Barristers

A judge has ordered that Google pay indemnity costs to former deputy premier of NSW John Barilaro, in addition to $7150,000 in damages over a “relentless, racist, vilificatory, abusive and defamatory campaign” by YouTube commentator Jordan Shanks that the tech giant “did nothing” to stop.

Rigby Cooke has prevailed in an appeal by a former client that challenged a ruling for the law firm over a $24.5 million East Melbourne development.

The solicitor found to have acted as a “postbox” to hide conflicts of interest in the class action over Banksia Securities’ collapse has been suspended from the roll of practitioners in Victoria for two years, after a judge found he was presently unfit to practice.

Former Young Rich Lister Tolga Kumova sold $24 million worth of shares in mining company after publishing positive social media posts about its prospects, a court has heard in a defamation trial over allegations he engaged in insider trading and pumping and dumping. 

Cruise operator Scenic Tours is appealing a courtroom loss that could see it owing $25 million in damages in a class action by travelers who were promised a “once in a lifetime cruise along the grand waterways of Europe” but were instead forced to take the bus from city to city due to heavy rain and high water levels.

The ABC has settled a lawsuit by the head of Russian motorcycle club Night Wolves over an allegedly defamatory Four Corners report.

An Australian non-practicing entity alleging Apple’s Touch ID and Face ID technology infringes its patents has accused the Silicon Valley company of refusing to comply with court orders to hand over documents.

A judge has pulled up a law firm over a tweet it published about defamation proceedings brought by investor Tolga Kumova, telling a barrister during the trial Thursday to counsel his instructing solicitors about the “highly unsatisfactory” social media post.

The law firm that lost the first ever application for a group costs order in class actions against ANZ and Westpac has indicated it will revive its bid, tweaking a retainer agreement with group members in hopes of winning the court’s approval this time.

Former Young Rich Lister Tolga Kumova has admitted to publishing an inaccurate tweet about the value of a mineral resource owned by a zinc producer of which he was a director, agreeing at trial in his defamation case that he was off by $4.8 billion.