Tom Besanko

A judge overseeing two underpayments class actions against supermarket chain Romeo’s has rejected a bid for a private costs assessor by Adero Law, which will now go unpaid until at least January.

London firm Mishcon de Reya faces a lawsuit alleging the firm knowingly assisted a founding partner of Lipman Karas to breach his duties when it reached an agreement to open a Hong Kong office.

Questions raised about the structure of a settlement of two wage class actions against supermarket chain Romeo’s don’t just threaten to reduce the law firm’s costs but could derail the whole agreement, a judge has said.