Victoria

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’.

A former client of Moray & Agnew alleges the law firm waited six years after taking instructions before providing it with a costs agreement, claiming it racked up a $330,000 legal bill during this time.

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 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. 

A contradictor has argued against Monash IVF’s bid for orders allowing it to retain embryos as evidence in a class action, saying the Victorian Supreme Court has no power to make orders inconsistent with the company’s statutory obligation to store embryos for a maximum of five years. 

The previous head of First Nations strategy of the Collingwood Football Club has brought Fair Work proceedings against their former employer, claiming they were unfairly terminated after making several complaints against CEO Craig Kelly about alleged racially insensitive comments. 

In submissions to the High Court, the applicant in a class action brought on behalf of Arrium shareholders against KMPG has attacked the Attorney-General’s argument that a contingency fee order is a neutral factor in assessing the accounting firm’s bid to move the case from Victoria. 

In the first-ever settlement approval hearing involving a group costs order, a contradictor has argued that Slater & Gordon should have provided the court with more information on legal costs and internal rate of return as part of its bid for a $12.8 million contingency fee.

A law firm has reached a settlement with the lender of a property development in North Melbourne, paying $1 million to resolve claims it was negligent in preparing a loan agreement.

A class action has accused not for profit community legal service Knowmore Legal of breaching its duty of care and providing negligent advice to survivors of institutional child sexual abuse who settled their claims under the National Redress Scheme when they could have recovered more by taking their claims to court.