Judges have power to manage competing class actions by picking a winner in a so-called beauty parade, the High Court has ruled, but there is no one size fits all approach to the decision, and the law firm that files first is not guaranteed the coveted prize.
All Herbert Smith Freehills staff worldwide will receive a five per cent bonus in March, in addition to their usual yearly bonuses, due to the law firm’s strong performance so far this year.
Health care giant Healius has lost its application to the High Court to challenge a $60 million win for the Australian Taxation Office.
The Victorian government will argue for summary dismissal of two class actions filed over the bungled COVID-19 hotel quarantine program said to be responsible for the state’s second pandemic wave last year.
The High Court has set a date for handing down its keenly anticipated judgment in a case that challenged the winner of a beauty contest of class actions against AMP, a decision expected to offer guidance on how courts should tackle the so-called multiplicity problem.
A group representing insurers has filed another test case over pandemic coverage in business interruption policies, following a landmark loss in a test case concerning an infectious disease exclusion that could cost insurers $10 billion.
Ticket reseller Viagogo is seeking a stay of a $7 million penalty in litigation brought by the ACCC in light of the “catastrophic effect” of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the company appeals a court’s finding that it misled customers on an “industrial scale”.
COVID-19 vaccinations will begin this week, but most employers won’t be able to force staff to get the jab.
Former High Court Justice Kenneth Hayne has called out the “continuing and pervasive” issue of sexual harassment in the legal profession, urging senior lawyers to stop abusing their power.
The High Court will consider whether judges should steer clear of barristers outside the court room, after a husband appealed a ruling by a judge who socialised with his wife’s lawyer during their two-year divorce trial.