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A judge’s guide to winning the class action settlement administration gig
A former top judge appointed to decide the first-ever contest to administer a class action settlement has set out his criteria for making the choice, and has warned that giving the firm running a case a monopoly right to dole out the proceeds could lead to higher costs for group members and poorer settlement outcomes.
Winner of J&J class action settlement gig beats back challenger
The runner-up in a contest to administer Johnson & Johnson's $300 million settlement of two pelvic mesh class actions has lost a challenge to a decision awarding the prize to the team of Slater & Gordon, BDO and the firm of former Shine Lawyers solicitor Jan Saddler.
Allergan faces class action investigation over breast implants
A class action is being prepared on behalf of women who claim to have suffered complications from Allergan breast implants linked to a rare form of cancer.
Monsanto to attack decades of science in Roundup class action, court told
On the first day of a seven-week trial, the applicant in a class action against Monsanto has taken aim at the agrochemical giant’s “same old approach” to undermining decades of evidence it says demonstrates the cancer-causing properties of popular weed killer Roundup.
$41.45M settlement approved in pelvic mesh class action
A judge has approved a $41.45 million settlement in a pelvic mesh class action against manufacturers Covidien and TFS but has put off deciding on the costs of the firm that ran the case, saying it is “next to useless” when law firms appoint their own costs consultants.
Borrowing funds to run class actions ‘not appropriate’, says expert
Class actions throw up all manner of ethical conundrums, but a recent Federal Court decision has shined a light on the question of whether funders and law firms should take out loans to run class actions and whether they can charge the costs to group members.
Pelvic mesh law firm can’t recover $32M in interest on loan to fund class action
Shine Lawyers has lost its bid to recover $32 million in interest on a loan it took out to run two pelvic mesh class actions against Johnson & Johnson, with a judge finding it would make a “marginal settlement less than reasonable”.
Shine’s bid for $32M in loan interest raises ‘never seen before’ conflicts: judge
Shine Lawyers’ bid to recoup "exorbitant" interest on a loan it took out to run pelvic mesh class actions against Johnson & Johnson has raised new ethical dilemmas beyond the usual "sweaty palms and huge vexation" in most group proceedings, a judge has said.
Covidien, TFS pelvic mesh class action settles with remaining defendants
A class action over pelvic mesh products supplied by device makers Covidien and TFS has reached a global resolution with the manufacturers and their insurers which brings the recovery total in settled mesh class action close to $450 million.
Average payout to TFS pelvic mesh class action members kept out of notice
A class action on behalf of women injured by alleged defective pelvic mesh will not advise group members the estimated average return from the proceeds of a settlement against defunct device manufacturer TFS’ insurer because it would be "cruel".