Judges

A judge's recent ruling throwing out an expert report in a trade secrets case because the law firm briefing the expert had failed to disclose its involvement in preparing the evidence is a stark reminder to solicitors their paramount duty is to the court, not to their client.

Litigation funder Embedded Claims has filed court proceedings against one of its shareholders after its former bankrupt director “ineffectively” transferred off half of his shares.

A judge has found that a partly obscured photo showing a signature was enough to render a contract enforceable, in a multi-million dollar contract fight between Mitsui & Co and a Victorian steel mill operator.

A judge has signed off on a $4.7 million settlement in two investor class actions against collapsed sandalwood producer Quintis, two year after an earlier settlement was scuttled as group members kicked off an insurance dispute in pursuit of a better return.

The lead applicant in an unsuccessful class action over the Carwoola bushfire has avoided indemnity costs sought by insurer CGU and has won a 40 per cent reduction in the amount of legal costs it will have to cover for the defendant.

A judge has told Forum Finance director Vince Tesoriero to “revisit” evidence about his true financial position if he wants to win the release of $1.25 million to pay for his defence in Westpac’s fraud case against him, amid concerns about whether he has made full disclosure to the court.

The corporate regulator has reprimanded a liquidator for “serious” breaches of independence rules, and has directed the insolvency practitioner to refuse appointments until next year.

Three AGL Energy subsidiaries have been ordered to pay $3.5 million in penalties for breaches of energy rules that led to a statewide blackout in South Australia.

A judge has tossed a class action brought by a self-represented applicant against Wilson Security, saying class actions should not be run without lawyers.

A litigation funder has reaped $7.5 million from the sale of a 20 per cent stake in a shareholder class action against the Commonwealth Bank of Australia over the bank's allegedly lax money laundering compliance.