Hunt Leather Pty Ltd v Transport for NSW (No 4) [2024] NSWSC 140

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Hunt Leather Pty Ltd v Transport for NSW (No 4) [2024] NSWSC 140 Hearing dates: 13 and 14 December 2023 Date of orders: 22 February 2024 Decision date: 22 February 2024 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Cavanagh J Decision: (1) The answer to question 10 is no – the plaintiffs are not entitled to recover the funder's commission as damages. (2) Question 11 does not arise. (3) I list this matter for further directions on 13 March 2024. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE — Representative proceedings – where plaintiffs entered into a litigation funding agreement – whether plaintiffs may claim as a head of damages the litigation funder's commission. Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 3, 19 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth), pt IVA Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5D, 5E, pt 1A Cases Cited: Hunt Leather Pty Ltd v Transport for NSW (No 3) [2023] NSWSC 1598 Overseas Tankship (UK) Ltd v Miller Steamship Co Pty Ltd (The Wagon Mound (No 2)) [1967] 1 AC 617 Roberts v Goodwin Street Developments Pty Ltd [2023] NSWCA 5 Talacko v Talacko (2021) 272 CLR 478 Landoro (Qld) Pty Ltd v Jensen International Pty Ltd [1999] QCA 318 Money Max Int Pty Ltd v QBE Insurance Group Ltd (2016) 245 FCR 191 Arsalan v Rixon (2021) 274 CLR 606 Griffiths v Kerkemeyer (1977) 139 CLR 161 Van Gervan v Fenton (1992) 175 CLR 327 Hungerfords v Walker (1989) 171 CLR 125 Nominal Defendant v Gardikiotis (1996) 186 CLR 49 Essar Oilfields Services Ltd v Norscot Rig Management Pvt Ltd [2016] EWHC 2361 Henville v Walker (2001) 206 CLR 459 Wallace v Kam (2013) 250 CLR 375 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Hunt Leather Pty Ltd (First Plaintiff) Sophie Hunt (Second Plaintiff) Ancio Investments Pty Ltd (Third Plaintiff) Nicholas Zisti (Fourth Plaintiff) Transport for NSW (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: A Bannon SC with A Hochroth (Plaintiffs) D McLure SC with N Simpson (Defendant)