The power of courts to choose a single winner from a contest of competing class actions is not the likely target of the High Court in taking up a challenge to last year’s beauty parade of shareholder proceedings against AMP, but the analysis behind the decision to award Maurice Blackburn the prize could face scrutiny, experts say.
As the COVID-19 crisis leaves tens of thousands unemployed and charities struggling, law firms are responding by offering assistance to those in need through expanded pro bono work and community outreach programs that provide assistance to the country’s most vulnerable people.
The High Court has agreed to weigh in on a decision last year to pick Maurice Blackburn’s case as the winner of a beauty parade of shareholder class actions against AMP over the wealth manager’s controversial fees for no service.
Publication of a document outlining the Australian Stock Exchange’s reasons for suspending the shares of ISignthis would be ‘damaging’ to the fintech company and should be barred until after the trial, a court has heard.
Chevron has won a $3 million judgment against the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union, after a court found the Maritime Union of Australia, now part of the CFMEU, engaged in unlawful industrial action in opposing the energy giant’s use of foreign crews.
The applicant in a $47.6 million class action against a unit of car leasing company McMillan Shakespeare has been denied access to insurance documents sought to determine the value of the case, with a judge saying access would “distort the playing field”.
Herbert Smith Freehills is reducing partner profit distributions as part of cost-cutting measures in the face of uncertainty wrought by the coronavirus pandemic, and staff salary reviews have been postponed by six months.
A judge has signed off on a $37.5 million Murray Goulburn class action settlement but slashed $2 million in legal costs sought by Mark Elliott’s law firm, which is running the case.
Noting the challenge of searching for documentary evidence while employees are working from home, a judge overseeing two consumer class actions against ANZ and Westpac has directed the banks to hand over only a limited number of documents to the applicants, and given them extra time to do it.
London-based litigation funder Balance Legal Capital has raised $162 million from institutional investors to pursue lawsuits in Australia and worldwide, including class actions.