Oceanic v HIH [1999] NSWSC 292

New South Wales Supreme Court CITATION : Oceanic v HIH [1999] NSWSC 292 CURRENT JURISDICTION : Equity FILE NUMBER(S) : 2309/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 3 September 1998 JUDGMENT DATE : 1 April 1999

Oceanic Life Ltd (P) PARTIES : v HIH Casualty & General Insurance Ltd & Ors (D) JUDGMENT OF : Austin J

COUNSEL : S White (P) P T Taylor (Ds) SOLICITORS : Clayton Utz (P) McCabes (Ds) CATCHWORDS : Equity - fiduciary relationship - solicitor and client - solicitor acting for insurer on policy claim and insured on external claim - insurer denies liability on policy - solicitor ceases to act for insured - whether solicitor may continue to act for insurer - effects of liquidation of insured, assignment of policy right to external party, and default judgment against insured DECISION : Summons dismissed

CASES CITED

Aberdeen Railway Co v Blaikie Bros (1854) 1 Macq 461 ACN 007 838 584 Pty Ltd v Zurich Australian Insurance Limited (unreported, Supreme Court of South Australia (Olsson J), 28 August 1997) Baker v Campbell (1983) 153 CLR 52 Boardman v Phipps [1967] 2 AC 46 C I Industries Pty Ltd v Keeling (unreported, Supreme Court of New South Wales (Abadee J), 26 March 1997) Canadian Aero Services Ltd v O'Malley (1973) 40 DLR (3d) 371 Commonwealth v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1980) 147 CLR 39 Corrs Pavey Whiting & Byrne v Collector of Customs (1987) 14 FCR 443 Carindale Country Club Estate Pty Ltd v Astill (1993) 42 FCR 307 D & J Constructions Pty Ltd v Head (1987) 9 NSWLR 118 Farrington v Rowe McBride & Partners [1985] 1 NZLR 83 Farrow Mortgage Services Pty Ltd (In Liq) v Mendall Properties Pty Ltd [1995] 1 VR 1 Freuhauf Finance Corporation Pty Ltd v Feez Ruthning (1991) 1 QdR 558 Grant v Downs (1976) 135 CLR 675 Green v Bestobell Industries Pty Ltd [1982] WAR 1 Hospital Products Ltd v United States Surgical Corporation (1984) 156 CLR 41 In Marriage of A and B (1990) FLC para 92-126 Kennedy v Cynstock Pty Ltd (1993) 3 NTLR 108 Kooky Garments Ltd v Charlton [1984] 1 NZLR 587 Lac Minerals Ltd v International Corona Resources Ltd (1989) 62 DLR (4th) 14 Macquarie Bank Ltd v Myer [1994] VR 350 Mallesons Stephen Jacques v KPMG Peat Marwick (1991) 4 WAR 357 McHenry v Lewis (1882) 22 ChD 397 Mills v Day Dawn Block Gold Mining Co Ltd [1882] 1 QLJ 62 Murray v Macquarie Bank Ltd (1991) 33 FCR 46 Mytton's Ltd v Phillips Fox (unreported, Supreme Court of Victoria (Coldrey J), 23 September 1997) National Mutual Holdings Pty Ltd v Sentry Corporation (1989) 87 ALR 539 O'Reilly v Law Society of New South Wales (1988) 24 NSWLR 204 Page v Commonwealth Life Assurance Society Ltd (1935) 36 SR(NSW) 85 R v Derby Magistrate's Court [1996] AC 487 Rakusen v Ellis Munday & Clark [1912] 1 Ch 831 Rush & Tompkins Ltd v Greater London Council [1988] 3 All ER 737 South Carolina Insurance Co v Assurantie Maatschappij 'De Zeven Provincien' NV [1987] AC 24 Spector v Ageda [1973] Ch 30 Watson v Watson (unreported, Supreme Court of New South Wales, Equity Division (Santow J), 25 May 1998) Yunghanns v Elfic Ltd (unreported, Supreme Court of Victoria (Gillard J), 3 July 1998)