Trademax Australia Limited v Xiang Huang [2024] NSWSC 1459

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Trademax Australia Limited v Xiang Huang [2024] NSWSC 1459 Hearing dates: 13 November 2024 Date of orders: 13 November 2024 Decision date: 15 November 2024 Jurisdiction: Equity - Commercial List Before: McGrath J Decision: See [74] Catchwords: EQUITY — equitable remedies — interlocutory injunctions — where employment agreement contains provisions in relation to preserving confidential information and restraints of trade — where plaintiff alleges defendant breached employment agreement and seeks interlocutory and final injunctions to enforce negative contractual stipulations — where defendant is no longer working for employer and says that he has no immediate plans to work in the future — HELD — serious question to be tried — real risk of non-compliance with restraints — no hardship to the defendant — balance of convenience favours granting of interlocutory injunctions Legislation Cited: Restraints of Trade Act 1976 (NSW) Cases Cited: Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Lenah Game Meats Pty Ltd (2001) 208 CLR 199; [2009] HCA 63 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v O'Neill (2006) 227 CLR 57; [2006] HCA 46 Beecham Group Ltd v Bristol Laboratories Pty Ltd (1968) 118 CLR 618; [1968] HCA 1 BMW Australia Ltd v Brewster (2019) 269 CLR 574; [2019] HCA 45 Cactus Imaging Pty Ltd v Peters (2006) 71 NSWLR 9; [2006] NSWSC 717 Castlemaine Tooheys Ltd v South Australia (1986) 161 CLR 148; [1968] HCA 58 Isaac v Dargan Financial Pty Ltd ATF Dargan Financial Discretionary Trust (ABN 68 702 047 521) (trading under the name of Home Loan Experts) (2018) 98 NSWLR 343; [2018] NSWCA 163 KA & C Smith Pty Ltd v Ward (1998) 45 NSWLR 702 Kolback Securities Ltd v Epoch Mining NL (1987) 8 NSWLR 533 Otis Elevator Co Pty Ltd v Nolan [2007] NSWSC 593 The Littlewoods Organisations Ltd v Harris [1978] 1 All ER 1026 Tullett Prebon (Australia) Pty Ltd v Simon Purcell [2008] NSWSC 852; (2008) 175 IR 414 Warner-Lambert Company LLC v Apotex Pty Ltd (2014) 106 IPR 218; [2014] FCAFC 59 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Trademax Australia Limited (Plaintiff) Xiang Huang (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: S Fitzpatrick SC and P Gaffney (Plaintiff) D Allen (Defendant)