Law firm’s ‘overly combative manner’ prompts independent counsel appointment in bushfire class actions

Please login to bookmark Close

A judge will appoint an independent barrister to determine the allocation of settlement proceeds between insured group members and their insurers from two St Patrick’s Day bushfire class actions, finding that the ‘overly combative’ conduct of law firm Maddens warranted the appointment despite the extra costs involved.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

McGowan says Clive Palmer can’t defend truth of criminal cover up imputation

Please login to bookmark Close

Billionaire Clive Palmer cannot defend the truth of alleged defamatory imputations that Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan tried to “cover up” criminal acts and was “corrupt”, the premier’s barrister has told the court.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

Banksia funder’s son would have confided in friend had he known of dad’s deception, court told

Please login to bookmark Close

The son of the funder behind a class action at the centre of scandalous misconduct claims says he would have sought advice from a family friend if he had realised his father and counsel leading the case were misleading the court to inflate their profits from a $64 million settlement.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

Whistleblower laws don’t apply retrospectively, judge says in ANZ bank trader’s case

Please login to bookmark Close

A judge has thrown out the portion of a lawsuit brought by an ANZ trader who was sacked in 2015 that was brought under enhanced whistleblower protections that took effect in 2019, saying the civil remedy provisions do not apply retrospectively.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

ASIC accuses forex broker Union Standard of exposing Chinese customers to criminal charges

Please login to bookmark Close

ASIC has launched civil penalty proceedings against Union Standard International Group and its former authorised representatives alleging the embattled Sydney-based forex broker traded in margin products with Chinese clients despite knowing it was illegal under Chinese law.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

Spotless on the hook for redundancy entitlements after High Court declines special leave

Please login to bookmark Close

The High Court will not hear cleaning services giant Spotless Group’s challenge to a ruling that found it must pay redundancy entitlements to a group of workers it sacked.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

Melbourne cafe to hand over $646,000 to court in fee spat with law firm

Please login to bookmark Close

Bourke Street cafe Barfly’s has agreed to hand over $646,250 to the court in trust in an ongoing spat over its legal bills with a law firm that negotiated a $2.4 million settlement for the cafe in a negligence case.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

Designer drops ‘ill-advised’ lawsuit over bikini style trade mark

Please login to bookmark Close

Women’s fashion designer Pinnacle Runway has cut its losses and dropped its challenge to a ruling that found a rival’s use of the name ‘Delphine’ to describe a bikini style did not constitute trade mark infringement, after a judge hit the company with indemnity costs for pursuing the ‘ill-advised’ lawsuit.

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

APRA trims $250M additional capital requirement for Allianz

Please login to bookmark Close

Save (0) Please login to bookmark Close Username or Email Address Password Remember Me The prudential regulator has reduced a requirement that Allianz Australia hold an extra $250 million in capital by $100 million, noting steps the insurer had taken to improve its risk management. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority imposed the additional capital requirement…

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?

Clock’s ticking for Mayfair companies to obtain legal representation

Please login to bookmark Close

Embattled Mayfair Group director James Mawhinney is under pressure to secure legal representation to defend his companies against a misleading and deceptive conduct case brought by ASIC, but the Big Six firm he has in mind has yet to commit. 

Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.

Already a subscriber?
Lost your password?