Even a 2,700‑lawyer firm isn’t hacker-proof. HSF Kramer disclosed hackers accessed a "limited portion" of its US systems back in May, exposing Social Security numbers, government IDs and health records. It says the incident's contained and affected people notified, but joins Jones Day, Goodwin and WilmerHale on this year's breach list: Reuters

⚖️ Employment: Employers, don't assume an employee who stopped showing up has quit. In Haque v dnata Airport Services, Commissioner Crawford doubted that 'abandonment of employment' sits outside the meaning of 'dismissal' under s 386 of the Fair Work Act. Mr Haque stopped showing up and stopped responding, so dnata sent a letter saying it would 'assume' he'd resigned, then terminated him. That wording backfired: it looked like dnata ending the employment, not accepting Haque's own repudiation. Crawford found Haque was dismissed, letting his general protections claim go ahead: Holding Redlich

⚖️ Contract: The Vic Court of Appeal confirmed that a 'show cause' letter alone won't end a contract. In Bata v Pathik, Builder Mark Bata built a townhouse 3 metres out of position, so the owner sent a letter warning he'd terminate unless the defects were fixed within 14 days. They weren't fixed, but the Court held that stating an 'intention to terminate' isn't enough. Further communication actually converting that intention into a decision to terminate is needed, even if the contract doesn't say how. The contract was still discharged, just by inferred abandonment rather than that letter, since neither party treated it as on foot by trial: MinterEllison

⚖️ Corporate: ASX is streamlining its approach to performance securities at listing. Under Guidance Note 19, applicants have generally needed formal in-principle advice confirming that performance shares, options or rights are 'appropriate and equitable' under Listing Rule 6.1, along with a companion waiver from Listing Rule 1.1 Condition 12's 20 cent exercise price floor. Having granted over 100 such waivers in the five years to December 2025 with few issues arising, ASX will no longer require the formal application. Applicants need only confirm full prospectus disclosure, that securities convert into less than 10% of undiluted capital (or provide an independent expert's fairness opinion), and conformity with Guidance Note 19's sections 9 to 11: ASX

Australia has the second-highest effective corporate tax rate in the OECD at 28.5%, beaten only by Colombia. The OECD average is 22%, and it's been dropping elsewhere while Australia's stayed flat for a decade. KPMG's Brendan Rynne says that's making Australia a harder sell for investors chasing better post-tax returns elsewhere: AFR

Iran and Oman are close to a deal reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the route for a fifth of the world's oil and gas, but nothing's signed yet. Iran won't talk directly with the US, citing breaches of an earlier truce, and is negotiating through intermediaries instead. Trump says the US is in no rush, banking on Iran's 77% inflation to force its hand: Bloomberg

🪧 I Squared Capital has taken out the top prize in a four-way scrap for oOh!media, lobbing a winning $1.70-a-share bid valuing the outdoor advertiser at roughly $900m. The Florida infrastructure investor, advised by White & Case, beat out Oaktree and Pacific Equity Partners: AFR

🤖 Sharon AI's ASX dual-listing is ready to go, with a prospectus already drafted though not yet filed. Meanwhile, the neocloud has opened offices in Singapore and New Zealand, growing its contract book to $US8.8bn: AFR, Capital Brief

🚗 FleetPartners is set to knock back Pacific Equity Partners' $726m buyout offer but will let the PE firm into the data room anyway, hoping to draw out rival bids: The Australian