A law firm with a global footprint is facing a possible breach of trust lawsuit in relation to $27 million it held as security for costs in an international arbitration.
Piper Alderman will spend the next six weeks gathering documents for a former partner who is seeking to revive her unlawful discrimination case against the firm, but a court limited the categories of documents sought to prevent a ‘fishing’ expedition.
A court has upheld two decisions by the Australian Government Takeovers Panel that a bid by asset manager Aurora Funds Management to replace Molopo Energy’s directors was made in “unacceptable circumstances”.
Defunct financial adviser Dover Financial has sued three separate law firms for allegedly negligent advice over a ‘client protection policy’ that the Federal Court found was misleading, deceptive and an “exercise in Orwellian doublespeak”.
Hicksons Lawyers has denied accusations of sexual discrimination by a female ex-partner who was denied a promotion to equity partner, saying she was passed over for the role because of substandard profitability and poor performance.
With a large number of lawyers now working from home amid the coronavirus crisis, law firms are getting creative, turning to virtual yoga, cocktail deliveries and more to maintain the health and well-being of their staff.
An appeals court has found that parties forced to conduct hearings via telephone or video conference in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic are not disadvantaged by the new arrangements, refusing to delay the appeal of a $2.5 billion contractual dispute concerning the Ichthys gas project in the Northern Territory until the parties can appear in person before the court.
A subsidiary of BHP Billiton can’t get its hands on underwriting documents in its case against Lloyd’s of London and Berkley Insurance, which are being sued by the mining giant for over $36 million after allegedly substandard equipment was installed at its Olympic Dam Mine.
A former Piper Alderman partner is seeking to revive her unlawful discrimination case dismissed last year by the Australian Human Rights Commission, saying the seriousness of the allegations and the “public importance” of protecting women leaders from discrimination were powerful reasons to allow her claims to move forward.
Herbert Smith Freehills cannot recover its costs for successfully representing itself in litigation with United Petroleum over the company’s aborted initial public offering, with an appeals court finding the High Court’s recent ruling eliminating the so-called Chorley exception for self-represented lawyers applies to law firms as well.