Miles v Luneburger Franchising Pty Ltd [2021] NSWCA 248

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Miles v Luneburger Franchising Pty Ltd [2021] NSWCA 248 Hearing dates: 17 September 2021 Date of orders: 14 October 2021 Decision date: 14 October 2021 Before: Macfarlan JA at [1] Gleeson JA at [2] Simpson AJA at [105] Decision: (1) Direct that the name of the respondent be changed to "Luneburger Franchising Pty Ltd as trustee for Luneburger Franchising Trust". (2) Appeal dismissed. (3) Appellant to pay the respondent's costs. Catchwords: CONTRACT — construction — interpretation — debt collection agreement — meaning of 'collect' — where agent obtained judgment debt against debtor — where debtor deregistered company — no monies collected from debtor — whether agent entitled to fee — whether agreement authorised agent to pursue other alleged debtors not specified in agreement CONTRACT — breach — where debt collection agreement prohibited principal taking any steps in relation to specified debt — where principal withdrew instructions of solicitors retained on behalf of principal by agent — whether breach of debt collection agreement DAMAGES — damages in contract — causation — loss of commercial opportunity — chance of obtaining fee for collecting a debt — where debtor company deregistered and likely insolvent — whether causation established — whether chance of acquiring fee had some value other than negligible or speculative Legislation Cited: Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), s 601AD(2) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 42.1 Cases Cited: ACCC v ASIC [2000] NSWSC 316; (2000) 34 ACSR 232 Allied Maples Group Ltd v Simmons & Simmons (a Firm) [1995] 1 WLR 1602 Badenach v Calvert (2016) 257 CLR 440; [2016] HCA 18 Bofinger v Kingsway Group Ltd (2009) 239 CLR 269; [2009] HCA 44 Ecosse Property Holdings Pty Ltd v Gee Dee Nominees Pty Ltd (2017) 261 CLR 544; [2017] HCA 12 Electricity General Corporation v Woodside Energy Ltd (2014) 251 CLR 640; [2014] HCA 7 Fightvision Pty Ltd v Onisforou (1999) 47 NSWLR 473; [1999] NSWCA 323 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Jowitt v Callaghan (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 512 Malec v JC Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 638; [1990] HCA 20 Mal Owen Consulting Pty Ltd v Ashcroft (2018) 97 NSWLR 1163; [2018] NSWCA 135 Mount Bruce Mining Pty Ltd v Wright Prospecting Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 104; [2015] HCA 37 Multicon Engineering Pty Ltd v Federal Airports Corporation (1997) 47 NSWLR 631 Paterson v Clarke [2002] NSWSC 1206 Perry v Raleys Solicitors [2020] AC 352; [2019] UKSC 5 Sellars v Adelaide Petroleum NL (1994) 179 CLR 332; [1994] HCA 4 Simic v New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation (2016) 260 CLR 85; [2016] HCA 47 Sunbird Plaza Pty Ltd v Maloney (1988) 166 CLR 245; [1988] HCA 11 Turner Manufacturing Co Pty Ltd v Senes [1964] NSWR 692 Victoria v Tatts Group Ltd [2016] HCA 5; (2016) 90 ALJR 392 Water Board v Moustakas (1988) 180 CLR 491; [1988] HCA 12 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Phillip Jacob Miles (Appellant) Luneburger Franchising Pty Ltd as trustee for Luneburger Franchising Trust (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: P Miles (Self-represented) (Appellant) G Carolan (Respondent)