Law Firms

In the third decision approving an unaltered group costs order at the resolution of a class action, a judge has OK'd an $85 million settlement by ANZ, representing a $21 million payday for Maurice Blackburn.

A judge hearing a dispute over a lot in Victoria's Merrifield Business Park has found that the Competition and Consumer Act's bar on contracts that substantially lessen competition does not apply to a market in land.

A tribunal has found a company that scrapes court databases broke privacy laws by failing to remove a litigant's name after charges against her were dropped, saying the public nature of court lists doesn't make republication a “free for all”.

A judge has given the greenlight to a $10 million settlement with entities linked to late solicitor and Banksia class action mastermind Mark Elliott, noting the “perverse” difficulty of recovering more of the $70 million in assets held on trust.

Baker McKenzie has poached a banking and finance partner from Norton Rose Fulbright.

A liquidator has opened his case over the alleged misuse of funds by now defunct Dyldam Developments, as the court hears of “oddities” in financial records and the spaghetti-like structure of 157 interrelated entities.

A judge has stopped short of making costs orders against a law firm despite finding it was responsible for delays in a workplace discrimination suit.

A court has appointed provisional liquidators to Melbourne developer Lion Property Group after hearing that $120 million of investor money was not properly accounted for.

Roberts Co has appealed a decision which required it to pay the entirety of subcontractor Sharvain Facades $3.2 million payment claim, despite it being filed after hours on a Friday.

A judge has said ASIC should have known that its case against four TerraCom directors over statements made to investors had no prospects of success, calling one of its submissions “unworthy of the corporations regulator”.