Law Firms

The state of Victoria has sounded alarm bells about an amendment application by a class action over the COVID-19 hotel quarantine debacle, telling a judge it amounts to a new case with an “infinite number of permutations”.

Contesting $17.8 million in fees billed by law firm Hall & Wilcox, the liquidators of collapsed engineering firm Hastie Group have told a court there was no written costs agreement between the parties. 

The High Court has rebuffed the CFMEU’s constitutional challenge to legislation used to facilitate its takeover by the federal government, rejecting an argument that the laws amounted to an unjust acquisition of the union's property. 

The High Court has rebuffed the CFMEU’s constitutional challenge to legislation used to facilitate its takeover by the federal government, rejecting an argument that the laws were enacted with the illegitimate aim of suppressing the union’s political activities.

A judge has warned that an interlocutory privilege skirmish in the consumer watchdog’s misuse of market power case against Mastercard could “spiral out of control”.

A Queensland tribunal has refused to set aside a costs agreement between Shine Lawyers and a former client, despite invoices blowing out to more than six times the original estimate, finding the matter had already been dealt with in a costs assessment. 

CityLink operator CML, which was found to have overcharged Eastlink operator ConnectEast, has argued that it also overpaid and is entitled to damages, but ConnectEast has told a judge the claim is time-barred and doesn't fall within a cross-claim exception. 

An appeals court has tossed a challenge by construction firm Builtcom to an adjudication that slashed a $30 million payment claim against developer VSD Investments by $21 million, saying mere legal error was not enough.

A judge has rejected GM's "back door" bid for indemnity costs from the lead applicant in a failed class action over its decision to retire the Holden brand because each group member had rejected a settlement offer before the case commenced.