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Montara oil spill class action firm, funder score half of $192.5M settlement
A judge has largely approved the funder's commission and legal fees to be deducted from a $192.5 million settlement of a class action against oil company PTTEP, despite the costs halving the amount to go to group members.
‘Court is not a place for their sport’: Judge slams stoush between funder, class action applicant
A judge has ordered a litigation funder and the lead applicant in a settled class action to personally mediate a stoush over expenses, saying he doubted the applicant's $1.2 million claim and said the court is "not a place for their sport”.
Firm’s contingency fee re-do wins over judge in class actions against banks
A law firm has won its second bid for a group costs order in three class actions against banks over flexible commission schemes after a judge in 2021 rejected what was then the first-ever application for a contingency fee.
Gunns class action settles with KPMG, former directors
A class action against KPMG and nine former Gunns Plantations directors over the failure of six managed investment schemes for eucalyptus wood in Tasmania has settled for a confidential amount, with a judge poised to approve the deal.
S&P fights ‘significant’ expansion of class action over CDO ratings
S&P Global is fighting bids to expand a class action alleging systemic defects in its ratings systems to a new type of complex financial product and to include allegations from a US Department of Justice case in a separate suit by two Cayman Islands-based companies.
Advanta beats back appeal in contaminated seeds class action
Advanta Seeds has won an appeal upholding the dismissal of a class action by sorghum farmers over allegedly contaminated seeds, with a court finding that the seed producer’s duty of care was negated by clear disclaimers.
Funder’s $7M cut in Fonterra class action up in the air amid CFO uncertainty
A judge has indicated his willingness to approve a $25 million settlement in a class action against dairy co-op Fonterra, but deferred the question of the funder's cut until after the Full Court rules on whether the court has the power to make a common fund order at settlement.
In Jaguar Land Rover class action contest, ‘innovative’ funding model challenged
A law firm has questioned an “innovative” funding model proposed by its rival in a contest to run a class action against Jaguar Land Rover over allegedly defective diesel filters in its vehicles.
Question of power to make settlement CFOs sent back to Full Court
The divisive issue of whether judges are empowered to make a common fund order to distribute the costs of a funding commission at the settlement stage of a class action is headed back to the Full Federal Court next week.
Class action can’t get cladding sales figures from 3A Composites’ supplier
A class action by property owners against the manufacturer and supplier of alleged combustible cladding has lost a bid for sales figures to estimate the value of their claims as the parties head into settlement negotiations next month.