GL Insights
GL explains: Why do I need to register a trade mark?
28/05/2026 Why do I need to register a trade mark? – is a question our clients often ask us. Put simply, while not a legal requirement, trade marks are an operational necessity if you’re serious about protecting and promoting your brand. What is a trade mark? According to the Trade Marks Act 1995 (section 17) …
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Lessons in Contract Law from Shao v Crown Global Capital Pty Ltd
27/05/2026 In a recent decision, the High Court in Shao v Crown Global Capital Pty Ltd (in prov liq) [2025] HCA 43 tackled the complexities of contract construction when multiple parties are involved. The case centred on a disputed payment clause in a million-dollar loan agreement, offering valuable insights for anyone dealing with multi-party contracts. Ms …
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1 July 2026 Law Changes
26/05/2026 Nationwide law changes 1 July 2026 This month’s budget announcements are likely to impact a number of legal services we provide, from legal structure advice through to wills and estates. These changes are still to be passed through Parliament, and we will write more about this in the future. A new national minimum wage …
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Workers are being left behind in the AI adoption race, advocates warn
26/05/2026 Unions are continuing to sound the alarm on the impact widespread adoption of AI could have on workers’ rights, warning the lack of legal guardrails risks the erosion of job security and further entrenchment of socioeconomic inequality. A union backed report released by the John Curtin Research Centre (JCRC) has highlighted the importance of …
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Behind the curtain of legal professional privilege: lessons from Medibank v McClure
26/05/2026 Legal professional privilege (LPP) protects confidential information, documents and communications, between a lawyer and a client made for the purpose of providing legal advice or services. Issues surrounding LPP arise when documents address a wider-range of topics beyond just providing legal advice or services. This is the core issue in the recent case of …
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RentTech on notice: OAIC determination signals tougher scrutiny for “excessive” renter data collection
26/05/2026 The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has issued a landmark determination against a major rental technology (RentTech) platform, sending a clear message that is it is not acceptable to collect as much information as possible without a clear reason for doing so. OAIC found that the “2Apply” platform, a popular tool used …
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Risks in broad FOI disclosure exemptions
23/04/2026 In the recent case of Bachelard v Australian Federal Police [2025] FCAFC 5, the Federal Court of Australia has reinforced the core principle of the act: the Australian right to access government documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act) Background Journalist Michael Bachelard sought access to documents held by the …
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First penalties issued under new sexual harassment provisions in the Fair Work Act
21/04/2026 A recent case in the Federal Circuit and Family Court has provided the first decision under the new penalty provisions for sexual harassment under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (Fair Work Act). Amendments to the Fair Work Act that commenced on 6 March 2023 introduced a civil penalty for sexual harassment in the …
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How new AUSTRAC anti-money laundering obligations will impact our clients
21/04/2026 Australian law firms, including Grifin Legal, will be subject to mandatory anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) obligations from 1 July 2026, marking a significant expansion of the country’s financial crime prevention regime. The new laws bring legal practitioners into line with banks and financial institutions that have long operated under similar requirements. …
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When is a dismissal not a dismissal?
13/04/2026 A recent case in the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has highlighted when a worker is not eligible to claim a dismissal remedy in the FWC. In the case of Ms Izabela Dembowska v Abergeldie Personnel Pty Ltd [2026] FWC 801, the Applicant had signed an employment contract but had not yet commenced employment when …
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