Western Australia is set to become the fifth state in Australia that allows lawyers to launch class actions, after a bill permitting representative proceedings advanced in the state parliament’s upper house.
A report commissioned by the Supreme Court of Victoria has recommended a massive overhaul to the system for awarding costs in civil proceedings, trashing the “opaque” and “inadequate” scale of costs system.
Fulfilling a pre-election promise, the Albanese government has announced a royal commission into the controversial Robodebt scheme initiated by the previous federal government, which raised more than $1.7 billion in illegitimate debts from Centrelink recipients.
Two law firms that filed competing class actions against regenerative medicine company Mesoblast for allegedly misleading shareholders about its Remestemcel-L treatment for COVID-19 complications have agreed to join forces and sidestep a beauty parade.
The Albanese government will launch an inquiry into former prime minister Scott Morrison’s secret ministerial appointments after releasing a report by the Solicitor General, which found the appointments legally valid but “inconsistent” with the practices of responsible government.
Hall & Wilcox has expanded its construction practice with the recruitment of partner Stefan Fenk from law firm Vincent Young.
Independent news publisher Crikey says it is calling Lachlan Murdoch’s bluff, splashing over its front page correspondence between its lawyers and an attorney acting for the Fox News CEO, who claims an article over the fatal January 6 riots on the US Capitol was defamatory.
Fighting what they say is a stultifying $1.23 million order for security for defence costs in a class action, franchisees of Hog’s Breath Cafe have argued it is up to the restaurant chain to prove group members can pony up the dough.
A New South Wales developer and construction company have been hit with a class action by aggrieved property owners at a Central Coast commercial development who say the building was riddled with defects, including subpar air conditioning.
Former prime minister Scott Morrison has defended his decision to appoint himself as shadow minister of significant government portfolios during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the times were extraordinary and the actions were taken as an emergency safeguard.