Former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith is fighting to shield medical records Fairfax says should be made public to “safeguard open justice”, as trial in his defamation case against the publisher faces further delay due to COVID-19 border restrictions.
Law firms have railed against proposed legislation to ensure group members receive 70 per cent of any recoveries from class actions, saying the reforms were designed to “cripple” group proceedings.
The Morrison government has released draft legislation claimed to “promote a fair and reasonable distribution of class action proceeds” that includes a proposed 30 per cent cap on the amount funders and lawyers can recoup.
A judge has spoken of his personal challenge as an “older, white male” in deciding the objective meaning of racism in Nine Network sports reporter Erin Molan’s defamation case, and said the matter would have been worthy of a trial by jury.
A law firm representing a property developer in an investigation of a potential class action against failed asset manager Blue Sky Alternative Investments is seeking access to the firm’s insurance documents to decide whether it is “worthwhile” to launch proceedings.
A $78 million class action against National Australia Bank and Walton Construction seeking compensation for sub-contractors after the company’s collapse has halted as lawyers scramble to comply with the managed investment scheme requirements for funded class actions implemented by the Morrison government.
Health experts have told a court hearing a challenge to a requirement that certain workers get the COVID-19 jab that vaccinations are an effective tool in the fight against the coronavirus, despite the global surge of ‘breakthrough’ infections caused by the outbreak of the highly-infectious Delta strain.
Slater & Gordon has been hit with a lawsuit filed by a former client who alleges the plaintiffs law firm’s conduct prevented him from suing the federal government for psychiatric injuries suffered at the Manus Island refugee processing centre.
As Australia’s largest cities prepare to emerge from lockdown, law firms are doubling down on their efforts to vaccinate staff, with some going so far as to implement a ‘no jab, no office’ policy.
Victoria’s health and safety regulator WorkSafe has filed proceedings against the state government over alleged health and safety breaches relating to last year’s disastrous hotel quarantine program failures which kicked off the state’s second wave of COVID-19.
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