A judge who eviscerated a prior bid by a law firm and funder to take home 60 per cent of a $5 million class action settlement with Tyro has allowed them to net half of the proceeds, questioning whether some of the costs amounted to a “complete breach” of legal professional duties.
The judge overseeing a class action against Qoin cryptocurrency issuer BPS Financial and several related companies has questioned the level of precision required of the pleadings, as the company fights the applicant’s bid to amend its case for the fourth time.
A third law firm has launched class actions against Hyundai and Kia, setting the stage for a courtroom battle to determine which team of solicitors can bring cases over alleged defective engines against the Korean car makers.
The last remaining class action against the Department of Defence over the use of alleged toxic firefighting foam at a military base in Jervis Bay has settled for $22 million, from which $5 million will be deducted for legal costs.
A judge overseeing a class action by family members and deceased estates of the Northern Territory Stolen Generations, which settled for $50.45 million, has said the case was a “positive example” of representative actions.
Class action firms and funders will set their sights on claims related to environmental, social and governance investing, says Clayton Utz’s new litigation partner Matthew Spain, but whether the game is worth the candle remains to be seen.
Online trading company CMC Markets has succeeded in accessing advice given to class action members who are seeking to recover 10 years’ worth of “significant” losses incurred while trading risky financial products on its mobile and web-based platforms.
As the spotlight on class action costs grows, litigation funders can expect increased judicial scrutiny of their attempts to pass on the cost of after-the-event insurance premiums to class action members.
Payments processing company EML has hit back at a shareholder class action over its alleged failure to disclose Ireland central bank’s concerns about its anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing compliance, claiming swathes of the case are liable to be struck out.
The value of assets held by companies linked to the late Banksia Securities class action funder is expected to top the $19 million owing on a court judgment against the fraudster and his c0-conspirators.