A four-way fight to lead a shareholder class action against Star Entertainment could be on the cards after a fourth law firm filed a representative proceeding alleging the company’s share price plummeted following revelations of alleged money-laundering breaches.
The applicant in a Shine Lawyers-run class action against Boston Scientific over alleged defective pelvic mesh wants to switch legal representation, taking her business to Shine’s former class actions head, who recently parted ways with the firm to launch her own boutique.
A judge has found a law firm’s estimated fees for representing the Commonwealth in a class action over the use of allegedly toxic firefighting foam on military bases are excessive, noting the government has already forked over $12 million in defence costs.
Courts stepped up their scrutiny of class action settlements in 2022, with judges grappling with difficult issues such as funding commissions in employment cases and whether settlements, even those worth hundreds of millions of dollars, were fair to group members.
A judge has opened the administration of a $300 million settlement in a pelvic mesh class action to a competitive bidding process, shortly after another judge said law firms were not uniquely qualified to distribute class action spoils.
Cruise operator Carnival PLC has been ordered to pay compensation to a passenger who suffered a miscarriage after evacuating from a cruise ship, with a judge finding the ship’s doctor gave her bad medical advice.
A judge has rejected Shine Lawyers’ second bid to challenge a court order that it join forces with rival Banton Group in an investor class action Blue Sky Alternative Investments and auditor EY, saying the firm’s funder LCM was trying to “take the bat and ball and go home.” Federal Court Justice Michael Lee rejected…
A law firm has lost its bid to challenge a court order that it join forces with a competing firm in an investor class action against Blue Sky Alternative Investments and auditor EY.
Competition among class action law firms is expected to heat up next year as veteran lawyer Jan Saddler departs Shine Lawyers to start her own firm.
A recent ruling cutting the contingency fee sought by a plaintiff law firm shows competition to run class actions will drive down the percentage payout courts are willing to permit. And as more firms enter the market for a slice of the returns, the downward pressure on profits will only build.