Christine Caulfield

The Albanese government's response to a review of security of payment laws was a positive first step, building and construction industry groups said on Friday.

Westpac has agreed to fork over $130 million to settle a class action over payment of flexible commissions to car dealers, a practice that was banned by the corporate regulator seven years ago.

Two law firms have reached an agreement to join their class actions against Harvery Norman alleging the furniture retailer sold worthless warranties.

Holding Redlich has agreed to cover the costs awarded against its clients in a property spat, after a judge took the law firm to task for generating almost $30,000 in work following a settlement.

Liquidators of collapsed engineering company Hastie Group have brought proceedings against Hall & Wilcox, the law firm for the company's previous liquidators.

Russian company UC Rusal has lost a High Court leave bid after an "extremely harsh" finding that Rio Tinto was entitled to refuse alumina deliveries because of export sanctions.

Law firm Holding Redlich faces a possible adverse costs order for racking up what a judge said were "out of hand" fees following the settlement of a property dispute.

A group costs order giving class action solicitors a percentage cut of the proceeds of a case is a factor in weighing whether proceedings should be transferred from Victoria to a state in which such an order could not operate, the High Court has ruled.

Are group costs orders a factor in deciding a bid to transfer a class action? Can the orders survive the move to an inhospitable state? These questions are to be decided by the High Court Wednesday, in a ruling that will clarify the relevance and reach of Victoria's contingency fee regime.

Fonterra, which has taken cheese maker Bega to court to resolve a dispute over the dairy company's plans to exit the Australian market, is resisting a bid for discovery in the case.