Commercial Disputes AU
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September 28, 2026
AUSTRAC CEO Says Lawyers Should Watch Property For AML
AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas says several law firms have already reported suspicious matters to the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulator under expanded laws, adding there was "significant risk" in property transactions.
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September 28, 2026
RBA Workers Take Pay Dispute To Fair Work Commission
Reserve Bank of Australia employees have applied to the Fair Work Commission to resolve stalled pay negotiations after the central bank did not improve a pay rise offer that workers already rejected, according to the Finance Sector Union.
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September 25, 2026
Lawcover Defends Sole-Insurer Model Amid Competition Push
Lawcover and its owner the Law Society of New South Wales argued that its status as the sole professional indemnity insurer for solicitors in NSW helps keep prices down and coverage high, saying opening up the market to competition would actually be worse for lawyers and that its critics are a disgruntled minority.
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September 25, 2026
Ex-Big Un CEO Avoids Jail For Sharing Inside Info
The former CEO of Big Un has avoided imprisonment after being convicted in the District Court of New South Wales for tipping off a shareholder about the true financial status of the failed tech startup.
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September 25, 2026
Martinus Rail Must Pay $26M Into Court To Stay Enforcement
The New South Wales Court of Appeal ruled Friday that Martinus Rail can temporarily halt enforcement of a $26 million judgment while it appeals the Supreme Court's refusal to grant a stay, provided it pays a similar amount into court.
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September 25, 2026
Appeals Panel Rejects Bid To Block $5M Investment Suit
A Victorian Court of Appeals panel has refused to strike out, or exclude documents from, a dispute over an allegedly misleading $5.1 million investment in a now-liquidated financial services company, saying the documents weren't confidential and the strike out motion was brought too late.
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September 25, 2026
Insurer Flags Conflicts In NSW Indemnity Insurance Regime
An insurance agency on Friday called out alleged conflicts of interest involving New South Wales' law society and attorney general within the state's "anti-competitive" mandatory legal insurance regime, drawing pushback from a legislator who said the agency should file a formal complaint.
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September 25, 2026
Netwealth Hit With Class Action Over First Guardian Failures
Law firm Keily McCrosson confirmed Friday that it had filed a class action against NetWealth over the superannuation trustee's offering and monitoring of investment options in the now-collapsed First Guardian Master Fund.
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September 25, 2026
IAG Settles $2.8B Greensill Claims With Credit Suisse
Trade insurance claims worth billions of dollars linked to the Greensill Capital collapse will go untested in the Federal Court of Australia as insurance giant Insurance Australia Group confirmed a settlement Friday in its stoush with UBS-owned Credit Suisse.
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September 24, 2026
Maurice Blackburn Loses Bid To Restore Full Hino Class Fees
The Victorian Court of Appeal has rejected Maurice Blackburn's challenge to a second cut in its fees from an $87 million class action settlement over carmaker Hino's alleged misrepresentation of vehicle fuel efficiency and emissions.
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September 24, 2026
Defendant Denied Costs Security In $142M Probis Funds Fight
A Hong Kong businessman at the centre of a failed trading company lost his attempt to gain security for his legal costs on Thursday in a fight over an allegedly missing $142 million investment in the Federal Court of Australia.
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September 24, 2026
Star's Bid For $6.5M Slater And Gordon Cost Security Rejected
A Victorian Supreme Court judge on Wednesday rejected Star Entertainment's demand that Slater and Gordon provide a $6.5 million security for a shareholder class action against the casino owner, saying Star had not established the law firm presented any real risk of being unable to pay costs if the class loses.
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September 24, 2026
Victoria Chief Justice Flags New 'Strategic Vision' For Court AI
Supreme Court of Victoria Chief Justice Richard Niall has revealed a new legal framework outlining a "shared strategic vision" for artificial intelligence tools and systems across the state's courts and legal institutions, while urging judges not to let the technology overtake judicial decision making.
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September 23, 2026
Grant Thornton Sued Over Negligence On $3.7M Tax Bill
Optimus Group has sued Grant Thornton Australia in the Supreme Court of Victoria, alleging that negligent advice on a corporate restructure left the car dealership owner with an unexpected $3.7 million stamp duty bill.
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September 23, 2026
Incidental Pressure Can't Make Loan Receivership Illegitimate
The Supreme Court of New South Wales ruled Wednesday that a lender could appoint receivers to a land developer after a brief default on a $6.1 million loan, finding that incidental pressure in a dispute over another development did not undermine the legitimate receivership.
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September 23, 2026
Pokies Maker Light & Wonder Hits Rival Aristocrat With IP Suit
Pokies maker Light & Wonder has filed patent proceedings against Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd., eight months after it reached a $190 million intellectual property settlement with its parent company, Aristocrat Leisure.
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September 23, 2026
ACCC Blocks IAG's RAC Tie-Up For 2nd Time on Competition
The ACCC has blocked Insurance Australia Group (IAG)'s acquisition of RAC Insurance for the second time citing competition concerns in the car and home insurance sectors in Western Australia.
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September 23, 2026
Fintech Humm Sued by Ex-CEO Grimshaw on Termination
Fintech lender Humm Group and its founder and former chair Andrew Abercrombie are being sued by former CEO and managing director Stuart Grimshaw in the Federal Court of Australia over his employment termination after the company said he left for personal reasons.
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September 23, 2026
ACCC Chair Cass-Gottlieb Backed For Another Five Year-Term
The Federal government says it has nominated ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb for another five-year term at the competition watchdog from March 20 2027.
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September 22, 2026
Judge Restarts $19M Dispute After Predecessor Recuses
A judge in a $19.5 million Supreme Court of NSW dispute over alleged JV misappropriation said Tuesday he would restart the trial after his predecessor was disqualified for suggesting one party's lawyers may have acted criminally, calling it fairest to both sides.
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September 22, 2026
QLD Appeal Panel Upholds VietJet's US$181.5M UK Judgment
The Queensland Court of Appeal panel has dismissed VietJet's appeal, upholding a ruling by the High Court of England and Wales that the Vietnamese airline must pay FW Aviation US$181.5 million ($255 million) in unpaid aircraft leases.
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September 22, 2026
Casino Biz Says Insurer Owes Part Of $72.5M Class Deal
Crown Resorts Ltd has sued excess insurer RiverStone International in the Supreme Court of Victoria over its refusal to cover part of a $72.5 million shareholder class action settlement tied to the casino operator's anti-money laundering and regulatory issues.
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September 22, 2026
Big Un Liquidators Lose $27M Compensation Bid
The Federal Court of Australia has thrown out a $27.2 million bid from the liquidators of former share market darling and video startup Big Un to recoup losses from financiers First Class Capital, ruling Tuesday the case was not well-founded.
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September 22, 2026
RAMS Strikes $29M Deal To End Franchisee Class Action
Former home loan provider and Westpac subsidiary RAMS Financial Group will pay $29.6 million to settle a franchisee class action over alleged wrongful termination in the Federal Court of Australia.
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September 22, 2026
Victorian Lawyers Need Transparent Costs: Law Institute
Law Institute of Victoria President Tom Ballantyne has urged lawyers to be transparent on costs, communicate clearly with their clients and expand access to justice to rebuild public trust in the legal profession in a speech.