated in ACCC proceedings brought against Sony alleging it misled gamers who purchased faulty PlayStation games, with any penalty the entertainment company should face to be decided by the court on written submissions alone as it seeks to avoid in-person hearings.
The Australian Olympic Committee has taken a local microbrewery to court for allegedly violating its intellectual property by featuring the AOC coat of arms on its products and packaging without permission.
For the lawyers conducting the committal hearings in the criminal cartel case over ANZ’s $2.5 billion equity raising, the Sydney Downing Centre courtroom was already too close for comfort.
An employee in Allens’ Brisbane office may have been exposed to the coronavirus, according to the firm, which has ordered that all staff begin working remotely as of Wednesday.
The number of lawyers working at home continues to grow as the coronavirus spreads in Australia, with four law firms ordering staff to pack up and work from home, and more expected to follow their lead.