Legal bodies have expressed alarm at the implications of a ruling that put a judge on the hook for damages for ordering the wrongful imprisonment of a Queensland man and have called for legislative action, but one expert says the judgment is unlikely to open the floodgates.
Two barristers have been elevated to the Federal Court bench, including a silk known for his work in employment class actions.
Disgraced Banksia class action barrister Norman O’Bryan has been struck from the roll of legal practitioners in South Australia for his part in what has been described as the darkest chapter in Victoria’s legal history.
A Queensland man has prevailed in his case alleging Federal Circuit and Family Court Judge Salvatore Vasta unlawfully imprisoned him for contempt after he failed to comply with an order for particulars, winning over $300,000 in damages.
A disgruntled client who accused a Sydney-based law firm of running a “woefully prepared” case has lost his appeal of a judge’s rejection of his bid for a $225,000 personal costs order against the firm.
Delays in court approval of settlements in their pelvic mesh class actions against US giants Johnson & Johnson and Boston Scientific have been blamed for Shine Lawyers’ 89.39 per cent decline in net profits for 2023.
The legal community has welcomed the appointment of Justice Stephen Gageler to be the 14th chief justice of the High Court, praising the judge for his “deep humanity” and unmatchable expertise in constitutional law.
The legal sector has welcomed NSW Supreme Court Justice Robert Beech-Jones’ elevation to the highest court in Australia, with former colleagues noting his legal acumen and generosity.
A class action against Virgin Australia has become a lawyers’ feast, with seven new firms entering the ring after a dozen insurers were joined to the action alleging the airline failed to disclose its true financial position in a $324 million capital raising prospectus.
A barrister can’t sidestep a clause in a costs agreement with a solicitor that limited when counsel fees are payable by breaching his disclosure obligations and nullifying the agreement, the High Court has been told.