Talbot v Ethicon Sàrl & Ors (NSD 310 of 2021) and Gill & Ors v Ethicon Sàrl & Ors (NSD 1590 of 2012) (Ethicon Class Actions)

The parties to the Ethicon Class Actions have asked the Federal Court of Australia to approve the proposed settlement of those proceedings.

Those proceedings were listed and partially heard before his Honour, Justice Lee, on 5 December 2022. The matter has been adjourned to 16 February 2023.

William Roberts Lawyers (William Roberts) are the firm assisting Mr Matthew Darke SC and Ms Rachel Francois of counsel in their role as contradictors  in the Ethicon Class Actions to put the arguments to the Court as to why the settlement should not be approved or not approved in its current form. A final decision on the settlement approval has not yet been made.

The contradictors are separate and independent from the Applicants, the Respondents, Shine Lawyers (solicitors for the Applicants) and Clayton Utz (solicitors for the Respondents).

Request for Tenders to Administer and Distribute Settlement Fund

On 21 December 2022, the Court ordered that suitably qualified organisations be invited to tender for the role of administering and distributing the settlement fund to group members in accordance with a settlement scheme.

Tenders must be submitted electronically to jjmesh.tender@williamroberts.com.au on or before 5 pm on 27 January 2023.

Information for organisations interested in submitting tenders, including the requirements of the tender response, is set out in Request for Tenders document available to be viewed and downloaded

Once tenders have been received, William Roberts may, at its absolute discretion, make enquiries of any tendering party for the purpose of better understanding any aspect of that party’s tender.

Selection of the successful tenderer is to be decided by the Federal Court of Australia.

The successful tendering party will be required to submit to orders of the Federal Court of Australia providing for that party to administer and distribute the Settlement Fund in accordance with the Settlement Scheme on the basis of which that party’s tender was submitted.

Further enquiries with respect to the tender process should be addressed to William Roberts at jjmesh.tender@williamroberts.com.au.