Despite a judge’s complaint that class action costs are generally “out of control”, the law firm that secured a $192.5 million settlement and earned about $25 million in fees in the Montara oil spill case has won approval for more fees — these ones incurred in a hearing to determine how the settlement spoils should be divided.
A judge overseeing a $192.5 million settlement in an oil spill class action against PTTEP Australia on behalf of Indonesian seaweed farmers has balked at the “very large” costs sought by Maurice Blackburn for administering the deal, expressing concerns that class action costs are “getting out of control”.
Facebook has agreed to pay a $20 million penalty for misleading consumers by representing that its discontinued Onavo Protect mobile app would keep users’ personal activity data private, when in fact it was being collected for commercial use.
A judge has ordered MLC to pay $10 million for its “serious failure” to pay life insurance benefits to customers undergoing rehabilitation, in an ASIC case that also alleged the insurer failed to promptly update medical terms in policies.
MLC has agreed to cop a $10 million penalty for admitted breaches of the Corporations Act in an ASIC case that alleged the insurer failed to promptly update medical terms in policies and withheld payment of a life insurance benefit.
Dominique Grubisa has denied the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s allegation that she misled consumers about her wealth management courses, arguing the claims that owners could sell their homes but retain equity were “substantially true”.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and Mazda have both lost their appeals in a case over the car manufacturer’s ‘appalling’ customer service, with three judges questioning the regulator’s decisions in how it ran the case.
The law firm that ran a class action over the 2009 Montara oil spill must compete to administer a $192.5 million settlement, with a judge saying a tendering process is consistent with the court’s “protective and supervisory role” in managing costs deducted from class action settlements.
Facebook will face a penalty in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s case alleging it misled consumers by representing that its discontinued Onavo Protect mobile app would keep users’ personal activity data private.
A judge has largely approved the funder’s commission and legal fees to be deducted from a $192.5 million settlement of a class action against oil company PTTEP, despite the costs halving the amount to go to group members.