Karas v LK Law Pty Ltd [2023] FCAFC 15

Federal Court of Australia

Karas v LK Law Pty Ltd [2023] FCAFC 15 Appeal from: LK Law Pty Ltd v Karas [2022] FCA 762

File number: SAD 112 of 2022

Judgment of: CHARLESWORTH, O'CALLAGHAN AND COLVIN JJ

Date of judgment: 17 February 2023

Catchwords: CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - application for leave to appeal interlocutory decision - where appellant sought interlocutory injunction preventing the use of confidential information - where injunction refused on the basis that balance of convenience did not weigh in favour of relief - where iniquity alleged as answer to claim to confidentiality - whether there exists a prima facie case to confidentiality - consideration of the proper approach to the defence of iniquity to a claim of confidentiality on an interlocutory application - leave to appeal granted - appeal dismissed

Cases cited: A v Hayden (No 2) (1984) 156 CLR 532 AG Australia Holdings Ltd v Burton [2002] NSWSC 170; (2002) 58 NSWLR 464 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Lenah Game Meats Pty Ltd [2001] HCA 63; (2001) 208 CLR 199 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v O'Neill [2006] HCA 46; (2006) 227 CLR 57 AWB Limited v Honourable Terence Rhoderic Hudson Cole (No 5) [2006] FCA 1234; (2006) 155 FCR 30 British American Tobacco Australia Ltd v Gordon [2007] NSWSC 230 Castrol Australia Pty Ltd v EmTech Associated Pty Ltd (1980) 51 FLR 184 Corrs Pavey Whiting & Byrne v Collector of Customs (Vic) (1987) 14 FCR 434 Crown Resorts Limited v Zantran Pty Limited [2020] FCAFC 1; (2020) 276 FCR 477 Décor Corporation Pty Ltd v Dart Industries Inc (1991) 33 FCR 397 Gartside v Outram (1856) 26 LJ Ch 113 LK Law Pty Ltd v Karas [2022] FCA 762 Meyers v Casey (1913) 17 CLR 90 Moody v Cox & Hat [1917] 2 Ch 71 Popeye Holdco Pty Limited (Receivers and Managers Appointed) v Intermediate Capital Asia Pacific 2008 GP Limited (No 2) [2018] FCA 408 Samsung Electronics Co Limited v Apple Inc [2011] FCAFC 156; (2011) 217 FCR 238