Lawrence v Sammut (No 3) [2022] NSWSC 657

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Lawrence v Sammut (No 3) [2022] NSWSC 657 Hearing dates: 16 May 2022 Date of orders: 24 May 2022 Decision date: 24 May 2022 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Schmidt AJ Decision: The referee's report must be adopted and orders made in favour of Mr Lawrence. I direct that: 1. the parties confer on costs and the terms of the final orders reflecting the conclusions which I have reached on the matters over which they joined issue; and 2. proposed orders be filed within 14 days, together with short submissions on any matters which are not agreed. Catchwords: COSTS — Costs assessment — appeal from review panel — Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (NSW), s 89 — whether leave required — whether amount in dispute less than $100,000 — leave not required but if it were leave would be granted COSTS — Costs assessment — appeal from review panel — adequacy of reasons — consent referral to referee under Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 — Rule 20.24 — whether referee's report should be adopted or "noted" and appeal dismissed — report adopted COSTS — Interest — whether to calculate from date of costs order or later cost assessment — Civil Procedure Act, s 101 — interest to be calculated from date of order Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56, 60, 101 Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW), s 380 Legal Profession General Uniform Rules 2015 Legal Profession Uniform Law 2014 (NSW), Pt 9.2, ss 172, 198, 199(1), 199(2)(b), 201 Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (NSW), Pt 7, ss 67, 82, 83, 85(2), 85(3), 89 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 20.13, 20.14, 20.23, 20.24(1), 42.5 Cases Cited: Ahern v Aon Risk Services Australia Ltd [2021] NSWCA 166 Allesh v Maunz (2000) 203 CLR 172; [2000] HCA 40 Bellevarde Constructions Pty Ltd v CPC Energy Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 228 Frumar v Owners of Strata Plan 36957 (2006) 67 NSWLR 321; [2006] NSWCA 278 Gazecki v McCabes Lawyers Pty Ltd (2020) 102 NSWLR 259; [2020] NSWCA 98 Gilmore Finance Pty Ltd v Aesthete No 3 Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 114 Lawrence v Ciantar [2019] NSWSC 464 Lawrence v Ciantar [2020] NSWCA 89 Lawrence v Ciantar (No 2) [2020] NSWCA 186 Lawrence v Sammut [2021] FCCA 1929 Mainteck Services Pty Ltd v Stein Heurtey SA (2014) 89 NSWLR 633; [2014] NSWCA 184 Ryde City Council v Tourtouras [2007] NSWCA 218 Super Pty Ltd v SJP Formwork (Aust) Pty Ltd (1992) 29 NSWLR 549 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Wayne Lawrence (Plaintiff) Alice Sammut (First Defendant) Paul Ciantar (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Ms J McDonald