A judge will not let proceedings brought by ASIC against four former Linchpin Capital directors drag on, slamming a “vague” excuse from one of the directors, who awaits word from his insurers on whether his defence costs will be covered, that London is still in a state of “total confusion” due to COVID-19.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has raised preliminary competition concerns about the proposed merger of insurance giants Aon and Willis Towers Watson to create the world’s largest insurance provider, following investigations in the US, Europe, Canada and New Zealand.
Two insurance brokers have dodged being dragged into class action proceedings against sandalwood producer Quintis to boost a settlement reached last year, as a fight over insurance owed to the company to cover the settlement continues.
Count Financial has failed in its bid to put a former financial advisor’s insurers on the hook for a $15.3 million lawsuit brought by his former clients, as the accounting services company seeks to claw back its losses allegedly resulting from the advisor’s breaches of his duty of care and skill.
London is in a “complete state of chaos” and no amount of pressing by law firm Moray & Agnew has produced an answer from underwriters about the extent of his insurance coverage, former Linchpin Capital Group CEO Peter Daly has said in a three-paragraph defence to disqualification proceedings by the corporate regulator.
Concerns behind criticism that courts aren’t equipped to assess a class action funder’s commission are exaggerated, and the fixing by judges of reasonable remuneration, at least in other cases, is nothing new, a Federal Court judge has said.
A lawsuit seeking to increase D&O insurance for sandalwood producer Quintis in the wake of a class action settlement has fallen short of the $40 million in additional coverage sought, but a Federal Court decision may see a further $11.25 million go to group members.
A $25 million settlement has been reached in three long-running shareholder class actions over the collapse of electronics retailer Dick Smith, under which the funders that backed the litigation will not recover their costs and shareholders recoveries will be small.
Law firm Clayton Utz and litigation funder Investor Claim Partners have joined forces to bring a class action against insurers who have denied business interruption claims by business impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
At least five law firms are investigating lawsuits, including class action proceedings, in the wake of a landmark test case on COVID-19 exclusions for business interruption cover.