Idoport Pty Limited v Natonal Australia Bank [4] [2000] NSWSC 63

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Idoport Pty Limited v Natonal Australia Bank [4] [2000] NSWSC 63 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Equity Division, Commercial List FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 50113/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 4, 14.2.00 JUDGMENT DATE : 23 February 2000

PARTIES : Idoport Pty Limited & Anor v National Australia Bank Limited & Ors JUDGMENT OF : Einstein J

COUNSEL : J.B. Whittle SC, T.J. Hancock (Plaintiffs) R.M. Smith SC, J.A. Halley (Defendants) SOLICITORS : Withnell Hetherington (Plaintiffs) Freehill Hollingdale & Page (Defendants) CATCHWORDS : Practice and Procedure - discovery- confidentiality - access to commercially sensitive documents by expert witnesses - forensic importance of access to documents to parties - need to protect commercially sensitive information from undue dissemination - extent of undertakings appropriate to protect commercially sensitive information. Idoport Pty Ltd v National Australia Bank [1999] NSWSC 686 (unreported, 8 July 1999, Rolfe J) Hassle v Commissioner of Patents (1987) 9 IPR 565 Home Office v Harman [1983] 1 AC 280 CASES CITED : Lyell v Kennedy (1884) 27 Ch D 1 Mobil Oil Australia Ltd v Guina [1996] 2 VR 34 Riddick v Thames Board Mills Ltd [1977] QB 881 Telstra Corporation v Australis Media Holdings (unreported, 6 December 1996, McLelland CJ in Eq) DECISION : Plaintiffs' application that identified documents discovered by defendants should be divulged to experts on conditions including signing of confidentiality undertakings acceded to, subject to the imposition of additional identified restrictions, including in the first instance, a restriction from disclosing critical documents to more than four additional experts of the plaintiffs; Defendants' competing application that the subject documents not be divulged to potential or retained expert advisers or witnesses, save those who have given to the Court undertakings of a non-compete nature, rejected.