Barrister Norman O’Bryan SC has abandoned his defence of misconduct allegations stemming from the Banksia Securities class action and expressed contrition to the court for his actions.
The judge overseeing a trial over legal fees and funding commission in the Banksia Securities class action has questioned whether the lawyers behind the case should remain on the roll of practitioners if allegations of misconduct aired in the hearing so far — which include billing for phantom costs — are made out.
Lawyer Mark Elliott was the “puppet master” behind the Banksia class action, retaning an old school mate to represent the lead applicant but in reality funding and running the proceedings with barristers Norman O’Bryan SC and Michael Symons to line their pockets at the expense of group members, a court has been told.
The funder and legal team behind a class action over the collapse of Banksia Securities billed for phantom costs in a “fraudulent scheme” to secure almost $20 million from the case, the contradictor investigating the purported misconduct has told a court.
The litigation funder behind the class action over Banksia Securities’ collapse has admitted it misled a costs consultant retained to report to the court on the reasonableness of the fees in the case, but says its commission should not take a hit as a result because the misconduct occurred after the litigation settled against Banksia’s trustee for $64 million.
A judge has ordered two class actions brought against 7-Eleven on behalf of franchisees to pay $3 million in security for costs as trial in the cases gets pushed to August next year.
A contradictor investigating alleged professional misconduct on the part of the legal team and funder behind a class action against failed Banksia Securities will subpoena the bank records of deceased class action lawyer and funder Mark Elliott and associated companies. Meanwhile, the barrister for the lead applicant has returned her brief on the eve of trial, on the advice of the bar ethics committee.
Already facing action by the corporate regulator for alleged misleading and deceptive conduct and a potential class action, investment firm Mayfair 101 must now defend a lawsuit by former Liberal senator Julian McGauran, who is demanding the return of his $1 million investment.
The parties in two class actions brought against 7-Eleven on behalf of franchisees have clashed over the convenience store giant’s alleged $3.1 million discovery costs “blowout”.
Court documents sought to be kept confidential in a case alleging professional misconduct against barrister Norman O’Bryan SC in his role as counsel for a class action over the collapse of Banksia Securities accuse the top silk of continuing to have an interest in the funder that bankrolled the proceedings after his wife was said to have sold her shares.