Cameron v Ofria [2007] NSWDC 202

Reported Decision : 6 DCLR (NSW) 13

New South Wales District Court

CITATION: Cameron v Ofria [2007] NSWDC 202

HEARING DATE(S): 11 July 2007, 12 July 2007, 13 July 2007, 30 August 2007 and 31 August 2007

JUDGMENT DATE: 22 October 2007

JURISDICTION: Civil

JUDGMENT OF: Hungerford ADCJ

DECISION: Verdict for the plaintiff against the defendant in an amount of $39,123.87; parties to be heard on costs

CATCHWORDS: LEGAL PRACTITIONERS - Claim by a barrister against client for unpaid fees - Action in breach of contract - Barrister instructed by solicitor to act for and on behalf of client - Whether a contract between barrister and client or between barrister and solicitor - Alleged contract for provision of legal services - Disclosure by barrister of basis of costs - Costs agreement between barrister and client - Bills of costs - Whether compliance with statutory requirements

Civil Procedure Act 2005, s 100(1) Legal Profession Act 1987, ss 38I, 173(1), 174(1), 175, 176, 177, 182, 184, 185, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195 and Div 6 of Pt 11 Legal Profession Act 2004 , s 735(1), Pt 3.2 of Ch 3, Sch 1 and cl 18(1) of Sch 9 LEGISLATION CITED: Legal Profession Regulation 1994, cl 22A Legal Profession Regulation 2002, cl 45 and cl 15 of Sch 5 Legal Profession Amendment (Transitional Provisions) Regulation 2002, cl 3 and Sch 1[3] Limitation Act 1969, s 14(1)(a) Subordinate Legislation Act 1989, s 10(2)

ABB Power Generation Ltd v Chapple (2001) 25 WAR 158 Adamson v Williams [2001] QCA 38 Cameron v Dennis [2006] NSWDC 32 Conder v Silkbard [1999] NSWCA 459 Craven-Ellis v Canons Ltd [1936] 2 KB 403 Dennis v Cameron [2007] NSWCA 228 Dewhurst (WA) & Co Pty Ltd v Cawrse [1960] VR 278 Dimos v Hanos [2001] VSC 173 Empirnall Holdings Pty Ltd v Machon Paull Partners Pty Ltd (1988) 14 NSWLR 523 Flett v Deniliquin Publishing Co Ltd [1964-5] NSWR 383 Giannarelli v Wraith (1988) 165 CLR 543 CASES CITED: Kennedy v Brown (1863) 13 CB (NS) 677; 143 ER 268 MacRobertson Miller Airline Services v Commissioner of State Taxation (WA) (1975) 133 CLR 125 May (Re) (1859) 4 Jur NS 1169; 7 WR 126 Mednis v Chand [2003] NSWSC 680 Morris v Hunt [1819] 1 Chit 544 Neville (Re); Ex parte Pike (1896) NSWR (Bankruptcy & Probate Cases) 24 Pavey & Matthews Pty Ltd v Paul (1987) 162 CLR 221 Phillips v Ellison Brothers Pty Ltd (1941) 65 CLR 221 Rondel v Worsley [1969] 1 AC 191 Saif Ali v Sydney Mitchell & Co [1980] AC 198 Sharpe (Re); Ex parte Donnelly (1998) 80 FCR 536 Update Constructions Pty Ltd v Rozelle Child Care Centre Ltd (1990) 20 NSWLR 251 Wentworth v Rogers [2002] NSWSC 709