Naro Investments Pty Ltd & Ors v Benjamin & Khoury Pty Ltd (No.2) [2021] NSWSC 1198

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Naro Investments Pty Ltd & Ors v Benjamin & Khoury Pty Ltd (No.2) [2021] NSWSC 1198 Hearing dates: Decided on the papers. Date of orders: 21 September 2021 Decision date: 21 September 2021 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Slattery J Decision: Specified lump sum costs order made against the plaintiffs/cross-defendants in the amount of $90,449.59, inclusive of the costs of the Motion. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – Costs orders – Gross sum costs order – Civil Procedure Act 2005, s 98(4)(c) – costs dispute judgment between solicitors (the defendant/cross-claimant) and former clients (the plaintiffs/cross-defendants) – clients' claim struck out on the basis that no reasonable cause of action was disclosed and judgment for the solicitors entered on the Cross-Claim – solicitors seek gross sum costs order instead of assessed costs – both parties consent to the matter being dealt with on the papers – the former clients put on no submissions – solicitors acted for themselves for a period – whether a specified gross sum should be ordered instead of assessed costs – what is the quantum of appropriate order. Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005, ss 56(1), 57(1)(d), 60 and 98(4)(c) Supreme Court Rules 1970 Cases Cited: Australasian Performing Rights Assoc Ltd v Marlin [1999] FCA 1006 Bahamad v Wong [2020] NSWSC 991 Beach Petroleum NL v Johnson (No. 2) (1995) 57 FCR 119 Bell Lawyers Pty Ltd v Pentelow (2019) 372 ALR 555 Edgar & Walker v Mead (1916) 23 CLR 29; (1916) 23 ALR 259 Hadid v Lenfest Communications Inc [2000] FCA 628 Hamod v State of New South Wales [2011] NSWCA 375 Harrison v Schipp (2002) 54 NSWLR 738 London Scottish Benefit Society v Chorley [1881-5] All ER Rep 1111 Naro Investments Pty Ltd & Ors v Benjamin & Khoury Pty Ltd [2021] NSWSC 262 Penson v Titan National Pty Ltd (No.3) [2015] NSWCA 121 Russo & Ors v Russo & Ors (No. 4) [2016] NSWSC 1133 Silva v Czarnikow Limited (1960) 104 SJ 369 Simone Starr-Diamond v Talus Diamond (No. 4) (2013) 272 FLR 414 Willmott v Barber (1881) 17 Ch D 772 Category: Costs Parties: First plaintiff/Cross-defendant: Naro Investments Pty Ltd ACN 110 648 210 Second plaintiff/cross-defendant: Margherita Dimarti Third plaintiff/cross-defendant: Rocco Dimarti Fourth plaintiff/cross-defendant: Natalie Dimarti Fifth cross-defendant: Carmelo Dimarti Sixth cross-defendant: Suncorp-Metway Limited Pty Limited ACN 010 831 722 Seventh cross-defendant: Westpac Banking Corporation Pty Limited ACN 007 457 141 Eighth cross-defendant: Andask Pty Limited ACN 002 424 553 Defendant/Cross-claimant: Benjamin & Khoury Pty Ltd Representation: Counsel: