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.
The Commonwealth of Australia has called for the appointment of an amicus to scrutinise the $212.5 million settlement reached in several class action against it over allegedly toxic firefighting foam used on government military bases.
Johnson & Johnson has appealed a ruling awarding the three lead applicants in a class action over its pelvic mesh products a combined $2.6 million in damages, after a judge found the company failed to adequately warn women of the implants’ risks.
Police have launched a criminal investigation of the circumstances surrounding last month’s docking in Sydney of the Ruby Princess cruise ship, which is now linked to 11 deaths from COVID-19.
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.
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.
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.
The COVID-19 pandemic has opened the door to a host of potential class actions involving claims of government negligence, employment law, product liability and consumer law, one legal expert has said.
As the number of cases of coronavirus continues to rise and more people work from home, lawyers are predicting a jump in workers’ compensation claims, with 57 claims or notifications already lodged in NSW.
The judge overseeing the $212.5 million settlement in three toxic foam class actions against the Commonwealth of Australia has been told of at least one objection to the deal and has flagged difficulties taking submissions from opposing group members at an upcoming approval hearing.