CU LAB: Crowd-sourced equity funding one step closer

Consideration is a legal term used to refer to the benefit that parties to a legal agreement or a contract receive.

Misrepresentation in commercial contracts can expose businesses to significant legal and financial consequences, particularly where inaccurate statements, misleading disclosures, or unrealistic forecasts induce entry into a transaction. Under Australian law, parties may pursue remedies through both common law misrepresentation claims and statutory misleading or deceptive conduct provisions under the Australian Consumer Law, with potential outcomes including rescission, damages, and compensation orders.

Force majeure clauses in Australian contracts determine whether extraordinary events can suspend, delay, or excuse contractual obligations, but relief depends entirely on precise wording and strict compliance with notice and mitigation requirements. Understanding when businesses can legally invoke force majeure versus when they risk breach of contract claims is critical for managing commercial disruption.

On 26 June 2026, the Federal Court of Australia delivered judgment in Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Mercer Superannuation (Australia) Limited [2026] FCA 832, ordering Mercer Superannuation (Australia) Limited (MSAL) to pay $10.3 million in penalties and $1.2 million in costs.

On 18 February 2011 the Full Federal Court unanimously overturned the 2009 Federal Court ruling which cleared Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) and its Chairman and CEO Mr Andrew Forrest of misleading and deceptive conduct.

A contractor agreement determines who pays when work goes wrong. Independent contractors carry their own commercial risk, unlike employees, so the agreement allocates that risk in detail. Liability commonly arises from breach of contract, intellectual property infringement, and breaches of confidentiality. Indemnities, liability caps and insurance requirements are the three tools that allocate it. Australian law puts limits on that allocation. Consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law apply automatically, and no contract can exclude them.

Australia’s public M&A market proved its ability to adapt to uneasy market conditions in FY26, seeing $42.1 billion in deal activity across 57 transactions, according to a new report from leading global law firm...

Dividends are a common way for companies to distribute value to shareholders, but whether to declare or pay a dividend is not simply a commercial decision. Directors must ensure that any dividend complies with the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Corporations Act), the company’s constitution and relevant governance requirements, while considering their duties to the company and its creditors.

Many businesses must investigate their supply chain to prepare and lodge a Modern Slavery Statement by December 2020.

AUSTRAC has released updated guidance for reporting entities regarding suspicious matter reports (SMRs), identifying areas where submissions could be improved to ensure high-quality...