Kousouros v O'Halloran & Anor

Kousouros v O'Halloran & Anor

Legal advice privilege attached to the 2nd Defendant's communications with her solicitor as beneficiary and was not lost by subsequent joint interest in estate administration; the privileged material disclosed to the Claimant must remain confidential and cannot be used.

Parties
Claimant and Appellant: Harry George Kousouros; 1st Defendant: Richard O’Halloran; 2nd Defendant and Respondent: Anna Aresti
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
10 July 2014
Procedural Posture
Appeal / Judgment on Appeal
Outcome
Appeal allowed
Legal Topics
Legal Professional Privilege, Disclosure of Documents, Beneficiaries' Rights, Estate Administration

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 3 Authorities cited 12 Party arguments 2 Amounts and remedies 2
Sign in to unlock

Parties

Harry George Kousouros

Claimant and Appellant

Richard O’Halloran

1st Defendant

Anna Aresti

2nd Defendant and Respondent

Procedural Posture

Appeal / Judgment on Appeal

  1. 1 Whether legal advice privilege applies to communications between solicitor and beneficiary in estate administration
  2. 2 Whether privilege can be asserted against other beneficiaries
  3. 3 Whether privileged material disclosed can be restrained from use

Ratio Decidendi

Legal advice privilege attached to the 2nd Defendant's communications with her solicitor as beneficiary and was not lost by subsequent joint interest in estate administration; the privileged material disclosed to the Claimant must remain confidential and cannot be used.

Court Disposition

Appeal allowed

Orders

  • Confidentiality of privileged material maintained
  • Claimant precluded from using privileged material from 28 January 2011 letter