The lead applicant in a class action over allegedly combustible cladding has been ordered to immediately pay the defendants’ costs that were thrown away by amended pleadings that bring a “substantially new case”, over a year after the high-stakes case was filed.
A settlement has been reached in three class action against the Commonwealth of Australia over the use of allegedly toxic firefighting foam at government military bases.
Westpac has criticised Shine Lawyers for allegedly turning a registration and opt out notice to class action members into a ‘sales pitch’ designed to book-build for the firm, saying the High Court’s recent common fund ruling forbade approval of anything designed to boost the commercial viability of a case.
The funder behind a class action against Westpac over allegedly excessive insurance premiums has confirmed that it will continue backing the case despite earlier concerns it may pull out in the wake of the High Court’s landmark ruling on common fund orders.
The funder behind the recently resolved shareholder class action against teleco Vocus will ask a judge to make a common fund order at a hearing to approve a $35 million settlement of the case, the first common fund order since the High Court appeared to put the kibosh on them.
Facing a class action by shareholders alleging negligence over advice to Slater & Gordon, law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler is bringing proceedings against its former client to use files in defence of the case.
A common fund order granting the litigation funder behind the stolen wages class action 20 per cent of a $190 million settlement remains in force after a High Court judgment that did away with such orders, a judge has found.
The judge overseeing three class actions against the Commonwealth alleging contamination from the use of toxic firefighting foam at three naval bases has shot down the plaintiffs’ bid for a formal communication reminding two referees of their role in the proceedings.
Companies and other defendants forked over big sums last year to settle more than 20 class actions, with a total of at least $734 million being paid out. Here are the top 10 class action settlements and the law firms and funders that negotiated them.
Calling it the largest human rights case in Australia’s history, a judge has signed off on a $190 million settlement in a class action against the State of Queensland and approved the funder’s 20 per cent cut of the proceeds.