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A landmark workers’ rights verdict, an alleged hack, and a fatal hit-and-run: What’s hot in law this week (9–13 Dec)
This past week, an Adelaide lawyer was found guilty of a fatal hit-and-run, the High Court overturned a century-old precedent, and a ransomware gang claimed to have client documents from a shuttered law firm. Here is your weekly round-up of the biggest stories for Australia’s legal profession.
Lawyers Weekly
For the week from 9 to 13 December, these were the 10 most-read stories on Lawyers Weekly (in case you missed them):
1. Barrister struggles to hold onto practising certificate after controversy with massager
A Queensland barrister has fought to hold onto his practising certificate months after a court ordered him to repay the $240,000 loaned to him by a friend who massaged him.
2. High Court rules that ‘sham’ terminations can cause psychiatric injury, overturning century-old law
A precedent set by a 1909 English case has been overturned by the High Court of Australia in a landmark workers’ rights case, with an employer being ordered to pay over $1.4 million to a former employee who claimed psychiatric injury arising from a breach of employment contract.
3. WA barrister faces claims she practised without certificate
While facing allegations she worked without a practising certificate, a West Australian barrister convinced a tribunal to stay her suspension until review proceedings could be heard.
4. Clayton Utz names 8 new partners
National law firm Clayton Utz has promoted eight lawyers to its partnership, effective 1 January.
5. Adelaide lawyer guilty of fatal hit-and-run
A claim by an Adelaide lawyer that she did not see the 70-year-old victim of a hit-and-run was rejected by a District Court judge.
6. Reprimand for lawyer who dodged client’s calls for months
Despite his client’s desperate pleas for updates, a Queensland sole practitioner did not contact him or progress his family law matter.
7. Law firm, Legal Aid office attacked by alleged arsonist
A criminal law firm was hit by an arson attack following reports of an explosion at a nearby Legal Aid office.
8. Legal secretary fights Slater & Gordon over discredited expert report
A legal secretary brought action against Slater & Gordon over alleged professional negligence in a workers’ compensation claim, including its supposed misuse of a discredited expert’s report.
9. RBA makes final cash rate call for 2024
The cash rate has now stayed at 4.35 per cent for over one year. Find out, in this special announcement brought to you by Legal Home Loans, if the Reserve Bank has finally opted to provide relief to millions of home owners ahead of the festive season.
10. Alleged hack on Qld firm exposes unprotected data
A ransomware gang claimed it has a raft of client documents that was left unprotected when a Queensland law firm closed its doors.
