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Prominent appointments and class action developments: What’s hot in law this week (27-31 Mar)

It’s been a hectic month, and the final week of the quarter was no different. Here is your weekly round-up of the biggest news stories for Australia’s legal profession.

user iconLawyers Weekly • 01 April 2023 • Big Law
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For the week from 27 March to 31 March, these were the 10 most-read stories on Lawyers Weekly (in case you missed them):

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  1.   McCabes hires team from HWL Ebsworth
National law firm McCabes has added its sixth new principal for the year to date and has continued to grow its insurance division with the appointment of a principal, an associate, and an administrative assistant from BigLaw rival HWL Ebsworth.

  1.   NSW judge confirmed as head of National Anti-Corruption Commission
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has unveiled the first appointments to the national integrity body, with a Court of Appeal judge who headed up the inquiry into alleged ADF war crimes in Afghanistan to be its inaugural commissioner.

  1.   6-year class action withdrawn, $11m settlement reached
After running for almost six years, a class action filed against Aveo has been withdrawn, with the retirement giant to pay a “full and final” settlement of $11 million.

  1.   ‘If you get the work done, it doesn’t matter when you’re doing it’
Firms that look after their staff and prioritise their wellness and work/life balance will have not only happier employees but also a higher quality of work, this lawyer emphasised.

  1.   Qld man barred from practice following search warrant and document seizure
A Central Queensland man has been banned from practising law in the state after he was found to have provided legal advice without having an Australian practising certificate.

  1.   Employee wellbeing is now a ‘positive legal obligation’ — and one that needs to be met
With 90 per cent of the Australian workforce reportedly overwhelmed and despite new WHS regulations coming into play in recent years, those in the legal profession are still at an increased risk of burnout and poor mental health.

  1.   New class action filed against Medibank
Australian private health insurance giant Medibank is set to face additional proceedings, with a global law firm bringing a shareholder action for alleged breach of continuous disclosure obligations pertaining to purported non-disclosures about deficiencies in the company’s cyber security defences.

  1.   Is inflation disproportionately impacting female lawyers?
With the cost of living continuing to rise and a potential recession on the horizon, inflation has been revealed to disproportionately impact women — and employers have been urged to take proactive steps in response to this.

  1.   What Gen Z lawyers are looking for
The executive director of the College of Law Queensland discusses the changes in the drivers and motivations of young lawyers.

  1. Judge Mark Ritter on the treatment of young lawyers, getting to the bench and leading by example
Newly appointed West Australian District Court Judge Mark Ritter SC recently spoke with Lawyers Weekly about improving the treatment of emerging practitioners, as well as reflected on the journey to the bench and how His Honour plans to “illustrate the appropriate way to practice”.

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