Yesterday
Lawyers to the fore as courts tighten screws on privilege claims
Claiming legal privilege for post-cyberattack reports is now almost impossible, lawyers say, as courts take a more critical view of “woolly” claims.
- Maxim Shanahan
Clyde & Co slashes partner numbers as cuts deepen
Global law firm Clyde & Co has asked six partners in its Australian arm to leave, as it struggles to turn a profit from low-margin work.
- Maxim Shanahan
This Month
Medibank faces maximum $21.5 trillion fine in new cyber hack case
The privacy watchdog alleges the private health insurer failed to protect the details of 9.7 million customers, under a law that provides for a penalty of $2.2 million for each breach.
- Paul Smith
- Exclusive
- Workplace
Gen AI tools for lawyers ‘hallucinate’ up to one in three times
Generative artificial intelligence tools designed for the legal industry make up false or misleading information up to one in three times, a study has found.
- Euan Black
May
Lehrmann files appeal without lawyers
Bruce Lehrmann has told the Federal Court he will appeal against the finding at his defamation trial that he raped former colleague Brittany Higgins.
- Updated
- Michael Pelly
G+T targets Melbourne, start-ups with new partners
The firm is banking on continued growth in Melbourne corporate activity, and is taking a punt on start-ups and venture capital as a new source of clients.
- Maxim Shanahan
Late-paying clients are causing headaches for law firms
Firms are turning to fee funders and alternative billing arrangements to solve their cash flow problems.
- Maxim Shanahan
APRA tightens Mercer’s super licence over risks, compliance failures
The watchdog has forced Mercer Super to bring in external compliance experts after finding several breaches of its legal duties.
- Hannah Wootton
Minters picks up seven partners in PwC raid
MinterEllison is set to hire seven consulting partners from PwC in the largest single raid on the big four consulting firm since the tax leaks scandal.
- Maxim Shanahan
Bullying allegation at Corrs prompts regulator to get involved
SafeWork is “making inquiries” into a complaint at the law firm and has requested access to documents, but Corrs says the regulator has no plans to investigate further.
- Maxim Shanahan
No more ‘go-away’ money as companies take class actions to court
Corporate Australia will no longer pay “go-away” money to avoid shareholder class actions after plaintiff firms lost five major cases in a row, a trend lawyers said would encourage more boards to fight cases in the courts.
- Michael Pelly
- Exclusive
- Class action
Hedge fund betting on class actions banks on $135m profit a year
The fund behind largest litigation deal in history expects to make about $135 million a year from the deal, illustrating the huge profits up for grabs for investors.
- Ronald Mizen
Allens, G+T tapped for $200m AUB Group acquisition raise
Macquarie Capital’s equity desk hit the phones on Wednesday morning, chasing down fresh equity to fund the insurer’s acquisition of Pacific Indemnity.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood, e and Emma Rapaport
Supreme Court turns 200, with a didgeridoo salute
An Indigenous barrister and musician had lead roles in a ceremony to mark the bicentenary of the NSW Supreme Court.
- Michael Pelly
Allens to be king of the hill in Sydney’s new legal district
Allens and four other law firms are set to move into the revamped AMP building at Circular Quay as a new legal district in Sydney develops towards the harbour.
- Maxim Shanahan and Campbell Kwan
Directors welcome ‘no change’ report on disclosure laws
A review of continuous disclosure laws says the end of the no-fault regime for class actions has had no impact on “meritorious” claims
- Michael Pelly
Law graduates are about to crack a salary record
Top-tier graduates will earn more than $100,000 this year – in Sydney only – but law firms remain tight-lipped on pay rates despite moves towards transparency elsewhere.
- Maxim Shanahan
HWL Ebsworth anoints ‘co-pilots’ to replace the late Juan Martinez
Australia’s largest legal partnership, HWL Ebsworth, has new leaders who are hoping for “not such a combative relationship with the media”.
- Michael Pelly
If AI can do the work of a grad lawyer, what does a grad lawyer do?
As tech increasingly takes on the legal grunt work, MinterEllison is trying to rethink the work and skills of its young lawyers.
- Hans van Leeuwen
Optus denies ‘cloaking’ Deloitte report on 2022 cyberattack
A press release published after Optus’s 2022 cyberattack had legal purposes, even though they were never mentioned, Optus has argued in a court appeal.
- Jenny Wiggins