James John Mitchell v Pattern Holdings Pty Ltd [2000] NSWSC 1015

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : James John Mitchell v Pattern Holdings Pty Ltd [2000] NSWSC 1015 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Equity Division FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 4171 of 2000 HEARING DATE(S) : 20 October 2000 JUDGMENT DATE : 7 November 2000

PARTIES : James John Mitchell (Respondent/Plaintiff) Pattern Holdings Pty Ltd (Applicant/Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Bergin J

COUNSEL : TGR Parker (Respondent/Plaintiff) B DeBuse (Applicant/Defendant) SOLICITORS : Blake Dawson Waldron (Respondent/Plaintiff) Potts Latimer (Applicant/Defendant) CATCHWORDS : LEGAL PRACTITIONERS - confidential information received by solicitors in settlement of proceedings between first clients and defendant - Second client brings proceedings seeking similar relief against same defendant - Issues almost identical - Whether real and sensible possibility of inadvertent use of confidential information by solicitors in continuing to act for second client. LEGISLATION CITED : Legal Profession Act 1987 Black v Taylor [1993] 3 NZLR 403 Farrow Mortgages Pty Ltd (In Liq) v Mendall Properties Pty Ltd (1995) 1 VR 1 Grimwade v Meagher & Ors (1995) 1 VR 446 CASES CITED : Mallesons Stephen Jaques v KPMG Peat Marwick (1991) 4 WAR 357 Prince Jefri Bolkiah v KPMG [1999] 2 AC 222 State of Western Australia v Ward & ors (1997) 145 ALR 512 Tricontinental Corporation Ltd v Holdings Redlich (A firm) (VSC, Mandie J, 22 December 1994) DECISION : Real and sensible possibility not demonstrated on the evidence. Motion dismissed with costs.