Trials
Aussie brokers ‘planted seeds’ to push junk insurance, class action trial told
Counsel representing a class action on behalf of thousands of Aussie Home Loan customers has told a trial judge brokers "planted seeds" to convince customers they needed to take out worthless mortgage protection insurance.
Business of Law
Gilbert & Tobin says line between real estate, infrastructure has ‘all but disappeared’
Gilbert + Tobin has launched a dedicated multidisciplinary real assets team to advise pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and others on real estate and infrastructure investments, saying the line between the investment classes has "all but disappeared".
Construction
Asset freeze stays against developer in $133M Babylon Apartments row
A court has extended urgent freezing orders against the developers of the $133 million Babylon Apartments in the north-west Sydney suburb of Rouse Hill, in a dispute over a builder's payment debt.
KPMG
ASIC launches review of Big 4 audit complaints amid KPMG scandal
The fallout from the KPMG leaks scandal has widened, with the corporate regulator launching a review of audit complaints to the Big 4 accounting firms.
Class Actions
Sydney sinking homes class action settles on eve of trial
A class action on behalf of Sydney homeowners who allege their homes are sinking into the ground has reached an in-principle settlement, two weeks out from trial.
Coles
Jellycat accuses Coles of selling knockoff plush Christmas toys
Viral plush toy maker Jellycat has fired off an IP suit against Coles, claiming the supermarket sold poorer quality, copycat versions of its popular anthropomorphic Christmas tree and wreath soft toys.
Analysis
New unfair trading practices ban will add to ‘class action arsenal’, experts say
A new ban on unfair trading practices could significantly broaden the scope of consumer class actions, with experts predicting plaintiff firms will use the reforms to pursue claims over conduct that has until now fallen outside the reach of misleading or deceptive conduct laws.
Trials
Keybridge directors deny board minutes about $4.75M CEO bonus a ‘concoction’
Three Keybridge Capital directors have rejected claims that board minutes documenting a $4.75 million bonus to former CEO Nicholas Bolton were a post-hoc "concoction”, saying they accurately reflected an agreement reached during a nine-minute meeting in 2023.
Employment
Cor Cordis loses fight over ex-managing partner’s fraud claims
Cor Cordis has lost its bid to strike out claims by the former chair of the insolvency firm that it "confected" reductions in work in progress to avoid paying his full retirement entitlements.
ASIC
ASIC seeks penalties against adviser linked to First Guardian
The corporate regulator is seeking penalty and disqualification orders against a financial adviser whose businesses allegedly earned $37 million for spruiking the collapsed First Guardian fund, a court has heard.
