Class actions
ALCG has been sought after as the leading costs expert in many of Australia’s largest class action cases. Cate and her team have provided expert reports in the Thalidomide, Hep C, Bonsoy, Black Saturday Bushfires, Fairbridge Farm and Manus Island Class actions and in shareholder class actions such as Allco, ACR, NAB and QBE.
In the difficult area of quantifying the reasonable costs in large litigation cases, Cate’s methodology has been accepted by the Courts as “comprehensive”, “well-founded and reliable” and providing a basis for the acceptance of the reasonableness of legal fees that are “conspicuously fair”.
“Having considered all of the evidence tendered on this application, I am of the view that the settlement is conspicuously fair between the parties and between group members.”
A v Schulberg & Ors (No 2) [2014] VSC 258 (5 June 2014) per Beach JA at [14]
“Moreover, the approach taken by Ms Dealehr reflects the methodological principles approved by Gordon J in Modtech and is very comprehensive. The detail with which the breakdown of costs is presented provides the Court with the information required for the Court to undertake an independent assessment of the overall reasonableness of the costs.”
Matthews v AusNet Electricity Services Pty Ltd & Ors [2014] VSC 663 (23 December 2014) per Osborn JA at [381]
“It appears to me that Ms Dealehr has done a thorough job using a methodology previously approved of by the Court and that her opinion as to the reasonable costs and disbursements in the proceeding is well-founded and reliable.”
Rowe v AusNet Electricity Services Pty Ltd & Ors [2015] VSC 232 (27 May 2015) per Emerton J at [131]