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Class closure ‘deadlock’ may be headed to High Court, expert says
Courts have taken differing views on whether they should order class closure, which requires group members to register for a class action, and the "deadlock" may require High Court intervention or legislative amendment to be resolved, an expert has said.
Retail Food Group to pay nothing to settle Michel’s Patisserie class action
The law firm and funder that ran a class action against Retail Food Group on behalf of current and former franchisees of its Michel's Patisserie chain will be out of pocket, after the company agreed to a settlement under which it will pay nothing.
Victoria Supreme Court judge a ‘convert’ on group costs orders
A judge on the Supreme Court of Victoria says he is a ‘convert’ on group costs orders, which allow law firms running class action to earn a cut of any settlement or judgment, saying GCOs will give better returns to group members and that conflicts can be managed.
Full Court awards $24.5M commission to 7-Eleven class action funder
The Full Federal Court has found the court's recently-affirmed power to make common fund orders at settlement means the litigation funder that backed two class actions against 7-Eleven is entitled to a $24.5 million cut from a $98 million settlement, in a decision that slammed the parties for a settlement approval process that "went off the rails", costing group members $2.5 million.
Law firms to join forces, avoid fight in KFC underpayments class action
Two law firms behind underpayments class actions against Kentucky Fried Chicken have dodged a contest to run the litigation, agreeing to join their cases alleging the fast food giant denied tens of thousands of workers rest breaks.
Court won’t keep settlement figure secret in Palm Island class action
A judge has rejected a bid to keep the settlement sum under wraps in a class action against Nine over its coverage of litigation related to the 2004 Palm Island riots, noting that a “ballpark” figure is already open to be deduced from the settlement deed. 
In discontinuing COVID-19 class action, judge weighs in on when a case is over
Proceedings are capable of being determined by the act of filing a discontinuance, a judge has said in approving an application for the discontinuance of a class action over Fire Rescue Victoria’s COVID-19 risk management practices. 
Isuzu, Mazda face class action investigation over allegedly faulty suspension
Isuzu and Mazda are facing a class action investigation over alleged ‘bump steer’ defects in three popular car models. 
$230M junior doctors settlement shows employment class actions ‘viable and attractive’, experts say
A landmark $230 million settlement in an underpayments class action on behalf of junior doctors in NSW shows employment group proceedings are “viable and attractive” and may encourage more players to pursue representative cases on behalf of workers, according to class action experts.
Funder’s ‘very large’ cut from $100M AMP class action settlement warrants contradictor: court
A judge has appointed a contradictor for an upcoming settlement approval hearing in a class action by financial advisers against AMP over its buyer of last resort policy, saying the funder was taking a “very large” cut of the $100 million settlement.