Sparke Helmore

The Commonwealth of Australia has asked the court to throw out an adverse action suit brought by a former political staffer who says she was subjected to “a course of bullying behaviour” by South Australian MP Rebekha Sharkie.

Queensland technology company Anteotech has hit back at a lawsuit claiming it misused Ferroglobe’s confidential silicon samples in a patent application after a failed collaboration, saying the global speciality metals producer acquiesced to the use. 

An environment group that alleges former treasurer Josh Frydenberg rejected advice from the climate change office on a high-rise apartment development on protected wetlands near Brisbane has won access to correspondence about the project.

Ferroglobe has claimed a Queensland technology company used its confidential information in new patent applications, as the global specialty metals producer races to protect its IP before the applications are published.

Sparke Helmore has recruited a Brisbane-based partner from Holding Redlich with corporate and dispute resolution experience.

Maurice Blackburn has defeated a former client’s bid for summary judgment in an “unusual case” alleging the firm gave him bad advice concerning a personal injury claim against the state of Western Australia over assaults suffered in prison.

Independent Monique Ryan’s ex-chief of staff Sally Rugg has reportedly settled her Fair Work case against her former employer and the Commonwealth for $100,000, in what was billed as a test case for determining reasonable overtime.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese breached workplace law by cutting the number of staff allocated to cross-benchers from four to one, according to new court documents in a lawsuit by Independent Monique Ryan’s chief of staff.

Boutique law firm Barry Nilsson has snagged five senior lawyers, including a partner, from Sparke Helmore to join its Adelaide insurance team as part of a broader expansion strategy. 

A judge has rejected a bid by Independent Monique Ryan’s chief of staff Sally Rugg to keep her job until her “hotly contested” suit against the MP is resolved, saying she was “far from persuaded” that Rugg actually wants to return to work.