Oliveri Legal Pty Ltd t/as Oliveri Lawyers v Cassegrain Tea Tree Oil Pty Ltd [2024] NSWCA 74

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Oliveri Legal Pty Ltd t/as Oliveri Lawyers v Cassegrain Tea Tree Oil Pty Ltd [2024] NSWCA 74 Hearing dates: 29 February 2024 Date of orders: 09 April 2024 Decision date: 09 April 2024 Before: Gleeson JA at [1]; Mitchelmore JA at [8]; Basten AJA at [93] Decision: The appeal is dismissed with costs. Catchwords: CORPORATIONS — directors and officers — ostensible authority — whether company held out managing director as having authority to bind it to indemnity — where nature of indemnity was not outside of the normal course of the company's activities CORPORATIONS — directors and officers — actual authority — whether managing director had actual authority to enter guarantee and indemnity — whether managing director was the alter ego of the company GUARANTEE AND INDEMNITY — contract of guarantee and indemnity — construction — whether agreement was guarantee and indemnity, or only indemnity ESTOPPEL — estoppel by convention — promissory estoppel — whether parties held mutual assumption, or the company induced solicitors to adopt an assumption, that the company would indemnify solicitors Legislation Cited: Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), ss 128, 129 Cases Cited: Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd v Frenmast Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCA 459 Canty v PaperlinX Australia Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 309 Crabtree-Vickers Pty Ltd v Australian Direct Mail Advertising & Addressing Co Pty Ltd (1975) 133 CLR 72; [1975] HCA 45 Fitzgerald v Masters (1956) 95 CLR 420; [1956] HCA 53 Franklins Pty Ltd v Metcash Trading Ltd (2009) 76 NSWLR 603; [2009] NSWCA 407 Freeman and Lockyer v Buckhurst Park Properties [1964] 2 QB 480 H Lundbeck A/S v Sandoz Pty Ltd; CNS Pharma Pty Ltd v Sandoz Pty Ltd [2022] HCA 4; 399 ALR 184 Hely-Hutchinson v Brayhead Ltd [1968] 1 QB 549 Hightime Investments Pty Ltd v Adamus Resources Ltd [2012] WASC 295 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Junker v Hepburn [2010] NSWSC 88 Lee v ATL (Australia) Pty Ltd [2023] NSWCA 327 Lennard's Carrying Co Ltd v Asiatic Petroleum Co Ltd (1915) AC 705 Lopez v Pawski [2017] WASC 338 Mainteck Services Pty Ltd v Stein Heurtey SA (2014) 89 NSWLR 633, 661-662; [2014] NSWCA 184 Moratic Pty Ltd v Gordon [2007] NSWSC 5; (2007) NSW ConvR 56-172 National Australia Bank Ltd v Clowes [2013] NSWCA 179; (2013) 8 BFRA 600 Northside Developments Pty Ltd v Registrar-General (1990) 170 CLR 146; [1990] HCA 32 Pacific Carriers Ltd v BNP Paribas (2004) 218 CLR 451; [2004] HCA 35 Ryledar Pty Ltd t/as Volume Plus v Euphoric Pty Ltd (2007) 69 NSWLR 603; [2007] NSWCA 65 Seymour Whyte Constructions Pty Ltd v Ostwald Bros Pty Ltd (in liq) (2019) 99 NSWLR 317, 322; [2019] NSWCA 11 Soyfer v Earlmaze Pty Ltd [2000] NSWSC 1068 Story v Advance Bank Australia Ltd (1993) 31 NSWLR 722 Westpac Banking Corporation v Tanzone Pty Ltd [2000] NSWCA 25; (2000) 9 BPR 17,521 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Oliveri Legal Pty Ltd t/as Oliveri Lawyers (Appellant) Cassegrain Tea Tree Oil Pty Ltd (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: RD Wilson SC / CP Locke (Appellant) GA Sirtes SC / D Ratnam (Respondent)