A decision this week rejecting a proposed common fund order at the settlement approval stage of a class action against teleco Vocus has dashed the hopes of litigation funders that a recent High Court ruling would not foreclose on judges using discretion at the end of a case and will cement a return to bookbuilding and a focus on shareholder class actions by institutional investors.
Global law firm Jones Day has nabbed former Herbert Smith Freehills partner Matthew Bull to boost the ranks of its antitrust and competition practice.
A ruling Wednesday that struck down class closure orders — a device used by judges in class actions for the past two decades — has split the courts in Australia and is expected to head to the High Court.
Voluntary administration was the only option for Virgin, and the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the airline’s decline could present a unique opportunity for the administrators to push the boundaries of corporations law, according to insolvency experts.
The power of courts to choose a single winner from a contest of competing class actions is not the likely target of the High Court in taking up a challenge to last year’s beauty parade of shareholder proceedings against AMP, but the analysis behind the decision to award Maurice Blackburn the prize could face scrutiny, experts say.
As the world fights the COVID-19 pandemic IP offices around the world, like IP Australia, are accommodating the current reality. As with courts and other governmental institutions, these offices have adopted measures such as relaxing statutory deadlines and handling matters in accordance with social distancing practices. But there are several important points to observe in terms of engaging with IP Australia during this time, writes Gilbert + Tobin’s Lisa Lennon, John Lee, Chris Williams, Mindaugas Skavronskas and Sidney Kung.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, lawyers are litigating from their lounge rooms and negotiating contracts on new technology platforms. While the profession has embraced the change, working from home exposes firms to specific IT security risks.
The novel coronavirus pandemic has forced Australian courtrooms into the virtual world, with many barristers and solicitors litigating via phone or video for the first time. Here, some of Australia’s top barristers offer tips on how to bring your A game into the virtual realm.
A barrister who represented the Commonwealth of Australia in a class action over the use of allegedly toxic firefighting foam has been appointed to the NSW Supreme Court, bringing much needed diversity to the male-dominated bench.
The Fair Work Commission has ordered court transcript service Auscript to stop a wave of redundancies planned in response to the COVID-19 pandemic until it properly consults with staff.