Theme park worker’s refusal to take leave once a week unreasonable under JobKeeper, FWC says

Please login to bookmark Close

The refusal by a Village Roadshow Theme Parks worker to take one day’s annual leave every week while she is on the JobKeeper subsidy was unreasonable, and showed a lack of sympathy for the company’s plight during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fair Work Commission has found.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

Return-to-work anxiety looms for many lawyers

Please login to bookmark Close

The prospect of returning to the office may be increasing levels of anxiety among some lawyers, who work in a profession rife with mental health issues that have only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an industry mental health manager.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

Scotsburn bushfire class action settles for $10.5M

Please login to bookmark Close

A class action launched over the Scotsburn bushfire that burnt down 12 homes and ravaged over 4,000 hectares in Victoria in December 2015 has reached a $10.5 million settlement with agricultural machinery company Agrison and insurer Auto & General Insurance Company.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

Maurice Blackburn ‘stumbled’ on confidential info used in Treasury Wine class action

Please login to bookmark Close

A leading class actions lawyer from Maurice Blackburn “stumbled across” allegedly confidential information embedded in a Treasury Wine Estates’ shareholder presentation and used it in the law firm’s class action pleadings, a court has heard.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

Bianca Rinehart signals appeal in family feud over $4B trust

Please login to bookmark Close

The daughter of Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, has signalled an intention to appeal a decision staying proceedings against her mother for allegedly oppressive conduct in relation to the $4 billion family trust.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

Businesses rush to register COVID-19 trade marks, and not all are doomed to fail

Please login to bookmark Close

From a hand sanitiser called Covidfighter to delivery services branded The Quarantine Concierge, the coronavirus pandemic has led to numerous trade mark applications to IP Australia seeking to capitalise on the outbreak. And while some applications will be expensive failures, others have good prospects for success, say Spruson & Ferguson’s Blake Knowles and Rhiannan Solomon.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

Fourth class action inquiry in six years exposes sharp divides

Please login to bookmark Close

A new parliamentary inquiry into the class action regime in Australia will go ahead as planned, Attorney-General Christian Porter said Wednesday, a move backed by defence firms as strongly as it was denounced by lawyers for plaintiffs.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

ACCC can expand cartel case against BlueScope

Please login to bookmark Close

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has won court approval to bring new claims against BlueScope Steel for allegedly seeking to induce competitor OneSteel to engage in cartel conduct.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

One case prevails in battle over competing Westpac AUSTRAC class actions

Please login to bookmark Close

A contest of two competing shareholder class actions against Westpac over millions of alleged anti-money laundering breaches has ended with one law firm and its funder bowing out.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

Judges pan lawyers for ‘disgraceful’ treatment of family shut out of Malaysia Airlines class action

Please login to bookmark Close

The Full Federal Court has slammed as “disgraceful” the handling of a class action claim by the family of an Australian national who was killed aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, as the family appeals a decision that blocked them from participating in the settlement of the proceedings.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?