The president of the peak body for barristers in Victorian has slammed the Andrews government’s proposed pandemic laws as “appalling”, and says claims that the bar association was consulted were not true.
Legislation capping litigation funder returns in class actions to 30 per cent and requiring group members to sign up to funding schemes has been introduced to federal parliament despite widespread criticism.
A court has shut down Facebook’s renewed push to cut off Melbourne-based content strategists Sked Social from posting on Instagram on behalf of its clients, with a judge saying the social media giant’s justification for varying the injunction order was “flimsy and possibly strategic”.
Embattled Sydney accountant Vanda Gould has lost his defamation case against the Commissioner of Taxation, with a court finding Chris Jordan’s defamatory comments constituted a “robust”, but proportional, counter-attack to Gould’s public disparagement of the Australian Tax Office.
Franchise giant Retail Food Group has been hit with a class action on behalf of current and former franchisees of the company’s Michel’s Patisserie brand.
Law firm Colin Biggers & Paisley has pulled off a merger in the middle of lockdown, acquiring a Melbourne law firm that will boost its partner count by six.
A court has dismissed challenges to the New South Wales public health orders that made it mandatory for certain workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, declaring they did not breach workers’ rights to bodily integrity.
This week’s judgment referring the conduct of lawyers behind the Banksia class action to prosecutors shows the effectiveness of unique legislative provisions in Victoria that should serve as a blueprint for federal reform, says barrister and University of New South Wales adjunct professor Dr Peter Cashman.
A recent High Court ruling that condemned communication between trial judges and barristers outside of court could have dire consequences, including further isolation for members of the bench, experts warn.
Independent Australian law firm Hall & Wilcox has nabbed “high calibre” employment lawyers from Corrs Chambers Westgarth and King & Wood Mallesons as it seeks to expand its presence in Western Australia.