Sapphire Group Pty Ltd v Luxotico HK Ltd [2021] NSWSC 589

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Sapphire Group Pty Ltd v Luxotico HK Ltd [2021] NSWSC 589 Hearing dates: 13 April 2021 Date of orders: 25 May 2021 Decision date: 25 May 2021 Jurisdiction: Equity - Commercial List Before: Rees J Decision: Dismiss motion to set aside service and challenge jurisdiction Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – service outside Australia –plaintiffs sue on tort of intentional infliction of economic harm using unlawful means – unlawful means said to be registering trademarks in China contrary to Trademark Law of China – individual defendant resident in NSW and personally served –whether leave required to serve originating process on Hong Kong company – damage sustained in Australia – Hong Kong company a proper party – leave not required. PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW – whether clearly inappropriate forum – trademark litigation on foot in China – territorial nature of intellectual property rights – separate proceedings will need to be commenced in China to recover compensation – lay witnesses in NSW – damage in NSW – foreign law – proceedings in China do not include all parties – whether insufficient prospects of success in Australia – whether abuse of process given earlier Hong Kong proceedings – proceedings temporarily stayed pending finalisation of trademark determination in China. Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 67 Foreign Judgments Act 1991 (Cth) Pt 2, ss 3, 5, 6 Foreign Judgments Regulations 1992 (Cth) reg 3 Trademark Act 1995 (Cth) Pt 5, ss 55, 56, 195, Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) rr 11.4, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 12.11, sch 6 Cases Cited: Agar v Hyde (2000) 201 CLR 552; [2000] HCA 41 Apple Computer Inc v Apple Corps [1990] 2 NZLR 598 Bagsfirst Global Pty Ltd v Global Brands (Football) Pte Ltd [2010] NSWSC 988 Barach v University of New South Wales [2011] NSWSC 431 Barach v University of New South Wales at [81]; Benson v Rational Entertainment Enterprises Ltd [2015] NSWSC 906 Batistatos v Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales (2006) 226 CLR 256; [2006] HCA 27 BEST Australia Ltd v Aquagas Marketing Pty Ltd (1988) 83 ALR 217 Black Bear Asset Management Pty Ltd v Luxotico HK Ltd [2020] HKCFI 414 British South Africa Co v Companhia de Mocambique [1892] 2 QB 358 Clyne v New South Wales Bar Association (1960) 104 CLR 186; [1960] HCA 40 Colosseum Investment Holdings Pty Ltd v Vanguard Logistics Services Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 803 CSR Ltd v Cigna Insurance Australia Ltd (1997) 189 CLR 345; [1997] HCA 33 Darrell Lea Chocolate Shops Pty Ltd v Spanish-Polish Shipping Co Incorporated (1990) 25 NSWLR 568 Distillers Co (Biochemicals) Ltd v Thompson [1971] AC 458 Dow Jones & Co Inc v Gutnick (2002) 210 CLR 575; [2002] HCA 56 Garsec Pty Ltd v His Majesty Sultan of Brunei [2008] NSWCA 211; (2008) 250 ALR 682 Gongli v Keshun (Zhejiang High Court 2018 Zhemingzhong 37) Gosper v Sawyer (1985) 160 CLR 548 at 564-5; [1985] HCA 19 Hardie Finance Corporation Pty Ltd v Ahern (No 3) [2010] WASC 403 Henry v Henry (1996) 185 CLR 571; [1996] HCA 51 Ho v Akia Pty Ltd (In Liq) (2006) 247 FCR 205; [2006] FCAFC 159 International Management Group of America Pty Ltd v Media Niugini Ltd t/as EMTV [2020] NSWSC 559 Jago v District Court of New South Wales (1989) 168 CLR 23; [1989] HCA 46 James Hardie Industries Pty Ltd v Grigor (1998) 45 NSWLR 20 John Pfeiffer Pty Ltd v Rogerson (2000) 203 CLR 503; [2000] HCA 36 JT International SA v Commonwealth of Australia (2012) 250 CLR 1; [2012] HCA 43 Kent v Kent [2017] FamCAFC 157 Kinahan v Kinahan (1890) 45 Ch D 78 Lan v Hao [2017] FamCAFC 175 Laurie v Carroll (1958) 98 CLR 310; [1958] HCA 4 Lin v Wu [2019] NSWSC 1666 Maclaine Watson & Co Private Ltd v Bing Chen [1983] 1 NSWLR 163 Marshall v Marshall (1888) 38 Ch D 330 McGregor v Potts (2005) 68 NSWLR 109; [2005] NSWSC 1098 New South Wales v Plaintiff A [2012] NSWCA 248 OBG Ltd v Allan [2008] 1 AC 1 Oceanic Sun Line Special Shipping Co Inc v Fay (1988) 165 CLR 197; [1988] HCA 32 PCH Offshore Pty Ltd v Dunn (No 2) [2010] FCA 897; (2010) 273 ALR 167 Potter v Broken Hill Pty Co Ltd (1906) 3 CLR 479; [1906] HCA 88 Puttick v Tenon Ltd (2008) 238 CLR 265; [2008] HCA 54 Re Nash (No 2) (2017) 263 CLR 443; [2017] HCA 52 Regie National des Usines Renault SA v Zhang (2002) 210 CLR 491; [2002] HCA 10 Studorp Ltd v Robinson [2012] NSWCA 382 Tomlinson v Ramsey Food Processing Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 507; [2015] HCA 28 Tritech Technology Pty Ltd v Gordon [2000] FCA 75; (2000) 48 IPR 52 TS Production LLC v Drew Pictures Pty Ltd (2008) 172 FCR 433; [2008] FCAFC 194 Wigmans v AMP Ltd [2021] HCA 7; (2021) 388 ALR 272 Young v Facebook Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 1440 Texts Cited: M Davies, A Bell, P L G Brereton and M Douglas, Nygh's Conflict of Laws in Australia (10th ed, 2019, LexisNexis) R P Austin and I M Ramsay, Ford, Austin & Ramsay's Principles of Corporations Law (LexisNexis, May 2021) Richie's Uniform Civil Procedure NSW Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Sapphire Group Pty Limited (First Plaintiff) Black Bear Asset Management Pty Limited (Second Plaintiff) Luxotico HK Limited (First Defendant) John Staples (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr E Cox SC / Mr QM Noakhtar (Plaintiffs) Mr Hall SC / Ms S Stewart (Defendants)