‘Disrespectful to the court’: Judge swipes at insurer for radio silence

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The judge overseeing a suite of cases brought by holidaymakers who were seriously injured in a fatal bus collision in Vanuatu has hit out at QBE for ignoring queries about an insurance policy, as the defendants in the case scramble pass the buck for the crash. 

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No scope in Patents Act for holding directors jointly liable for unjustified threats: court

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A letter by King & Wood Mallesons was an unjustifiable threat of patent litigation against car accessories company Clearview, as was an announcement by the firm’s client MSA, but MSA’s director cannot be held liable as a joint tortfeasor under the Patents Act, a judge has found.

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Businesses look to head off penalties for Modern Slavery Act violations

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The Business Council of Australia has advised the government that civil penalties are not necessary to ensure compliance with the Modern Slavery Act, saying a proposed Anti-Slavery Commissioner should not impose “additional bureaucratic burdens” on businesses. 

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Employers, workers to come to blows over WFH this year

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Expect more legal battles this year over the right to work from home, with employees continuing to demand flexibility but businesses starting to push back, according to legal experts.

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Talent scout settles suit with Teneo alleging she worked 16-hour days

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A former talent count for global CEO advisory firm Teneo has resolved a lawsuit against her former employer alleging she endured 16-hour workdays and was exposed to a toxic, male-dominated work culture.

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Ochre liquidator can serve missing directors by email, judge says

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A judge has given a liquidator the green light to use substituted service to serve court documents on two directors of failed iron ore producer Ochre Group whose exact whereabouts are unknown, amid concerns about transactions leading up to the company’s collapse.

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Bickfords squeezes out Frucor’s ‘Real McCoy’ trade mark

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Australian beverage company Bickfords, which makes ‘Real McCoy’ whiskey mixed drinks, has successfully opposed rival drink maker Frucor Suntory’s bid to trade mark the same name for a fruit juice product, with an IP Australia delegate finding the beverages were similar.

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Qube can draw on $7M in spat with Martinus over interstate rail project

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Martinus Rail cant stop logistics company Qube from calling on $7 million in bank guarantees as part of a dispute over the construction of the Moorebank Interstate Intermodal terminal and rail project, after a judge rejected the argument that drawing on the funds would contravene the Security of Payment Act.

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Enough already! Greed, hubris and indifference in the time of Banksia

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In the appeal that uncovered the Banksia class action scam I was a lawyer for – and the son of – the group member who dared to object to the $64 million settlement. What followed came to be known as the darkest chapter in Victoria’s legal history, but have we really learned our lesson?

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