Court documents sought to be kept confidential in a case alleging professional misconduct against barrister Norman O’Bryan SC in his role as counsel for a class action over the collapse of Banksia Securities accuse the top silk of continuing to have an interest in the funder that bankrolled the proceedings after his wife was said to have sold her shares.
A judge has given his blessing to a landmark $212.5 million settlement of three class actions over the use of allegedly toxic firefighting foam at government military bases despite a “large number” of objections.
The settlement of three class actions brought against the Commonwealth of Australia over its alleged use of toxic firefighting foam on government military bases is facing an unusually high number of objections, pushing an approval hearing into a second day as dissenters voice their concerns in court.
Centrelink recipients eligible for a share of $721 million in refunds on debts paid as part of the controversial Robodebt scheme will not be asked to sign away their rights in an ongoing class action, but whether the Morrison Government will seek to shut down the case remains to be seen.
An appeals court has vacated orders sending opt out and registration notices to shareholders in a class action against AMP after a successful challenge by the lead plaintiff in a competing class action that was stayed after a high-profile litigation beauty parade last year.
A judge has rejected calls to keep confidential the details of professional misconduct claims against the funder and lawyers behind the Banksia Securities class action, in a ruling that revealed that investors of the collapsed lender could recover $30 million more if allegations against the legal team are established at trial.
A judge has ruled in favour of live exporters in a class action against the Federal Government, finding a total ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia in 2011 was “capricious and unreasonable”.
While companies and organisations have been given wide latitude to present their views to the new class action inquiry, submissions by independent professors are on a page-limit, further fueling speculation about the motives behind the Morrison government’s latest review.
Seismic changes are set to lead to fundamental changes in the economic feasibility and incentives of the various stakeholders involved. The option to charge contingency fees on class actions will provide the commercial imperative for adopting tried and tested advanced technologies and working practices on class action matters, says James Moeskops of Sky Discovery.
Treasury Wine Estates will seek to shut down a shareholder class action brought by Maurice Blackburn after accusing the law firm of breaching its obligations and using documents from a prior lawsuit against the global wine distributor in the current proceedings.