LITIGATION – AUSTRALIA

Police raid CFMEU, Gatto role explored

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Original article by Ewin Hannan, Lucille Keen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 27-Aug-15

The Canberra offices of the militant Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union (CFMEU) have been raided by Australian Federal Police, who seized computers as part of an extortion investigation. It follows evidence at the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance & Corruption and the arrest of two CFMEU officials. Meanwhile, the Victorian Supreme Court heard claims that Boral was told it should pay Mick Gatto $A100,000 to mediate its dispute with the union.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CANBERRA RAIDERS, SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA

Calls mount for reform to class-action protocol

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Original article by Marianna Papadakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 33 : 21-Aug-15

Australian corporations paid out almost $A1 billion in class-action disputes in 2014-2015 as cases doubled, a trend that is likely to accelerate under the influence of litigation funders. Plaintiff firm Maurice Blackburn handled the most cases, recovering $A889 million in settlements. With major foreign players joining the pool of litigation funders, the Australian Government is considering changes to class-action rules, the Productivity Commission having already recommended a licensing scheme for the funders.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, KING AND WOOD MALLESONS, MAURICE BLACKBURN PTY LTD, SLATER AND GORDON LIMITED – ASX SGH, VOCATION LIMITED – ASX VET, ALLCO FINANCE GROUP LIMITED, JONES DAY, IMF BENTHAM LIMITED – ASX IMF, HERBERT SMITH FREEHILLS PTY LTD

The long wait for Adani

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Mark Ludlow, Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 : 20-Aug-15

Attorney-General George Brandis has challenged the Australian Labor Party (ALP) to support workers instead of the green movement in repealing section 487 of the Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act. It is the section which has allowed activists to tie up mining projects, such as the giant Adani coal mine in Queensland, in the courts. Brandis said passing the repeal through the Senate was a matter for the ALP, not the Australian Greens or crossbench senators.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF MINES AND ENERGY, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, ADANI ENTERPRISES LIMITED, PALMER UNITED PARTY, MACKAY CONSERVATION GROUP INCORPORATED, ASSOCIATION OF MINING AND EXPLORATION COMPANIES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Court ruling may alter class actions

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Original article by Marianna Papadakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 32 : 7-Aug-15

International Litigation Funding Partners (ILFP) wants to finance the Allco Finance Group class action via a common fund arrangement. The Federal Court is scheduled to rule on the Singapore-based litigation funder’s application on 7 August 2015. John Emmerig, a partner at law firm Jones Day, expects a big increase in the volume of class actions and the amount of damages sought if ILFP’s application is granted.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL LITIGATION FUNDING PARTNERS PTE LTD, ALLCO FINANCE GROUP LIMITED, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, SLATER AND GORDON LIMITED – ASX SGH, IMF BENTHAM LIMITED – ASX IMF, ALLENS, HERBERT SMITH FREEHILLS PTY LTD, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Class actions: firms warned

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Original article by Marianna Papadakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 23-Jan-15

The Australian class actions market is likely to grow. Herbert Smith Freehills partner Jason Betts says the profitability of the funding model makes the sector attractive to foreign litigation funders. Andrew Watson, the head of class actions at Maurice Blackburn, expects more such suits on behalf of investors

CORPORATES
IMF BENTHAM LIMITED – ASX IMF, AUSNET SERVICES LIMITED – ASX AST, LITIGATION FUNDING PARTNERS, HERBERT SMITH FREEHILLS PTY LTD, ALLCO FINANCE GROUP LIMITED, MAURICE BLACKBURN PTY LTD, KING AND WOOD MALLESONS, HARBOUR LITIGATION FUNDING LIMITED, COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL FUNDING LLC, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

Ex-players may sue over brain trauma: Roberts

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Original article by Michael Chammas
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 40 : 11-Nov-14

The National Rugby League could face a spate of lawsuits from former players who sustained brain injuries during their career. Former player Ian Roberts says he has not yet decided whether to launch legal action over his concussion-related injuries, but he believes that other ex-players are likely to do so. Sydney-based lawyer George Draca is confident that he would be able to succeed in legal action against the league

CORPORATES
NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, NORWEST LAWYERS, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS’ ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Concern over funding of class actions

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Original article by Marianna Papadakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 28-Aug-14

The Australian Institute of Company Directors’ GM, Steve Burrell, has urged stricter regulation of litigation funders. He notes that growing competition in the sector has prompted a rise in class actions in the last 18 months. Litigation funders are typically paid 20-35 per cent of the total payout in successful class actions, but Burrell is concerned about a proposal to allow litigation funders to use the common fund system in Australia

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF COMPANY DIRECTORS, INTERNATIONAL LITIGATION FUNDING PARTNERS INCORPORATED, ALLCO FINANCE GROUP LIMITED, BENTHAM IMF LIMITED – ASX IMF, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, CITIBANK PTY LTD, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, SINGAPORE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED – ASX SGT, VODAFONE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT AUSTRALIA