Xinfeng Australia International Investment Pty Ltd v GR Capital Group Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 620

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Xinfeng Australia International Investment Pty Ltd v GR Capital Group Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 620 Hearing dates: 4 May 2020 Date of orders: 22 May 2020 Decision date: 22 May 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Ward CJ in Eq Decision: 1. Dismiss with costs the notice of motion filed 9 March 2020 by the Judgment Creditors seeking to set aside the GR Capital Notice to Produce and direct that documents in answer to that notice to produce be produced to the Court within 28 days. 2. Direct that the proper officer of Colin, Biggers & Paisley produce to the Court within 28 days all documents falling with the terms of the Xinfeng Subpoena in which there is communicated or recorded legal advice as to the merits or prospects of the proceedings (or claim(s) made in the proceedings) that were the subject of the Consent Orders and/or as to the legality or illegality of the underlying transaction or agreement to compromise the proceedings; and otherwise direct that the proper officer not be required to comply with the said subpoena. 3. Otherwise dismiss with costs the notice of motion filed 13 March 2020 by the Judgment Debtors seeking to set aside the Xinfeng Subpoena. 4. Direct that there be general access to the parties in respect of documents produced in compliance with orders 1 and 2. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE — Subpoenas and notices to produce — Application to set aside

EVIDENCE — Privileges — Legal professional privilege — Waiver — Implied waiver by putting in issue state of mind Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 122 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 33.4(1), 36.15 Cases Cited: Akins v Abigroup Ltd (1998) 43 NSWLR 539 Ampolex v Perpetual Trustee Co (Canberra) Ltd (1995) 37 NSWLR 405 Associated Dominions Assurance Society Pty Ltd v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1952) 72 WN (NSW) 250 Attorney-General (NT) v Maurice (1986) 161 CLR 475; [1986] HCA 80 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Shell Co of Australia Ltd [1999] FCA 212; (1999) 161 ALR 686 Australian Institute of Fitness Pty Ltd v Australian Institute of Fitness (Vic/Tas) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2015] NSWSC 994 Bailey v Department of Land and Water Conservation (2009) 74 NSWLR 333; [2009] NSWCA 100 Broadway Plaza Investments Pty Ltd v Broadway Plaza Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 410 Chen v City Convenience Leasing Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 297 Cohen v Morgans [2019] NSWSC 608 Commissioner for Railways v Small (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 564 at 573-4; 55 WN (NSW) 215 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Quade (1991) 178 CLR 134; [1991] HCA 61 Commonwealth of Australia v Temwood Holdings Pty Ltd [2002] WASC 107 Council of the New South Wales Bar Association v Archer (2008) 72 NSWLR 236; [2006] NSWCA 164 DSE (Holdings) Pty Ltd v Intertan Inc (2003) 127 FCR 499; [2003] FCA 384 Equuscorp Pty Ltd v Kamisha Corporation Ltd [1999] FCA 681; (1999) ATPR ¶41-697 Fitzsimons v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [2012] NSWSC 660 Foster v Driscoll [1929] 1 KB 470 General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corp Ltd v Tanter (The "Zephyr") [1984] 1 All ER 35; [1984] 1 WLR 100 Hancock v Rinehart [2016] NSWSC 12 Harvey v Phillips (1956) 95 CLR 235; [1956] HCA 27 Huddersfield Banking Co Ltd v Henry Lister & Son Ltd [1895] 2 Ch 273 In the matter of Jimmy's Recipe Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 516 Ingot Capital v Macquarie Equity [2008] NSWSC 25 Liberty Funding Pty Ltd v Phoenix Capital Ltd [2005] FCAFC 3 Lindsay-Owen v HWL Ebsworth Lawyers [2017] NSWSC 1692 Liquorland (Australia) Pty Ltd v Anghie (2007) 7 VR 27; [2003] VSC 73 Lowery v Insurance Australia Ltd (2015) 90 NSWLR 320; [2015] NSWCA 303 Macquarie Bank Ltd v Arup Pty Ltd [2016] FCAFC 117 Mann v Carnell (1999) 201 CLR 1; [1999] HCA 66 One.Tel Ltd (in liq) - Sing Tel Optus Pty Ltd v Weston [2010] NSWSC 1491 Owners Strata Plan No 57164 v Yau (2017) 96 NSWLR 587; [2017] NSWCA 341 Portal Software International Pty Ltd v Bodsworth [2005] NSWSC 1115 R v Saleam (1989) 16 NSWLR 14 Registrar, Court of Appeal v Craven (No 1) (1994) 126 ALR 668 Rinehart v Rinehart [2018] NSWSC 1102 Rinehart v Rinehart [2019] NSWSC 759 Seven Network Ltd v News Ltd (No 7) [2005] FCA 1092 Sevic v Roarty (1998) 44 NSWLR 287 Shire of Katanning v Bride [2016] WASC 118 Singh v Ginelle Pty Ltd [2010] NSWCA 310 Spies v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1991) 24 NSWLR 691 Sydney Refractive Surgery Centre Pty Ltd v Beaumont [2003] NSWSC 688 Thomason v Campbelltown Municipal Council (1939) 39 SR (NSW) 347 Tony Azzi Automobiles Pty Ltd v Volvo Car Australia Pty Ltd [2006] NSWSC 283 Unity Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd v Rocco Pezzano Pty Ltd (1998) 192 CLR 603; [1998] HCA 38 Waugh Asset Management Pty Ltd v Lynch [2010] NSWSC 197 Xinfeng Australia International Investment Pty Ltd v GR Capital Group Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 1546 Xinfeng Australia International Investment Pty Ltd v GR Capital Group Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 884 Texts Cited: Cross on Evidence, J D Heydon, Cross on Evidence (11th ed, 2017, LexisNexis Butterworths) Spencer Bower and Handley, Res Judicata (4th ed, 2009, LexisNexis Butterworths)] Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Xinfeng Australia International Investment Pty Ltd (First Plaintiff) Yuqing Liu (Second Plaintiff) GR Capital Group Pty Ltd (First Defendant) The One Capital Group Pty Ltd (Second Defendant) Wensheng Liu (Third Defendant) Representation: Counsel: WG Muddle SC with P McDonald (Plaintiffs) DR Pritchard SC with A Macauley (Defendants)