Barber v Law Society of New South Wales (No. 2) [2001] NSWSC 861

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Barber v Law Society of New South Wales (No. 2) [2001] NSWSC 861 FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 10479/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 14/12/00, 22/3/01, 29/6/01, 3/7/01 JUDGMENT DATE : 2 October 2001

PARTIES : Charles William BARBER (Plaintiff) Law Society of New South Wales (Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Bell J at 1

COUNSEL : D. Higgs SC / K. Rees (Plaintiff) S. Epstein SC / B. Skinner (Defendant) SOLICITORS : Burn & Swift Solicitors (Plaintiff) A S Brown Solicitor (Defendant) CATCHWORDS : Claim upon the Solicitor's Fidelity Fund - failure to account - administrative law challenge to the finding by the Law Society Council that the solicitor's acts or omissions were not dishonest Consumer Claims Tribunals Act 1987 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED : Controlled Substances Act 1984 (SA) Legal Profession Act 1987 (NSW) Abebe v Commonwealth (1999) 197 CLR 510 Barber v the Law Society of New South Wales [2000] NSWSC 1164 East End Real Estate Pty Limited v CE Health Casualty and General Insurance Limited (1993) 7 ANZ Insurance Cases 61-151 Ellis v Wallsend District Hospital (1989) 17 NSWLR 553 GIO (NSW) v RJ Green & Lloyd Pty Ltd (1965) 114 CLR 437 Laurent v The Law Society of New South Wales [2000] NSWSC 1103 Levinge v Director of Custodial Services (1987) 9 NSWLR 546 CASES CITED : McCann v Switzerland Insurance Australia Limited (1999) 10 ANZ Insurance Cases 61-432 McMillan v Joseph (1987) 4 ANZ Insurance Cases 60-822 Minister for Immigration v Eshetu (1999) 197 CLR 6111 Probiz Business Software Pty Limited v Magee (unreported) NSWSC, 27 February 1998 Puhlhofer v Hillingdon London Borough Council [1986] AC 484 Stego Pty Ltd v Law Society of NSW (1994) 35 NSWLR 466 Vassiliadis v Law Society of New South Wales (1997) 41 NSWLR 383 Vishnevski v The Council of the Law Society of New South Wales (unreported) NSWSC, Barr J, 20 February 199 Whitfield v The Law Society of NSW (unreported) NSWSC, Greg James J, 4 December 1998 DECISION : 1. Declaration that the finding of the defendant on 23 November 2000 pursuant to section 79A(2)(b) of the Legal Profession Act 1987 (NSW) is invalid and of no force and effect; 2. direct the defendant is to fulfil its duty by making a finding pursuant to section 79A(2)(b) of the Legal Profession Act 1987 (NSW) according to law; 3. appeal stood over generally; 4. declaration sought in prayer 5 of the third amended summons is declined; 5. defendant is to pay the plaintiff's costs as agreed or assessed