Harden v Willis Australia Group Services Pty Ltd; Willis Australia Group Services Pty Ltd v Harden [2021] NSWSC 939

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Harden v Willis Australia Group Services Pty Ltd; Willis Australia Group Services Pty Ltd v Harden [2021] NSWSC 939 Hearing dates: 15, 16, 18 & 19 February and 3 June 2021 Submissions of Mr Harden dated 12 April, 12 & 19 May and 7 June 2021 Submissions of Willis dated 29 April, 12 and 20 May & 23 June 2021 Decision date: 30 July 2021 Jurisdiction: Equity - Expedition List Before: Sackar J Decision: See paras [509]-[517] Catchwords: CONTRACTS — Termination — Repudiation of contract — Whether a direction to lie to clients during notice period constitutes a breach of implied duty of good faith — Whether this amounts to repudiation — Whether in the event of repudiation the employee had affirmed the contract by continuing to accept their salary and comply with employer directions CONTRACTS — Implied terms — Good faith — whether there is an implied duty of good faith in employment contracts EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL LAW — Contract — Restraint of trade — Whether restraint unreasonable or against public policy — Whether period of restraint is reasonable where employee is senior and experienced — Whether notice period counts towards period of restraint COMMERCE — Restraint of trade — Enforcement and remedies — Injunction — Whether employee had solicited or attempted to solicit clients and staff from their employer — Whether employee misused or could misuse confidential information of their employer or clients — Whether employee should be restrained from undertaking these actions Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Restraints of Trade Act 1976 (NSW) Cases Cited: Adamson v New South Wales Rugby League Limited (1981) 27 FCR 535 Aircraft Pty Ltd v Chandler [2003] QSC 102 Amoco v Rocca Bros (1973) 133 CLR 233 Australian Executor Trustees (SA) Ltd v Kerr [2021] NSWCA 5 Australian Workers' Union v Stegbar Australia [2001] FCA 367 BearingPoint Australia Pty Ltd v Hillard [2008] VSC 115 BH Australia Constructions Pty Ltd v Kapeller (2019) 100 NSWLR 367 Blyth Chemicals Ltd v Bushnell (1933) 49 CLR 66 Bradshaw v McEwans Pty Ltd (1951) 217 ALR 1 Brambles Holdings Ltd v Bathurst City Council (2001) 53 NSWLR 153 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Bundanoon Sandstone Pty Limited v Cenric Group Pty Limited [2019] NSWCA 87; 373 ALR 591 Burger King Corporation v Hungry Jack's Pty Ltd (2001) 69 NSWLR 558 Butt v McDonald (1896) 7 QLJ 68 Byrne v Australian Airlines Limited (1995) 183 CLR 410 Cactus Imaging Pty Ltd v Peters (2006) 71 NSWLR 9 Champtaloup v Thomas [1976] 2 NSWLR 264 Commissioner of Stamp Duties (NSW) v Carlenka Pty Ltd (1995) 41 NSWLR 329 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Barker (2014) 253 CLR 169 Cook's Construction Pty Ltd v Brown (2004) 49 ACSR 62 Cordon Investments Pty Ltd v Lesdor Properties Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 184 Crossman v Sheahan [2016] NSWCA 200 Curro v Beyond Productions Pty Ltd (1993) 30 NSWLR 337 Dainford Ltd v Smith (1985) 155 CLR 342 De Belin v Australian Rugby League Commission Limited [2019] FCA 688 Doherty v Allman (1878) 3 App Cas 709 Donau Pty Ltd v ASC AWD Shipbuilder Pty Ltd (2019) 101 NSWLR 679 Downe v Sydney West Area Health Service (No 2) (2008) 71 NSWLR 633 DP World Sydney Ltd v Guy [2016] NSWSC 1072 Emeco International Pty Ltd v O'Shea (No 2) (2012) 225 IR 423; [2012] WASC 348 Esso Petroleum Co Ltd v Harper's Garage (Stourport) Ltd [1968] AC 269 Extraman (NT) Pty Ltd v Blenkinship (2008) 23 NTLR 77 Fabre v Arenales (1992) 27 NSWLR 437 Fitzgerald v Masters (1956) 95 CLR 320 Franklins Pty Ltd v Metcash Trading Ltd (2009) 76 NSWLR 603 Hitech Contracting Limited v Lynn (unreported, ex tempore, 31 May 2001) Honner v Ashton [1980] ANZ ConvR 343 HRX Holdings Pty Ltd v Pearson [2012] FCA 161 Industrial Rollformers Pty Ltd v Ingersoll-Rand (Australia) Ltd [2001] NSWCA 111 Izaac v Dargan Financial Pty Ltd (2018) 98 NSWLR 343 Jagatramka v Wollongong Coal Ltd [2021] NSWCA 61 James Cook University v Ridd (2020) 382 ALR 8 Jardin and Jardim Investments Pty Ltd v Metcash Ltd and Metcash Trading Ltd [2011] NSWCA 409 John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited v Birt [2006] NSWSC 995 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Kone Elevators Pty Ltd v McNav (No 2) (1997) ATPR 41-564; (1997) Aust Contract R 90-080 Koompahtoo Local Aboriginal Land Council v Sanpine Pty Ltd (2007) 233 CLR 115 Koops Martin v Dean Reeves [2006] NSWSC 449 Laurinda Pty Ltd v Capalaba Park Shopping Centre Pty Ltd (1989) 166 CLR 623 Mainteck Services Pty Ltd v Stein Heurtey SA (2014) 89 NSWLR 633 Maralinga Pty Ltd v Major Enterprises Pty Ltd (1973) 128 CLR 336 Miles v Genesys Wealth Advisers Limited [2009] NSWCA 25 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 67 ALJR 170 Newton v Australian Postal Corp (No 2) (2019) 292 IR 396 Nordenfelt v Maxim Nordenfelt Guns and Ammunition Co Limited [1894] AC 535 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Ltd v Hanna [2010] NSWSC 781 Orleans Investments Pty Ltd v Mindshare Communications Ltd [2009] NSWCA 40; (2009) 254 ALR 81 Orton v Melman (1981) 1 NSWLR 583 Otis Elevator Company Pty Ltd v John Nolan [2007] NSWSC 593 Paciocco v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (2015) 236 FCR 199 Palmer v Dolman [2005] NSWCA 361 Pearson v HRX Holdings Pty Ltd (2012) 205 FCR 187; [2012] FCAFC 111 Portal Software v Bodsworth [2005] NSWSC 1179 Provida Pty Ltd v Sharpe [2012] NSWSC 1041 R v The Darling Island Stevedoring and Lighterage Co Ltd; Ex parte Halliday; Ex parte Sullivan [1938] HCA 44; 60 CLR 601 Renard Construction (ME) Pty Ltd Minister for Public Works (1992) 26 NSWLR 234 Russell v Trustees of Roman Catholic Church for Archdiocese of Sydney (2007) 69 NSWLR 198 Ryledar Pty Ltd v Euphoric Pty Ltd (2007) 69 NSWLR 603 Sargent v ASL Developments Ltd (1974) 131 CLR 634 Satellite Estate Pty Ltd v Jaquet (1968) 71 SR (NSW) 126 Secured Income Real Estate (Australia) Limited v St Martins Investments Pty Limited (1979) 144 CLR 596 Seymour Whyte Constructions Pty Ltd v Ostwald Bros Pty Ltd (In liquidation) (2019) 99 NSWLR 317 Shevill v The Builders Licensing Board (1982) 149 CLR 620 Simic v New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation (2016) 260 CLR 85 Steadfast IRS Pty Ltd v Latchmi Mesuria [2020] NSWSC 947 Streetscapes Projects Pty Ltd v City of Sydney (2013) 85 NSWLR 196 Talacko v Talacko [2021] HCA 15 Trampoline Enterprises Pty Limited v Fresh Retailing Pty Limited [2019] VSCA 74 Two Lands Services Pty Ltd v Cave [2000] NSWSC 14 United Australia Ltd v Barclays Bank Ltd [1941] AC 1 Virk Pty Limited (In Liq) v YUM! Restaurants Australia Pty Limited [2017] FCAFC 190 Wendt v Bruce (1931) 45 CLR 245 Woolworths Ltd v Olson [2004] NSWCA 372 Wormald v Mardaca Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 259 Wright v Gasweld (1991) 22 NSWLR 317 X v Commonwealth (1999) 200 CLR 177 Texts Cited: Meagher, Gummow and Lehane Equity, Doctrines & Remedies (2002, 4th ed, Butterworths) Robertson and Patterson, Principles of Contract Law (2020, 6th ed, Thomson Reuters) J D Heydon, Heydon on Contract (2019, Thomson Reuters) Category: Principal judgment Parties: 2020/315224 Michael Harden (plaintiff) Willis Australia Group Services Pty Ltd (defendant)