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Class actions throw up all manner of ethical conundrums, but a recent Federal Court decision has shined a light on the question of whether funders and law firms should take out loans to run class actions and whether they can charge the costs to group members.
A class action brought on behalf of sovereign bond investors over the disclosure of climate change risks has settled with the government on terms that don’t preclude further proceedings, a court has heard.
A judge overseeing a class action against Suncorp subsidiary AAI has questioned whether the "uncertain" plan B of a law firm seeking a 25 per cent group costs order was artificially uncertain to increase the relative appeal of its contingency fee bid.
A judge asked to approve a $50 million settlement in a consumer credit insurance class action against the Commonwealth Bank has questioned a $2.5 million deduction for professional services firm Deloitte.
Shine Lawyers has lost its bid to recover $32 million in interest on a loan it took out to run two pelvic mesh class actions against Johnson & Johnson, with a judge finding it would make a “marginal settlement less than reasonable”.
ANZ's $47 million settlement of a class action over its consumer credit insurance has been given the nod by a judge, who has also approved recovery of the cost of after-the-event insurance held by the law firm running the case.
The lead plaintiff in a class action by dealers over a decision to retire the Holden brand has settled its claim with General Motors, but is set to remain as the lead plaintiff in the case.
Defending a class action by dealers over a decision to retire Holden, General Motors argues it would have been forced to close the unprofitable plant that manufactured the vehicles for the Australian market even absent the 2020 withdrawal of the iconic brand.
A judge overseeing a class action over the Optus data breach will order the Information Commissioner to appear in court to explain the “delay and uncertainty” surrounding a number of representative complaints before the OAIC which are hampering the court proceedings.
Slater and Gordon has agreed to consolidate its data breach class action against Medibank with one brought by Baker McKenzie, after the judge overseeing the cases railed against competing class actions.