An expert witness in an investor class action against Fitch Ratings over toxic financial products is no expert at all, the lead applicant told the court in contesting the admissibility of the expert’s evidence.
Maurice Blackburn and Phi Finney McDonald have sidestepped a competing class action battle in the high-stakes litigation against Commonwealth Bank of Australia over alleged breaches of money laundering laws, with the firms proposing to jointly lead a consolidated class action against the bank.
Westpac-owned BankSA has admitted that convicted Ponzi schemer Michael Samra withdrew funds at “near excess” of the bank’s limits and had insufficient money to honour cheques drawn on his company’s bank account.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia chief Matt Comyn has pointed the finger at his predecessor, Ian Narev, for the bank’s selling of credit insurance to ineligible customers, claiming the former CEO failed to heed advice and stop selling the products.
The government has boosted the budgets of the CDPP and the Federal Court by $51 million in advance of an expected increase in criminal and civil enforcement actions resulting from the Banking Royal Commission.
Defending a class action alleging its vehicle warranties were worthless, a unit of car leasing company McMillan Shakespeare said it has paid out claims to more 3,600 drivers, and was obligated to consider each claim “on its merits”.
A judge has found the former director of Sydney-based insolvency practice CRS Warner Kugel is entitled to compensation after he was “ambushed” out of the firm in 2014.
The Federal Court has thrown out a proposed $35 million settlement between ASIC and Westpac over responsible lending breaches, saying the agreement was “unworkable” and left the court in an “information vacuum”.
A judge has adjourned an application by law firm Slater & Gordon for a common fund order in a class action against the Commonwealth Bank and its wealth management unit, amid two landmark challenges to the courts’ powers to make such orders.
Litigation funder Regency Funding has sought leave to intervene as a major player in one of two challenges to the courts’ powers to issue common fund orders in class actions, but it might have a fight on its hands.