Falls Festival Class Action Claimants Lawyers win contingency fees

On 20 November 2020, her Honour Justice Rita Incerti of the Supreme Court of Victoria approved nearly $3.4m in costs in a $5.7m settlement in a class action against the Falls Music and Arts Festival in Victoria involving a stampede which injured revellers in December 2016. Her Honour approved the $3,369,478 costs claim of the […]

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High Court adopts Exhaustion Doctrine for patent products, jettisoning the ‘implied licence doctrine’ in Australia

On 12 November 2020 the High Court delivered its much anticipated decision in Calidad Pty Ltd v Seiko Epson Corporation [2020] HCA (Calidad v Seiko). This decision is about patent rights and the extent to which they apply following the first sale of patented goods to a purchaser. When a patented product is first sold, […]

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If it walks like a duck… Telstra’s new payphones and what they mean for the streetscape

If it walks and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck… This is what the Full Court of the Federal Court decided in considering whether or not Telstra’s new payphone cabinets, which feature large digital billboards, constituted ‘low-impact facilities’ (which would be exempt from State and Territory planning laws).[1] Importance of decision The decision […]

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COVID-19 | Trackies to trousers: Transitioning from home to the physical workplace

What will COVID normal look like for your business? With the continued easing of restrictions across Australia, more and more businesses will be looking to transition employees from home (whether on a working from home arrangement or due to a period of stand down, leave or reduced hours) and back into their physical workplace. Just […]

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Small Business Insolvency Reforms – What this means for SME businesses as COVID restrictions ease and into the future

Following Treasury’s announcement on 24 September 2020 that it will introduce a suite of reforms to Australia’s insolvency framework, the Corporations Amendment (Corporate Insolvency Reforms) Bill 2020 (Cth) (Draft Bill) was released for public consultation between 7 and 12 October 2020, providing much needed clarity as to the practical effect of the insolvency reforms, which […]

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FSR Wrap | November 2020

As we approach the end of the year, Gadens’ FSR Team presents an update for the financial services regulatory market. This edition of FSR Wrap provides a focus on ‘business as usual’ regulations of importance to Australian financial services companies. As we look to 2021 and the introduction of a raft of legislation that has […]

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Cladding Safety Victoria Act receives Royal Assent

The Cladding Safety Victoria Bill 2020 (Vic) (CSV Bill) introduced 3 September 2020 has now received royal assent on 4 November 2020. The Cladding Safety Victoria Act 2020 (CSV Act) will come into operation on a day yet to be proclaimed, and at the very latest 1 July 2021. Key Features One of the main purposes […]

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The penalty for a cause marketing misstep: Oscar Wylee update

The market for socially-conscious consumers who are looking to use their buying power ethically and in support of socially responsible causes is growing rapidly. This presents opportunities for businesses to engage with their customers in new ways. However, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is well aware and is looking closely at potentially misleading […]

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COVID-19 | Webinar | Trackies to trousers: Transitioning from home to the physical workplace

With the continued easing of COVID-19 restrictions across Australia, more employers are transitioning their employees back to the physical workplace. As with the move to working from home, employers will likely face challenges in the return to face to face operations. In this webinar, Brett Feltham (Partner), Siobhan Mulcahy (Partner) and Emma Moran (Senior Associate) […]

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COVID-19 | Update: NSW extends rent relief scheme for impacted lessees

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the NSW government has extended the expiry date of the ‘prescribed period’ under retail and commercial tenancy laws to 31 December 2020. The Retail and Other Commercial Leases (COVID-19) Regulation (No 2) 2020 (Updated Regulations) have been introduced in NSW, with the effect of repealing and remaking the […]

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Another win for the Richmond Football Club – The Victorian Supreme Court of Appeal upholds consistency for retail premises leases during the term

In Verraty Pty Ltd v Richmond Football Club Ltd [2020] VSCA 267, the Victorian Supreme Court of Appeal confirms that a retail premises lease cannot ‘jump out’ of application of retail legislation during the term. Whether or not the position can change on renewal remains uncertain. The Initial Decision The case finds its origins in […]

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FMCG Express | October Edition

2020 continues to be an interesting year with COVID-19 still impacting our lives and businesses, although we are cautiously optimistic that we may be turning a corner here in Australia. In this edition of FMCG Express, we bring you some useful COVID-19 reading as we grapple with the ongoing effects of the pandemic and look […]

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