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Judge rejects NAB’s bid for class closure in Walton class action
The judge overseeing an $100 million class action against NAB over the collapse of Walton Construction has rejected the bank’s bid for soft class closure ahead of mediation.
Second class action against Quintis wants settlement half to cover legal costs
Citing the significant time and costs invested in the litigation, the applicant in the second filed class action over the collapse of Quintis wants his half of a $4.37 million settlement with the sandalwood producer to fund ongoing costs in what remains of the case.
Hyundai, Kia must produce docs to class action, can’t get by with ‘sample set’
Hyundai and Kia have been ordered to produce further documents to allow a class action to investigate the nature and extent of alleged engine defects, with a judge rejecting the car makers’ bid to produce only a sample set of documents.
United Petroleum wins appeal of ruling security would stifle franchisee class action
A court has overturned a decision that franchisees bringing a class action against United Petroleum should be spared a security for costs order, saying there wasn't enough evidence to conclude that the case would otherwise be stifled.
Flex commission class action pleadings ‘inappropriate and unhelpful’, says judge
A judge has criticised the pleadings in class actions against ANZ, Macquarie and Westpac over flexible commission schemes for car dealers, saying they were "inappropriate and unhelpful" in referring to documents in the banking royal commission. 
Funder’s payout in AMP class action should be shaved by $2.6M, court told
A contradictor appointed to represent group members' interests in relation to a $100 million settlement in a class action against AMP wants to shave $2.6 million off the funder’s cut, telling the court that deductions for ATE insurance and administrative fees should not be approved.
Contingency fee rates may rise in wake of Slater & Gordon win
A ruling this week that kept intact a contingency fee rate of 27.5 per cent sought by Slater & Gordon to run a shareholder class action against G8 Education might encourage law firms to seek higher percentage payouts at the outset of group proceedings in Victoria.
Carnival denies Ruby Princess passenger had ‘horrible’ time on ill-fated cruise
Carnival PLC has denied that a passenger, whose husband contracted COVID-19 and had to be put on a ventilator, had a “horrible” time aboard the ill-fated Ruby Princess, in a class action’s appeal of a finding that she was only entitled to $4,000 in damages.
Class action firms can breathe easier after first contingency fee win
Class action settlement approval hearings are not a time for the court to second guess a law firm's contingency fee as set down in a group costs order, a judge has found, but the question of proportionality is still key, and evidence of a firm's return on investment and hourly fees may be relevant to the final decision.
$12.8M payday for Slater & Gordon as judge blesses first class action contingency fee
A judge has signed off on the first-ever settlement allowing a law firm to earn a contingency fee, approving a $12.8 million cut for Slater & Gordon in a shareholder class action against G8 Education.