Spurred by the Banksia class action scandal, the federal government has implemented new regulations requiring litigation funders to manage conflicts of interest that arise when the lawyers acting on a class action have a “material financial interest” in the funder that’s running it.
Two law firms are seeking court approval to drop class actions brought on behalf of allegedly misclassified casual coal miners, in light of a High Court decision that “radically” decreased their chances of success.
A senior ACCC officer was probed Tuesday on whether the competition regulator updated its guidelines for taking witness statements in July in response to criticism of investigators’ methods in the cartel probe over ANZ’s $2.5 billion share placement.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has appointed an esteemed Herbert Smith Freehills competition partner who defeated some of the regulator’s most high-profile merger challenges to be a commissioner.
A court has delayed a hearing on a bid by the applicant in a class action against Dixon Advisory to freeze a $7.2 million penalty secured by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission against the self-managed superfund provider so the corporate regulator can consider its position on the request.
A class action on behalf of people who claim they developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer will argue the agrochemical giant should be hit with exemplary damages for its negligence in selling the herbicide, which the company allegedly knew caused cancer.
A law firm that has filed seven class actions on behalf of casual coal mine workers is looking to discontinue two of those cases, after the High Court dealt them a serious blow by finding that those who work regular shifts are not entitled to paid leave and other entitlements under the Fair Work Act.
The applicant in a class action against self-managed superfund provider Dixon Advisory wants to intervene in ASIC’s proceedings, which the company agreed to resolve for $7.2 million, saying any penalty in the case should be held by the court until the resolution of the class action.
A judge has thrown out a lawsuit that argued the funding for a class action against two Queensland energy generators didn’t comply with new regulations targeting litigation funders, and said a landmark judgment that held class action funding agreements were managed investment schemes was conceptually incoherent and ripe for a Full Court challenge.
A judge has knocked back Colonial First State’s bid to warn around 100,000 group members that even if they opt out of a class action against the wealth management firm they might still be bound by the outcome of the case.