Contingent nature of deal with law firm no excuse for liquidator’s late approval bid: court

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A judge has refused to retroactively approve a conditional costs agreement between a liquidator and a Sydney law firm to pursue claims against a former director and employee of defunct project management firm AJW, rejecting as misconceived the claim that approval had utility only after a settlement.

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Finish maker Reckitt won’t drop court battle with Proctor & Gamble

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Finish detergent maker Reckitt Benckiser has thrown the latest punch in a long-running grudge match against rival Proctor & Gamble, with RB challenging a ruling that it made misleading claims about its popular dishwashing product.

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‘No safe level of exposure’ to Roundup, class action tells court

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A class action against agrochemical giant Monsanto has told the court that there is “no safe level of exposure” to carcinogens allegedly present in the company’s popular weed killer Roundup. 

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‘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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