The High Court has quashed a search warrant obtained by the Australian Federal Police and used to raid a News Corp journalist’s home, but did not go so far as to order the return or destruction of documents obtained in the raid.
The coronavirus has forged changes in the legal profession that will outlast the pandemic itself, leading to greater flexibility and efficiencies in an industry steeped in tradition and notably slow to adopt new technologies, sources told Lawyerly.
As law firms and funders scramble to keep up with COVID-19’s impact on the legal landscape, some have gone above and beyond in creating new technological and service solutions for clients in these unprecedented times.
With the legal industry looking for ways to “share the pain” among staff amid a potential slowdown in work due to the coronavirus, several top-tier firms told Lawyerly they had no immediate plans to slash salaries or reduce staff hours.
With a large number of lawyers now working from home amid the coronavirus crisis, law firms are getting creative, turning to virtual yoga, cocktail deliveries and more to maintain the health and well-being of their staff.
Ashurst has brought on former Deloitte senior partner Philip Hardy to help launch its consulting arm to compete with the big four firms, and the law firm says Hardy’s experience will be an asset as it manages the challenges of COVID-19 on clients’ businesses.
A judge has criticised as “meretricious” and “ridiculous” opposition by Commonwealth Bank of Australia to a discovery application by a former general manager who claims he lost his job for blowing the whistle on alleged manipulation of staff bonuses.
Telstra has won its battle with Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane over a planned upgrade of its payphone network across Australia, with a judge ruling the teleco did not need planning permits to install the next generation, digital phone booths.
The maker of Vagisil feminine hygiene products has appealed a ruling that denied its bid to stop a European competitor from registering Vagisan as a trade mark in Australia.
The lead applicants in seven class actions against auto manufacturers over explosive Takata airbags have criticised the courts for losing their way in ensuring justice is done, in a landmark challenge to class closure orders made in the cases.