Maurice Blackburn and Phi Finney McDonald have sidestepped a competing class action battle in the high-stakes litigation against Commonwealth Bank of Australia over alleged breaches of money laundering laws, with the firms proposing to jointly lead a consolidated class action against the bank.
Two founders of the Kaden Boriss international network of law firms have had a copyright case over the company’s name and logo thrown out, after a heated spat between partners led to the break-off of the group’s Sydney office.
Australian online retailer Catchoftheday.com.au has lost its challenge to a trade mark proposed by a riva online store, with IP Australia citing a lack of evidence for the retailer’s claims and a “total impression of dissimilarity” between the marks.
Bannister Law has stepped down from leading a shareholder class action, the second major class action the firm has recently handed over to a rival firm without explanation.
Westpac-owned BankSA has admitted that convicted Ponzi schemer Michael Samra withdrew funds at “near excess” of the bank’s limits and had insufficient money to honour cheques drawn on his company’s bank account.
A Dick Smith shareholder has lost his bid to bring a separate proceeding against the failed home goods retailer while two class actions are afoot.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia chief Matt Comyn has pointed the finger at his predecessor, Ian Narev, for the bank’s selling of credit insurance to ineligible customers, claiming the former CEO failed to heed advice and stop selling the products.
The scope of the government’s power to detain individuals is “a matter of considerable public importance”, a judge has said, shooting down the Commonwealth’s bid for costs after it won the dismissal of a class action brought on behalf of asylum seekers who allege they were unlawfully imprisoned in Australian immigration detention centres.
Law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has launched a shareholder class action against engineering and infrastructure firm RCR Tomlinson after “catastrophic” losses caused by $57 million in write-downs on two of the company’s North Queensland solar farms.
Energy drink giant Monster Energy has dropped its challenge to a ruling allowing alcoholic spirits wholesaler Fernbrew to trade mark the term ‘Real Beast’ for alcoholic beverages.
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