In the past 12 months there have been a number of important decisions of the Queensland Planning and Environment Court that provide an insight into the application of the courts discretion to award costs Special Counsel Rosanne Meurling and Senior Associate Michael Zissis discuss the lessons learned ...

In an important ruling the High Court has decided that a purchaser of leased premises will make a supply of the leased premises when after completion the purchaser observes its express obligations under the lease The decision provides much-needed certainty for vendors and purchasers of leased ...

A recent Federal Court decision means 'fly-in fly-out' workers cannot claim tax deductions for the cost of transport to and from work. ...

The High Court recently overturned a NSW Court of Appeal decision that stated a building contractor owed a duty of care for pure economic loss for defective work to a successor in title to the developer of commercial premises. ...

In a unanimous decision the Full Federal Court has confirmed that genetic materials in their isolated form remain patentable in Australia The decision related to an appeal from an earlier Federal Court decision in which it was found isolated nucleic acids to be a manner of manufacture as required by ...

The Supreme Court of Western Australia has rejected a wide-ranging attack by a contracting party preferring litigation to arbitration on the operation of an arbitration clause Partner Andrew Maher reports ...

In a recent decision the Federal Court dismissed an application to set aside an arbitral award rendered in Australia on the basis that it breached the rules of natural justice In doing so the courts decision recognised the limited scope of the grounds upon which an award can be set aside under ...

The Productivity Commissions draft report on its inquiry into Australias system of civil dispute resolution has now been released The comprehensive review focuses on ways to constrain costs and promote access to justice One of the areas the Productivity Commission is examining is Australias private ...

A recent decision of the High Court could intensify uncertainty about the legitimacy of resolving civil penalty proceedings by the regulator and the defendant approaching the court with an agreed penalty supported by an agreed statement of facts Partner Matthew McLennan and Lawyer Megan Sandler ...

The FCAFC has upheld an earlier decision rejecting an application to set aside or not enforce an international arbitral award. ...