Oceania/Australia - Page 32
Queensland lawyers fall in line over reforms
Queensland's lawyers have backed away from scuppering nationwide reforms to the regulatory structure of Australia's legal profession, it emerged at the end of last week.
Aussie PM bats away union scandal claims
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has staunchly rebutted claims that she benefitted from a union fund that she helped set up for free, and off the books, when practising as a lawyer 17 years ago.
Queensland dallies over regulatory reforms
The body representing Australia's biggest law firms is calling for lawyers in Queensland to clarify their position on proposed legal profession regulatory reforms, amid fears from local practitioners that a new regime will ratchet up practice costs.
Aussie firm and PM keep battling scandal
Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard has dismissed allegations made by a former colleague concerning her departure from top law firm Slater & Gordon.
K&L Gates latest firm to eye Aussie merger
Pittsburgh-headquartered K&L Gates is in merger talks with Australian national law firm Middletons, the global law firm announced today, in the latest move around the increasingly febrile local legal profession market.
Bank fees targeted in Australia's biggest class action
A class action suit aiming to reclaim more than AU$220m (£147m) in bank fees kicked off in Australia's High Court this week.
In-house lawyers risk losing personal assets in corporate litigation
Australia's in-house lawyers risk of losing personal assets to pay legal fees incurred when their employers lose battles with the country's corporate regulator, a leading law firm practitioner has warned.
Top law firm embroiled in Aussie political row
The world's first publicly listed law firm is embroiled in a scandal that could rock Australia's government and trade union elite.
Regulation 'stifling' Australia's renewable energy
Australia is missing out on the global renewable energy boom because the Canberra government has not developed a plan diverse enough to meet its own targets, charges a leading international specialist lawyer.
Global incomers boost Aussie recruitment market
The recent flurry of Australian mergers with global law firms has seen more than half of local legal practices increase hiring compared to 2011, a report released this week confirms.
Court rebuff for Facebook advertisers
Companies advertising on Facebook may be forced to moderate posted user comments after an Australian court ruled that the remarks should be treated as advertisements themselves.
Australians pocket bumper revenues
Sydney-based law firm Freehills led Australia's top 35 law firms to a bumper financial year as combined revenues hit AU$5.77 billion (£3.91 bn).
Minter Ellison money man lands 10-year stretch for theft
The former finance chief at the Adelaide arm of Sydney-based law firm Minter Ellison has been sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in gaol after he admitted to stealing AU$2.7 million (£1.8m) from the firm.
Australia: going for gold
International law firm Norton Rose advised Queensland-based gold producer Allied Gold Mining on its merger with domestic rival St Barbara.
Wanted: women lawyer mentors in Australia
A mentoring programme aimed at women solicitors has launched in New South Wales.
Diageo in major settlement with thalidomide victim
Lynette Rowe -- who was born without arms and legs -- has been offered more than AU$1 million by multi-national corporation Diageo as compensation for the effects of thalidomide.
Clyde & Co latest to crack Aussie market
London-headquartered global law firm Clyde & Co is open offices in Sydney and Perth this autumn, the firm announced yesterday.
Cost of justice too high, says South Australia's top judge
Chris Kourakis, South Australia's recently-appointed Chief Justice, has singled out the cost of justice as the biggest problem with the jurisdiction's legal system.
Go-ahead for latest Anglo-Aussie merger
The partnerships of London-based firm Herbert Smith and Sydney-headquartered practice Freehills have overwhelmingly voted in favour of a merger, it was announced today.
Art lover
Australian solicitor Michael Sullivan has pleaded guilty to charges of stealing two pieces of art worth AU$14,500. That is the least unusual part of a case that has been described as 'bizarre' by Sullivan's own lawyer.