Most Recent
Subpoenas can’t be issued ‘willy nilly’ to dodge journalist privilege, judge says in Elaine Stead case
A judge has set aside a subpoena issued by venture capitalist Elaine Stead in her defamation lawsuit against Fairfax, saying subpoenas could not just be issued "willy nilly" to identify a journalist's confidential sources.
‘An order that has never been made before’: Judge preps for contingency fee hearing
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.
Shareholders appeal dismissal of Worley class action
Shareholders who lost a Federal Court trial in their class action against engineering company Worley are challenging the decision to dismiss the case.
Insurers lose COVID-19 business interruption test case
Insurers will face a flood of pandemic-related claims after an appeals court ruled in a test case brought by the Insurance Council that certain infectious disease exclusions in business interruption cover do not apply to coronavirus-related claims.
Why law firms should think twice before representing themselves
A finding this week that Norton Rose Fulbright intentionally misled a former lawyer in an employment dispute and abused the court’s processes threatens the legal career of an equity partner at the firm and is a warning to all firms to think twice before representing themselves in cases involving soured professional relationships.
EnergyAustralia must pay $1.5M for disconnecting vulnerable customers
EnergyAustralia will cough up $1.5 million in penalties for wrongfully disconnecting eight customers facing serious financial hardship.
FWC arbitration doesn’t doom union’s lawsuit against Airservices
A court has ruled that an arbitration proceeding before the Fair Work Commission does not doom a Federal Court lawsuit brought by the civilian air traffic controllers union against government-owned Airservices.
Santos lawsuit against Fluor over gas project rests on ‘shaky assumption’, appeals court says
An appeals court has shot down oil and gas giant Santos' bid for expanded discovery against engineering company Fluor, finding that the application was "akin to a fishing expedition" that was based on "a shaky assumption" by lawyers from Corrs Chambers Westgarth.
Five law firms to spar over liability in $15M Dover Financial negligence case
Two more law firms have been joined to a lawsuit by defunct financial advisor Dover Financial accusing three law firms of providing negligent advice regarding an inaptly titled client protection policy which a judge found was "highly misleading" and "an exercise in Orwellian doublespeak".
ATO loses landmark case over GST gold scam
The Australian Taxation Office has been blocked from indirectly recouping GST lost in a major tax scam by allegedly crooked gold traders with the Full Federal Court finding a $208 million demand sent to a defunct gold refiner had incorrectly interpreted the GST Act.