A case before the Full Court that will revisit the question of whether class actions are managed investment schemes may not resolve all of the funding controversies that have emerged in a class action against franchise giant Retail Food Group, a court has heard.
A solicitor running two franchisee class actions against 7-Eleven “retaliated” against a group member who objected to a $98 million settlement and issued a late $6.5 million legal bill to benefit a litigation funder, a court has heard.
Convenience store giant 7-Eleven must hand over $595,000 to a franchisee found to have signed a franchise agreement and invested almost $796,000 into a Melbourne store under false pretences.
The contradictor appointed to represent group members in an application for approval of a $98 million settlement of two franchisee class actions against 7-Eleven has raised “grave concerns” about criticism by the senior partner of the law firm running the proceedings.
Nando’s Australia has been criticised for claiming that its costs in a dispute against a single franchisee could reach close to $2 million, with an associate judge saying the bill could kickstart a precedent that leads to “the end of litigation as we know it”.
The funder that was bankrolling a class action alleging pharmacy giant Priceline exercised an “overly prescriptive level of control” on franchisees which limited their profitability has withdrawn its support for the proceeding.
Franchisees of the Hog’s Breath Cafe restaurant chain are challenging a ruling that they hand over $1.23 million in security for the defence costs of the franchisor in their class action.
Evidence of anxiety felt by 7-Eleven franchisees leading class actions against the convenience store giant was relevant to whether the funder could earn a $25 million commission from the proceeds of a settlement, a court has heard.
Australian Mercedes-Benz dealers behind a $650 million lawsuit over the car maker’s decision to move to a fixed-price agency model allege the car maker engaged Deloitte as a consultant so it could “spin” its real reasons for making the change.
Franchisees of the Hog’s Breath Cafe restaurant chain must pay $1.23 million in security for legal costs in their class action against the franchisor, and the matter is stayed until they can pony up the first installment.