Competition & Consumer Protection
Firms that team up to avoid class action beauty parade could breach competition law: judge
A judge that granted carriage of a Google ad tech class action to Maurice Blackburn and Phi Finney McDonald has reiterated concerns that such cooperative arrangements between firms could breach competition law.
Fintech
iSignthis, director hit with $11M in penalties in ASIC case
A judge has handed iSignthis and its director $11 million in penalties for failing to give adequate disclosures and giving misleading information to the ASX, saying reliance on legal advice was no reason to reduce the fine.
Trials
Trial over Cosette’s termination of $672M Mayne Pharma merger delayed
Mayne Pharma and US drug maker Cosette have agreed to postpone the start of trial in a case over the termination of a $672 million merger to allow for late amendments.
Privacy & Cybersecurity
Privacy regulator takes Optus to court over data breach
The Office of Australian Information Commissioner has brought civil penalty proceedings against Optus over a 2022 data breach that affected up to 10 million people, as the telco also faces a class action and related proceedings by the media regulator.
M&A
Invesco acquires RetireAustralia for $845M
Invesco’s global real estate business will acquire retirement village operator and owner RetireAustralia for $845 million.
Business of Law
Gilbert + Tobin’s head of corporate advisory to join Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Gilbert +Tobin’s executive partner and corporate advisory head Tim Gordon will join Corrs Chambers Westgarth’s corporate practice based after almost 20 years at G+T.
Defamation
Rebel Wilson repeated ‘false and derogatory’ statements after lawsuit, court told
A lawyer representing a production company that alleges Rebel Wilson “deliberately undermined” the distribution of her movie, The Deb, says the director repeated “false and derogatory statements” after the suit was filed.
Class Actions
Judge ‘troubled’ about binding Coles, Woolworths class actions to ACCC trial findings
A judge overseeing class actions against Coles and Woolworths over alleged illusory discounts has raised concerns about a bid to bind group members to findings in similar cases by the ACCC.
Politics
Convicted rapist MP Gareth Ward can’t halt expulsion motion in NSW Parliament
An appeals court has rejected a bid by NSW MP and convicted rapist Gareth Ward to block state parliament from expelling him until any appeals against his conviction are determined.
Intellectual Property
Uber win ‘guts’ Allotz’s infringement case over surge pricing patents, court told
A court ruling for Uber that found hotel management software maker Allotz's surge pricing patents were invalid has gutted its infringement case against former lawyer Francis Galbally, a court has heard.
