The first-past-the-post principle applies to enforcement of settlements in collective actions over a 2014 bushfire in Western Australia, a judge has held, in a ruling that could have ramifications for all class actions.
A judge has signed off on a $49.5 million settlement in a class action against National Australia Bank over ‘junk insurance’, including millions in fees for the firm that brought the case on a no-win, no-fee basis, despite calling the settlement sum a “substantial compromise”.
A common fund order made at the outset of a class action against the state of Queensland over stolen wages opened the historic $190 million settlement up to “thousands more” disadvantaged people who were affected by the state government’s “discriminatory, unjust…and disgraceful” policies, a judge has said.
A judge has declined to put a Maurice Blackburn-led class action against AMP on hold while the High Court decides whether to overturn a ruling awarding the firm carriage of the matter following a high-stakes battle against three other law firms.
Economic uncertainty amid the coronavirus pandemic could see an increase in partner poaching among law firms in the coming months, according to several industry experts.
The settlement of two shareholder class actions against sandalwood producer Quintis has been delayed after the company’s eleventh-hour revelation that it may have an extra $40 million in insurance.
Dairy cooperative Murray Goulburn has launched proceedings against AIG Australia seeking to recover 20 per cent of a $42 million class action settlement it paid, plus the legal costs of defending two class actions.
The ACCC has come up short in its appeal of a ruling that dismissed its challenge to Pacific National $205 million acquisition of Aurizon’s Acacia Ridge Terminal in Queensland, with the Full Federal Court also releasing Pacific National from an undertaking given to the court.
A judge has made a common fund order in approving a $3 million settlement in a class action against mortgage lending and investment company RMBL, the first common fund order granted since the High Court shot down these orders in the early stages of class actions.
A closely watched shareholder class action against Myer over an inflated profit forecast from former CEO Bernie Brookes has been dropped, after a court found the retail giant misled shareholders but that they suffered no harm.