Describing the federal government’s income-averaging debt collection program as a “shameful chapter”, a judge has approved a $112 million settlement in the Robodebt class action, saying the agreement was fair and reasonable.
Investors who entrusted their retirement savings to deceased fraudster Melissa Caddick may launch a class action against the auditors that signed off on financial statements for the funds.
Combatting “opportunistic” class actions is one of the main drivers behind proposed legislation to reform Australia’s continuous disclosure laws, but the federal treasury department has brushed off a Senate committee’s request for a list of cases apparently deserving of the derogatory tag.
A top intellectual property barrister who has worked on cutting-edge cases that raise novel questions about the patentability of inventions has been appointed to the Federal Court.
To those who know Tim Finney as the talented solicitor who helped launch a successful law firm at the age of 34, it might come as a surprise to learn that the Litigation Rising Star once had a paying gig as a music journo meditating on, or grappling with, in his own words, “the eternal difficulty of capturing how the sound of sound affects us”, and other things ineffable.
The ACCC has cleared Woolworths’ planned $552 million acquisition of a 65 per cent stake in wholesale food distributor PFD Food Services without the supermarket giant’s proposed undertaking to maintain independence between the company for three years.
Volkswagen has asked the High Court to throw out a a landmark $125 million penalty over its emissions cheating scandal, the highest ever handed down in Australia for consumer law violations.
Ben Roberts-Smith took the stand on Thursday after publishers accused of defaming him detailed how the war veteran allegedly murdered six civilians and engaged in a cover up campaign, with the soldier saying he was “devastated” by the allegations.
Opal Tower builder Icon and structural engineer WSP Structures have been joined as defendants in a class action brought by property owners, who have also added a slew of consumer law claims to the complex proceedings.
Westpac has shot back at a lawsuit brought by ASIC over the selling of alleged poor value insurance products, with the bank saying its customers had agreed to take out the “optional” coverage.
For information on rights and reprints, contact subscriptions@lawyerly.com.au
