Hall & Wilcox has recruited a mergers and acquisitions lawyer with cross-border expertise from EY to bolster its corporate practice in Sydney.
In a loss for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, a judge has found that comparison website Finder did not need a financial services licence to sell its cryptocurrency product Finder Earn because it was not a financial product.
The Environmental Defenders Office has appointed a team of external lawyers, including Gilbert + Tobin and a senior barrister, to review its processes after a judge found aspects of its case over Santos’ Barossa pipeline were made up and “lacking in integrity”.
A shareholder class action against livestock exporter Wellard is seeking approval for a $23 million settlement which will see only $7.86 million go to group members, telling the court that the funder and law firm that ran the case have agreed to take a haircut on the deductions they’re entitled to.
The Kingdom of Spain has been ordered to pay over $50,000 in security on an interlocutory application, with a judge finding the country “deserves no sympathy” following its failure to satisfy a judgment debt of some $200 million.
The Australian Football League has asked a court to stay an individual lawsuit brought by a “totally incapacitated” former Western Bulldogs player until a related class action on behalf of players who allegedly suffered brain injuries is decided.
A judge is planning to consolidate an employee class action and a union case against McDonald’s, saying the union can take a payout from any settlement, similar to how a funder receives a commission.
Ashurst is beefing up its risk consulting division with four new partners, who will launch an infrastructure and capital projects group and grow the firm’s data and analytics team.
A former lead partner in cybersecurity has sued Ernst & Young for expelling him after he was accused of threatening employees and mistreating female staff, saying the firm “ambushed” him and subjected him to “excessive” punishment.
The High Court has handed a win to a class action on behalf of Queensland ratepayers who were wrongly charged levies over a period of six years, rejecting the local council’s argument that the levies were put to good use.