Class Actions

Corrs Chambers Westgarth has lured a class actions pro who led Ashurt’s litigation practice in Melbourne, as well as four other partners from top firms.

Trial in a five-year-old class action against Whitehaven Coal will proceed without further delay despite the plaintiff’s late bid to tender an expert report, with a judge finding no extraordinary reason to push off the hearing date any longer.

A class action against restaurant chain Fogo Brasilia and its law firm alleging franchisees were misled about the profitability of their businesses could be shut down, with the lead plaintiff unable to pay security for costs after the funder pulled out, a court has heard.

The top judge of the NSW Supreme Court, which has seen a precipitous drop in class actions, has defended his court and taken shots at the Supreme Court of Victoria and the Federal Court for embracing contingency fees for class action lawyers.

Isuzu is the latest car maker to be stung with a class action for allegedly using defeat devices to cheat on emissions tests, and many more car makers may find themselves in the crosshairs over the “common practice”.

The PR firm for a franchisee class action against United Petroleum has been sued for allegedly distributing an image to group members that depicted the petrol giant as “evil” and was allegedly intended to harm its position in the class action.

General Motors has failed to overturn a decision that put it on the hook for the applicant’s full costs in a partial settlement in a class action on behalf of Holden dealers, with an appeals court finding GM could not “walk away” from the ordinary meaning of the phrase ‘the plaintiff’s costs of the proceedings’.

Former top silk Norman O’Bryan will face court this month on charges following civil findings he engaged in a fraudulent scheme as senior counsel for the Banksia Securities class action.

A personal injury firm that lost out to a class action heavyweight in a contest to run a case against Toyota unit Hino has dropped its appeal and will wear the costs it incurred in bringing its case.

A judge has rejected AFL great Phil Krakouer’s request for extensive game footage before putting on an amended claim in a racial vilification class action against the league, which is expected to bring five clubs into the proceeding.