Traderight (NSW) Pty Ltd (ACN 108 880 968) & Ors v Bank of Queensland Limited (ACN 009 656 740) (No 14) and 13 related matters [2013] NSWSC 211

Traderight (NSW) Pty Ltd (ACN 108 880 968) & Ors v Bank of Queensland Limited (ACN 009 656 740) (No 14) and 13 related matters [2013] NSWSC 211

The OMB Parties are entitled to maintain their claim for client legal privilege over the draft expert reports and related communications with legal advisors because there is insufficient evidence to show that reliance on the final expert report is inconsistent with maintaining privilege. There is no evidence the communications or drafts influenced the expert's final substantive conclusions, and the fact that legal advisors provided comments or edits does not, of itself, abrogate the privilege.

Parties
Plaintiff/defendant: Traderight (NSW) Pty Ltd (ACN 108 880 968); Plaintiff/defendant: Bronwyn Smith; Plaintiff/defendant: Geoffrey Versace; Plaintiff/defendant: Smith Partners Development Pty Ltd; Plaintiff/defendant: Verich Holdings Pty Ltd; Plaintiff/defendant/cross Claimant: Bank of Queensland Limited (ACN 009 656 740); Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Rossmick No 1 Pty Limited; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Rossmick No 2 Pty Limited; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Michael Bradley; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Ross Chapman; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Luke Nolan; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Tomala No 1 Pty Ltd (ACN 110 321 698); Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Casmick Pty Ltd (ACN 110 292 012); Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Nolan No 1 Pty Ltd (ACN 110 019 426); Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Nadine Nolan; Defendant/cross Defendant: David Liddy; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Jude Financial Services Pty Ltd (ACN 115 763 481); Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Russell Jude Edward Gardner; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Penelope Ann Gardner; Defendant/cross Defendant: Donna Quinn; Defendant/cross Defendant: Garry Allsop; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Shamarbre Pty Ltd; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Ronald George Johnson; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Geraghty & Palmer (NSW) Pty Ltd; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Shauna Margaret Geraghty; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Barry Palmer; Plaintiff/defendant/cross Claimant: SME Business Assist Pty Limited (ACN 108 524 232); Plaintiff/defendant/cross Claimant: Scott Rolfe McCoy; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Leokate Pty Ltd (ACN 111 162 068); Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Stephen Sargent; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Lauren Sargent; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Best Deal Pty Limited (ACN 119 366 433); Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Jeffrey Bruce Jones; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: LJH Group Pty Limited (ACN 123 507 497); Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Leslie Xu; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Jin Yu Yang; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Southpole Financial Services Pty Ltd; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Harunur Rashid Chowdhury; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Iftekhar Tarek Hassan; Plaintiff/cross Defendant: Ikthedar Hassan Murad
Jurisdiction
Australia
Judgment Date
25 March 2013
Procedural Posture
Procedural and Other Rulings / Interlocutory Application—application for Access to Documents Over Which Client Legal Privilege Is Claimed
Outcome
Application for access to privileged documents dismissed. OMB Parties entitled to maintain privilege.
Legal Topics
Client Legal Privilege, Waiver of Privilege, Expert Evidence, Disclosure of Expert Communications
Evidence Civil Procedure Client Legal Privilege Waiver of Privilege Expert Evidence Disclosure of Expert Communications

Case Brief

Summary, issues, holding and outcome

More case intelligence is available

Unlock the full research layer for this judgment.

Full judgment text Downloadable case file Legal principles 2 Authorities cited 13 Party arguments 2
Sign in to unlock

Parties

Traderight (NSW) Pty Ltd (ACN 108 880 968)

Plaintiff/defendant

Bronwyn Smith

Plaintiff/defendant

Geoffrey Versace

Plaintiff/defendant

Smith Partners Development Pty Ltd

Plaintiff/defendant

Verich Holdings Pty Ltd

Plaintiff/defendant

Bank of Queensland Limited (ACN 009 656 740)

Plaintiff/defendant/cross Claimant

Rossmick No 1 Pty Limited

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Rossmick No 2 Pty Limited

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Michael Bradley

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Ross Chapman

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Luke Nolan

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Tomala No 1 Pty Ltd (ACN 110 321 698)

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Casmick Pty Ltd (ACN 110 292 012)

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Nolan No 1 Pty Ltd (ACN 110 019 426)

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Nadine Nolan

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

David Liddy

Defendant/cross Defendant

Jude Financial Services Pty Ltd (ACN 115 763 481)

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Russell Jude Edward Gardner

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Penelope Ann Gardner

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Donna Quinn

Defendant/cross Defendant

Garry Allsop

Defendant/cross Defendant

Shamarbre Pty Ltd

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Ronald George Johnson

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Geraghty & Palmer (NSW) Pty Ltd

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Shauna Margaret Geraghty

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Barry Palmer

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

SME Business Assist Pty Limited (ACN 108 524 232)

Plaintiff/defendant/cross Claimant

Scott Rolfe McCoy

Plaintiff/defendant/cross Claimant

Leokate Pty Ltd (ACN 111 162 068)

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Stephen Sargent

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Lauren Sargent

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Best Deal Pty Limited (ACN 119 366 433)

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Jeffrey Bruce Jones

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

LJH Group Pty Limited (ACN 123 507 497)

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Leslie Xu

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Jin Yu Yang

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Southpole Financial Services Pty Ltd

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Harunur Rashid Chowdhury

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Iftekhar Tarek Hassan

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Ikthedar Hassan Murad

Plaintiff/cross Defendant

Procedural Posture

Procedural and Other Rulings / Interlocutory Application—application for Access to Documents Over Which Client Legal Privilege Is Claimed

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the OMB Parties have lost client legal privilege in communications and draft expert reports provided to Professor Burton by disclosing the final expert report in these proceedings
  2. 2 Whether the use of the expert's report is inconsistent with maintaining privilege over related drafts and communications

Ratio Decidendi

The OMB Parties are entitled to maintain their claim for client legal privilege over the draft expert reports and related communications with legal advisors because there is insufficient evidence to show that reliance on the final expert report is inconsistent with maintaining privilege. There is no evidence the communications or drafts influenced the expert's final substantive conclusions, and the fact that legal advisors provided comments or edits does not, of itself, abrogate the privilege.

Court Disposition

Application for access to privileged documents dismissed. OMB Parties entitled to maintain privilege.

Orders

  • The OMB Parties are entitled to maintain their claim for privilege in relation to the documents contained in packets A to L produced by Professor Burton.