This Month
BHP found liable for Brazilian mine disaster in UK High Court
The Australian-owned mining giant, which has already agreed to pay billions of dollars in reparations, said it plans to appeal landmark legal ruling.
Class action firms could triple their take of $110m BHP settlement
Phi Finney McDonald and Maurice Blackburn are proposing up to 50 per cent share of the compensation, much higher than the originally envisaged 18 per cent.
October
‘Business of law’ behind record $2b bill for class actions
A King & Wood Mallesons report found consumer class actions are driving up litigation costs, with emerging risks due to data breaches and privacy law changes.
ANZ digs heels in on New Zealand class action after CBA settles
CBA-owned ASB has settled a long-running legal battle leaving ANZ to go it alone against a cohort of New Zealand customers accusing both banks of wrongdoing.
Aussie Home Loans franchisees take fight with Lendi to the regulator
A group of franchisees has made a complaint to the competition watchdog alleging restraint of trade and is investigating a potential class action against the parent entity.
September
Top judge passes another amazing milestone for his late homework
One of the Federal Court’s most esteemed judges has significant matters hovering over his head before his planned retirement next year.
Third HR exec resigns from law firm plagued by scandal
Slater and Gordon chief people officer Julie Catanach was the unwitting addressee of an infamous all-staff email that led to the firm’s pay leak crisis.
August
Law firm boss ousted before $70b BHP ruling
Pogust Goodhead co-founder Tom Goodhead has been placed on leave, as tensions with the class action’s funder emerge ahead of a final judgment.
High Court fee decision pushes class action firms to Victoria
The High Court unanimously overturned a Federal Court decision which expanded the scope of controversial, but lucrative, contingency fees.
July
Jimmy Brings may face class action as gig drivers cry wage theft
Lawyers are investigating reports that drivers working for the alcohol delivery service were paid only a single fee for picking up multiple orders.
June
Rio Tinto in $214m class action settlement over Mongolian mine
The mining giant will pay $213.7 million to settle one of the claims stemming from its problem child Oyu Tolgoi copper project.
April
New Zealand proposes law change to deliver CBA, ANZ major legal win
The country’s conservative government has taken the unusual step in intervening in a stoush between thousands of bank customers and the lenders with new laws.
NSW Liberals sued over council nomination debacle
A class action alleges NSW Liberals have been negligent and in breach of contract for failing to nominate more than 140 candidates for local elections.
Maurice Blackburn strikes deal with staff after 12-month stand-off
The workers’ rights law firm has reached a deal with staff, which includes pay rises of up to 12.5 per cent over three years.
MinRes and Chris Ellison face class action over ‘misleading conduct’
The loss-making miner has rejected claims its share price was “artificially inflated by the company’s misconduct” and that investors suffered losses as a result.
March
Phantom braking, battery faults: This Tesla owner is selling
Forget Elon Musk – a flat battery due to a firmware fault, towing costs, and phantom braking drove this Tesla driver to give up on his $73,000 electric vehicle.
Class action flagged over CFMEU and Setka ‘blacklist’
A law firm is preparing a class action against the CFMEU and former leader John Setka for allegedly banning its own members from the industry.
Maurice Blackburn losses mount amid class action failures
Contingency fees were expected to boost plaintiff firms, but the recent reversal in results has exposed the high-risk, high-reward strategy.
February
Ambulance chasers circle Slater and Gordon over email leak
Hopefully the firm has learnt something about being on the other side in its long history of fighting similar matters on behalf of workers.
High Court win for law firm over billionaire’s private company
Atanaskovic Hartnell closed off a second near decade-long legal battle in a matter of months, ahead of a busy year for the High Court.