Ben Hancock

The Federal Court’s recently retired top judge has landed on his feet with his appointment by the court as referee to determine which of a group of competing firms should dole out a $300 million settlement that resolved the J&J pelvic mesh class actions.

A contradictor in two pelvic mesh class actions against Johnson & Johnson and unit Ethicon has told the court of the “extraordinary amount of group member unhappiness” following approval of a $300 million settlement – the largest in the history of Australian product liability group proceedings.

A lawsuit by the companies of mining executive Nathan Tinkler against MACH Energy alleging misuse of confidential information has been tossed after the deadline for paying security for costs came and went.

The parents and receivers for accused Sydney fraudster Melissa Caddick have reached a deal over a multi-million dollar property in Sydney’s East, but the compromise remains to be blessed by out-of-pocket investors.

Shine Lawyers can deduct 50 per cent of its fees and all of its costs from a $300 million settlement in pelvic mesh class actions against Johnson & Johnson while a judge mulls whether the law firm’s total bill is fair and reasonable.

A judge has approved a $300 million settlement in two pelvic mesh class actions against Johnson & Johnson and unit Ethicon — the largest settlement in the history of Australian product liability group proceedings — but a $100 million deduction for legal costs has yet to get the greenlight. 

MACH Energy has hit back at a lawsuit by mining executive Nathan Tinkler’s companies that alleges a former general manager misused confidential information to help MACH buy the lucrative Mount Pleasant coal mine.

Sixteen law firms and accounting firms have thrown their hat in the ring to administer a $300 million settlement in two class actions against Johnson & Johnson over pelvic mesh devices that injured thousands of women.

A contradictor appointed in two pelvic mesh class actions against Johnson & Johnson has blasted a $300 million settlement, calling it “massively” short of what is owed to group members, after a judge preliminarily found the sum was not fair and reasonable.

Law firm Atanaskovic Hartnell and founding partner John Atanaskovic have been ordered to pay penalties of $184,680 to a former general manager, on top of a previous $160,000 judgment for engaging in what a judge said was a campaign to “abuse, belittle and victimise” the woman.