Vic: Law firm to set up trust fund for smoker's family=4
Mrs McCabe was originally awarded compensation after Supreme Court justice GeoffreyEames ruled that BAT deliberately destroyed thousands of documents to prevent smokersbringing cases against them.
Justice Eames' ruling was unanimously overturned on appeal.
Mr Gilligan said Slater and Gordon had sent BAT a bill for $4.5 million for the original case.
He said Slater and Gordon was a wealthy firm which took on large corporations and oftenwon, citing deep vein thrombosis and Qantas, OK Tedi Mining, Kraft and peanut butter,and Dow Corning and faulty breast implants.
Mr Gilligan said Slater and Gordon had pursued a risky and unusual legal strategy inconcentrating on the destruction of documents.
"They are not necessarily a passive benign firm when it comes to prosecuting theircase. They are aggressive, they use the media very well, we recognise that and they alsoprobably take on a very high risk strategy.
"Clients need to be advised of what risks are associated with that.
"What was their advice, what risks did they advise the family of regarding what wasquite an aggressive and quite unusual legal strategy?
"Particularly if they are so confident of their appeal in the High Court. I'd liketo hear Peter Gordon say he's going to indemnify the family against any legal costs."
BAT has 45 per cent of market share in Australia. In 1999 it made a $6 billion operating profit.
AAP clr/apm/sb
KEYWORD: MCCABE 4 D/L MELBOURNE
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