PricewaterhouseCoopers

Maurice Blackburn has lost a long-running fight with the Australian Taxation Office over a tax bill on two massive class action settlements secured by the firm for thousands of Black Saturday bushfire victims.

Maurice Blackburn’s battle with the Australian Taxation Office over a tax bill on class action settlements for thousands of Black Saturday bushfire victims went to court Tuesday, and the landmark case may turn on whether or not the law firm’s administration of the settlement distribution scheme counts as a business.

Lawyers are advising large companies to look hard at their business plans to keep on the good side of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission now that the enforcer has a new arsenal to deploy.