Andrew Hopkins has resigned from his position as group CEO of automotive repair firm AMA and has discontinued his lawsuit against the company despite a Federal Court injunction barring his dismissal amid allegations of fraud.
Automotive firm AMA Group will seek to discharge an injunction preventing it from dismissing a CEO who has been accused of defrauding the company of “hundreds of thousands of dollars” and damaging its reputation with major partners.
The Full Federal Court has tossed an appeal by Treasury Wine Estates claiming that Maurice Blackburn and barrister Guy Donnellan breached their obligations in preparing the pleadings in a current shareholder class action against the global winemaker.
Treasury Wine Estates has accused plaintiffs law firm Maurice Blackburn and barrister Guy Donnellan of “taking advantage” of their privileged position by using evidence discovered in a settled class action to file a second case against the wine maker.
A Victoria Supreme Court judge hearing two competing class actions against Allianz Australia over “junk” insurance has asked the parties for feedback on what she should consider at a hearing on a request for a group costs order, which would allow the plaintiff lawyers to earn a cut of any settlement or judgment, the first such request made since Victoria legalised contingency fees.
Maurice Blackburn is pushing back against an appeal by Treasury Wine Estates, which accuses the law firm and a barrister of breaching their obligations by using evidence discovered in a settled class action to launch a second case against the wine maker.
Treasury Wine Estates has challenged a ruling that Maurice Blackburn did not breach its obligations by using material from a now settled class action against it to draft new class action pleadings.
Maurice Blackburn did not breach its obligations by using material from a now settled class action against Treasury Wine Estates to draft new class action pleadings against the wine maker, a court has found.
A claim by Treasury Wine Estates that Maurice Blackburn — but no other law firm — is prohibited from bringing a shareholder class action over disclosure breaches related to its US business had an “air of unreality” about it, a judge has said.
The Full Federal Court has thrown out an appeal by a former special counsel of HWL Ebsworth, ruling the senior practitioner was reasonably fired for violating the firm’s media policy in press interviews and not because of his political views.