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Lawyer’s muffin eating was irrelevant to personal costs order, appeals court says
An appeals court has ruled that a judge was not justified in slapping two lawyers with personal costs, finding she should not have considered alleged poor conduct such as one of the lawyers eating a muffin while appearing during a remote hearing.
Arnold Bloch Leibler recruits KWM partner for property team
Arnold Bloch Leibler has picked up a new partner from King & Wood Mallesons to bolster its property and development practice. 
Law firm went ‘far beyond permissible scope’ of involvement in expert report, court says
The conduct of Corrs Chambers Westgarth in the preparation of an ostensibly independent expert report in a trade secrets case "must not be repeated", a judge has said, throwing out the expert's evidence as potentially tainted by the law firm's involvement.
Banksia class action solicitor suspended from roll for two years
The solicitor found to have acted as a "postbox" to hide conflicts of interest in the class action over Banksia Securities' collapse has been suspended from the roll of practitioners in Victoria for two years, after a judge found he was presently unfit to practice.
Mills Oakley brings on HWL Ebsworth partner to launch cyber risk and insurance practice
Law firm Mills Oakley is launching a cyber risk and insurance offering spearheaded by former HWL Ebsworth partner Jason Symons.
ATO takes aim at ‘reckless’ legal professional privilege claims
The Australian Taxation Office has finalised its protocol for dealing with claims of legal professional privilege, developed in response to large companies asserting "reckless" privilege claims which the ATO says obstruct its investigations.
Herbert Smith Freehills eyes tax law leader status with partner sweep
As it severs ties with specialist outfit Greenwoods, Herbert Smith Freehills has brought on three tax law experts as part of the firm's plans to beef up its commercial tax practice.
Lawyers urge AG to retain flexibility of COVID-era online hearings
The head of NSW's peak legal body has called on the state's Attorney General to retain a number of COVID-19 measures to improve access to justice.
Legal privilege over jab mandate advice waived with counsel’s failure to object, court says
A judge has ruled that a senior Queensland police official waived legal professional privilege during cross examination, allowing the plaintiffs in a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination challenge to see legal advice about the jab direction by the Crown Solicitor.
Judge allows QC’s $9,800 fee, says two barristers ‘not luxurious’
A judge has rejected a court-appointed costs assessor’s opinion that engaging a silk to fight an interlocutory application in a spat between two Queensland law firms was “plainly a luxury”.