Boutique class actions law firm Phi Finney McDonald has won its bid to reserve costs incurred before its case was permanently stayed in the AMP shareholder class action beauty contest, after the firm racked up at least 1,345 hours in “sunk costs”.
A judge overseeing competing consumer class actions against AMP over superannuation fees said he would be “reluctant” to hold a contest between the two cases, as the applicants in the rival proceedings tell the court they are in talks about possible consolidation.
Slater & Gordon has struck back against allegations by a former senior solicitor that he was fired after making complaints about the law firm’s arrangement with a third-party funder for personal injury clients, denying any unethical practices and arguing the lawyer’s termination was part of a cost-cutting restructure.
The Commonwealth Bank must overhaul its privacy practices as part of a court-enforceable undertaking with the Australian Information Commissioner following two data breaches.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is appealing the dismissal of its case over Pactific National’s purchase of Aurizon’s Acacia Ridge Terminal in Queensland, challenging the Federal Court’s power to accept Pacific National’s last-minute promise to ensure access to the major freight terminal by competitors.
Malaysia Airlines has reached a settlement with five Australian families whose loved ones were killed when flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine by a Russian missile five years ago.
A judge has fined an Aboriginal art and souvenir supplier a total of $2.3 million after ruling that the Queensland-based company, which is now in liquidation, misled consumers about the origin of its products.
We have been told for so long that the volume of class action litigation continues to increase at a rapid rate, thus requiring significant legislative intervention, that the title of this piece may (legitimately) prompt at least some readers to check if today is the 1st of April. But this is no April Fools’ Day prank.
Facing cross claims by Pitcher Partners in two shareholder class actions alleging the accounting firm wrongly signed off on Slater & Gordon’s financial reports ahead of a share price nosedive, the law firm and its ex-directors say they relied on the auditor to ensure the veracity of the statements.
The ABC and News Corp are bringing legal action to challenge warrants authorising controversial raids by Australian Federal Police on the headquarters of the public broadcaster and the home of political journalist Annika Smethurst.