Komlotex Pty Ltd v AMP Ltd [2022] NSWSC 1525

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Komlotex Pty Ltd v AMP Ltd [2022] NSWSC 1525 Hearing dates: 12 October 2022 Date of orders: 9 November 2022 Decision date: 09 November 2022 Jurisdiction: Equity - Commercial List Before: Rees J Decision: Motion to produce unredacted documents dismissed with costs. Catchwords: EVIDENCE – client legal privilege – defendant has in-house and external lawyers – external lawyers retained to conduct "independent" investigation and advise board – investigation reveals employee misconduct – external lawyers retain consultant to conduct "independent" workplace investigation – external lawyer's investigation report later produced to Banking Royal Commission. PRIVILEGE – difficulty adducing evidence in support of claim due to authors leaving employ – whether Court should inspect documents – principles at [7]-[12] – Hancock v Rinehart does not introduce 'two-step' process – exercise discretion to inspect documents. DOMINANT PURPOSE – principles at [33]-[39] – a purpose was to persuade regulator that defendant was taking the matter seriously – dominant purpose was to provide defendant with legal advice. WAIVER – principles at [111]-[112] – whether waiver of external legal advice led to waiver of in-house advice – whether waiver over subsequent legal advice – issue waiver – no waiver. Legislation Cited: Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 118, 119, 142 Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 1.8 Cases Cited: 789Ten v Westpac Banking Corporation Ltd [2005] NSWSC 123; (2005) 215 ALR 131 Archer Capital 4A Pty Ltd (as trustee for the Archer Capital Trust 4A) v Sage Group plc (No 2) [2013] FCA 1098; (2013) 304 ALR 384 Attorney-General (NT) v Maurice (1986) 161 CLR 475 AWB Ltd v Cole (No 5) (2006) 155 FCR 30; [2006] FCA 1234 Barnes v Commissioner of Taxation [2007] FCAFC 88; (2007) 242 ALR 601 Bowker v DP World Melbourne Ltd [2015] FWC 7887 Cantor v Audi Australia Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 1391 Chen v City Convenience Leasing Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 297 Commissioner of Taxation v Rio Tinto Limited (2006) 151 FCR 341; [2006] FCAFC 86 Cooper v Hobbs [2013] NSWCA 70 Council of the New South Wales Bar Association v Archer (2008) 72 NSWLR 236; [2008] NSWCA 164 Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2002) 213 CLR 543; [2002] HCA 49 DSE (Holdings) Pty Ltd v Intertan Inc (2003) 135 FCR 151; [2003] FCA 1191 Esso Australia Resources Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) (1999) 201 CLR 49; [1999] HCA 67 Expense Reduction Analysts Group Pty Limited v Armstrong Strategic Management and Marketing Pty Limited (2013) 250 CLR 303; [2013] HCA 46 Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Spotless Services Ltd (1996) 186 CLR 404 Gibbins v Bayside Council [2020] NSWSC 1795 GR Capital Group Pty Ltd v Xinfeng Australia International Investment Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 266 Grant v Downs (1976) 135 CLR 674 Hancock v Rinehart (Privilege) [2016] NSWSC 12 Hastie Group Ltd (in liq) v Moore [2016] NSWCA 305; (2016) 339 ALR 635 In the matter of Global Advanced Metals Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 1545 In the matter of Northern Energy Corporation Ltd [2020] NSWSC 1073; (2020) 147 ACSR 572 Kirby v Centro Properties Ltd (No 2) [2012] FCA 70; (2012) 87 ACSR 229 Mann v Carnell (1999) 201 CLR 1; [1999] HCA 66 McKenzie v Cash Converters International Ltd [2017] FCA 1564 Mitsubishi Electric Australia Pty Ltd v Victorian WorkCover Authority (2002) 4 VR 332; [2002] VSCA 59 Neal v Neal [2018] NSWSC 1356 New South Wales v Jackson [2007] NSWCA 279 Nickmar Pty Ltd v Preservatrice Skandia Insurance Ltd (1985) 3 NSWLR 44 Price Waterhouse (a firm) v BCCI Holdings (Luxembourg) SA [1992] BCLC 583 R (Morgan Grenfell and Co Limited) v Special Commissioner of Income Tax [2003] 1 AC 563 R v Derby Magistrates' Court; Ex parte B [1996] AC 487 Rawlinson & Hunter Trustees SA v Akers [2014] EWCA Civ 136 Rawlinson and Hunter Trustees SA v Akers [2013] EWHC 2297 (QB) Rinehart v Rinehart [2016] NSWCA 58 SA E.Med Pty Ltd v Calvary Health Care Adelaide Ltd (No 2) [2011] FCA 835 Stephen v Seahill Enterprises Pty Ltd [2021] FWCFB 2623; (2021) 306 IR 140 Stewart v State of Victoria (No 2) [2015] VSC 373 Sugden v Sugden (2007) 70 NSWLR 301; [2007] NSWCA 312 TerraCom Ltd v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2022] FCA 208; (2022) 401 ALR 143 Three Rivers District Council v Governor and Company of the Bank of England (No 6) [2005] 1 AC 610 Traderight (NSW) Pty Ltd v Bank of Queensland Limited (No 16) [2013] NSWSC 418 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Komlotex Pty Ltd (First Plaintiff/First Applicant) Fernbrook (Aust) Investments Pty Ltd (Second Plaintiff/Second Applicant) AMP Limited (Defendant/Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr C Moore SC / Mr J Entwisle (Plaintiffs/Applicants) Ms E Collins SC / Mr H Atkin (Defendant/Respondent)