Class actions brought by victims of the failed Willmott Forests managed investment scheme have come to a close, two years after a judge issued a stunning ruling rejecting an initial settlement as favoring clients of M&K Lawyers over other investors, and including payment of a hefty legal bill.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has won leave to appeal to the High Court a ruling that threw out its case against former directors of collapsed retirement village owner Prime Trust.
7-Eleven has lost its bid to use a confidential bulletin sent to class members via WhatsApp as defence evidence in an ongoing franchisee class action, with a judge rejecting the company’s claims the document was no longer shielded by legal professional privilege.
A “secret” side agreement between the lead applicant in a shareholder class action and a litigation funder is at the centre of a dispute in the Federal Court that is delaying distribution of a $19 million settlement in the case.
Fairfax Media has been fined and hit with a contempt of court order for reneging on its promise to refrain from advertising its Domain business as “the #1 property app in Australia” while a consumer protection case brought against it by realestate.com.au owner REA Group was ongoing.
A Federal Court judge has given the all-clear to a $132.5 million offer by QBE to settle a class action by shareholders angry about a $5 billion stock market wipeout for the insurance provider.
A judge on Tuesday consolidated two shareholder class actions against life sciences company Sirtex Medical and appointed Maurice Blackburn as lead lawyers for the joint proceedings.
Quinn Emanuel has been forced to bow out as class action counsel in a case against Bank of Queensland after litigation funder Vannin Capital called for the law firm’s $4 million fee to be challenged.
A judge has signed off on a $19.25 million settlement in a shareholder class action brought against directors of defunct laser technology company Arasor International Ltd and partners in auditing firm Grant Thornton South Australia, but cut the legal fees of Squire Patton Boggs and Piper Alderman by $250,000.
Melbourne-based Collins St Brewing has sued rival artisanal brewer La Sirene for allegedly violating its “urban ale” trade mark.