The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has told a judge there’s no chance it will admit to ASIC’s allegations that it accepted conflicted remuneration through the sale of its Essential Super product, likening the matter to ASIC’s failed ‘Wagyu and shiraz’ case against Westpac.
MinterEllison has appointed Sydney-based partner Virginia Briggs as acting chief executive officer after the board asked CEO Annette Kimmitt to leave over her controversial staff email about the firm’s work for Attorney-General Christian Porter.
Law firm Sparke Helmore has been accused of failing to heed concerns from client Nick Scali about “escalating legal costs” in an intellectual property lawsuit, leaving the furniture retailer with “no choice” but to switch law firms.
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.
As pressure mounts for the board of MinterEllison to remove the law firm’s CEO in response to a staff email apologising for a partner’s representation of the federal attorney general, legal ethics experts told Lawyerly law firms must be free to vet potential clients, and that social issues may in the future play a bigger role in deciding whether to reject matters.
The lead plaintiffs in two class actions against 7-Eleven have appealed a decision rejecting the very first Federal Court application for oral discovery, which would have seen four former employees bound by confidentiality agreements give evidence.
A judge has found a group of insurers defending a $309 million lawsuit over an Australia Pacific LNG project in Central Queensland cannot be represented by two law firms, saying it would not be in the interests of justice.
Qantas has filed a lawsuit against a former executive who has taken a senior role at competitor Virgin seeking to delay his May start date.
Engineering company UGL Limited is facing an employment class action on behalf of casual aluminium construction and manufacturing workers who were allegedly underpaid for over three years.
A legal battle in the Federal Court between Freedom Foods and Blue Diamond Growers over an almond milk licensing deal has been stayed so the parties can arbitrate their dispute in California, where the Australian Consumer Law will apply.