Courts
Class action pioneer from Maurice Blackburn will ‘strive for fair’ as new judge
As the head of Maurice Blackburn's class actions group he helped win hundreds of millions of dollars for claimants and shaped the jurisprudence around the practice. As the Victorian Supreme Court's newest judge, Andrew Watson has promised to keep up the fight for fair.
Class Actions
Westconnex class action paused as funder feuds with lead plaintiff
A class action against Transport for NSW over the alleged fraudulent acquisition of land to construct the $16 billion Westconnex tunnel in Sydney has been put on ice until the funder and the lead plaintiff can resolve a potential dispute.Â
Financial Services
Macquarie Bank hit with $10M penalty over financial adviser’s theft
 Macquarie Bank has agreed to pay a $10 million fine in proceedings brought ASIC after the bank admitted that it failed to monitor third-party withdrawals, resulting in a financial adviserâs theft of $2.9 million.
Class Actions
Protest class action loses bid for confidential information from Victoria Police
A class action targeting Victoria Police over its use of capsicum spray against protesters has lost its bid to uncover confidential information about police crowd control tactics, after a judge found disclosure of the information could âendanger the publicâ.
Insurance
ASIC appeals loss in landmark case over unfair insurance contracts
The corporate regulator is appealing a judgment that tossed its landmark action against Austo & General Insurance, saying the judge erred in construing an unclear and disproportionate term in the insurer's house and contents policy.
Arbitration
Icon forced into arbitration with ANSTO over $27M waste facility at Lucas Heights
A judge has shut down a case by Icon against Australia's nuclear agency over the $27 million construction of a waste treatment plant at Lucas Heights, saying the dispute should be determined by an arbitrator despite the parties waiving pre-arbitration steps.
Class Actions
Judge OKs $16M Dixon Advisory class action settlement, awards competing funder a sliver
A judge has signed off on a $16 million settlement in a class action against Dixon Advisory, but the funder of a competing case that was stayed after losing a beauty parade has earned a fragment of the $1 million it sought from the resolution sum.
Legal Ethics
Lawyer repping Reynolds in case against Higgins cops fine for professional misconduct
A prominent Perth lawyer acting for ex-defence minister Linda Reynolds in defamation cases against former staffer Brittany Higgins and her partner has been fined and reprimanded for two counts of professional misconduct in a separate matter.
Courts
NSW court avoids mention of preferred pronouns in latest practice note
The NSW Supreme Court has issued a practice note on forms of address that fails to invite parties to inform the court of their preferred pronouns, unlike two other state courts, one of which came under fire from 'Harry Potter' author JK Rowling last year.
