The recent settlement of the Great Southern class action raises a number of interesting and important issues not only because the court took the unusual step of publishing its reasons for judgment after the settlement had been announced ...

A potential game changer that sought to test the boundaries of the class action regime has been averted after the Federal Court refused to make a common fund order in the shareholder class action against Allco Finance The court has however questioned whether legislative reform is required to deal ...

This week ASIC flagged a change in its approach to the exercise of its power to make orders to recover expenses and costs associated with investigations Information Sheet 204 indicates that ASIC will be making greater use of this power to seek recovery of its costs from individuals and companies ...

In two decisions arising from the Octaviar liquidation the High Court has given guidance on liquidators ability to seek extensions of time for bringing voidable transaction claims The decisions also highlight the risks of such applications Partner Christopher Prestwich and Lawyer Julia Baine report ...

Vietnams new Law on Bankruptcy will take effect from 1 January 2015 bringing in a number of changes including a new definition of bankruptcy Partner Robert Fish and Junior Associates Giang Quang Nguyen and Linh Nguyen look at the most significant features of the new law and note what will differ ...

The Full Federal Court has dismissed the Port of Newcastles application for review of the Australian Competition Tribunals decision to declare the Ports shipping channel service under the National Access Regime The Full Courts decision confirms the interpretation of the current declaration criteria ...

In Touch looks at what's been happening in Competition this month and what it means for your business ...

A court has enforced a four-year restraint of trade clause in a business sale contract, preventing a part-time employee from taking up employment with a competitor after selling his stake in the business. ...

The Attorney-General has announced that he has asked the Australian Law Reform Commission to inquire into class action proceedings and third party litigation funders The inquiry presents an important opportunity to take stock of how the class actions landscape has evolved particularly whether ...

One of the emerging battlegrounds for brand owners is video games, particularly with the growth of virtual reality applications. A recent claim made in the US illustrates how having your brand featured in a video game can be a problem - but depending on the circumstances, it could also present a com ...