The Supreme Court of Queensland recently considered whether liquidated damages in a standard form construction contract were a penalty In a decision that traversed long-held doctrines on penalties and recent developments in emAndrewsem and Paciocco the court ruled that the obligation to pay ...

The High Court has reaffirmed the powers of a responsible entity are ultimately derived from the scheme's constitution, but the exercise of those powers is constrained by the statutory and fiduciary duties imposed on the responsible entity. ...

Since a landmark decision has narrowed available claims against defendants under the Alien Tort Claims Act for alleged violations of customary international law US courts have sought to clarify exactly what geographical connection is required to justify a claim against corporate defendants Partner ...

The High Court today held that parties and regulators are permitted to put before the court an agreed position as to the value of a penalty reached as part of a settlement agreement Our Regulatory team reports ...

The release of the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement has renewed the debate about the ability of foreign investors to sue governments under investor-State dispute settlement mechanisms which are commonly part of international trade agreements or investment treaties between States ...

The Supreme Court of Western Australia has dismissed a subcontractors application for an interlocutory injunction restraining a call on a bank guarantee Partners Nick Rudge and Jeremy Quan-Sing and Lawyer Evan Lacey discuss the decision and its implications ...

In an eagerly awaited appeal decision in emRPL Central v The Commissioner of Patentsem the Full Federal Court has decided that the evidence-gathering method the subject of RPL Centrals innovation patent was a mere scheme abstract idea or business method that did not constitute patentable subject ...

The difficulty of registering a colour mark or word mark denoting a colour that include issues of market place recognition was highlighted by a recent set of appeals revolving around the use of the word Yellow in a tussle between various business directory goods and service providers Partner Sarah ...

In a recent decision the Victorian Court of Appeal has held that parties to an arbitration agreement cannot avoid arbitration by seeking to bring the claim in a statutory tribunal Partner Nick Rudge and Lawyer James Waters report on a case that reinforces the trend of Australian courts to give ...

A recent Federal Court decision highlights the importance of managing the provision of information and documentation to third parties with caution in order to preserve legal professional privilege Partner Richard Harris and Senior Associate Elnaz Nikibin report on the case ...