Kang v Kwan & 2 Ors [2001] NSWSC 698

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Kang v Kwan & 2 Ors [2001] NSWSC 698 revised - 17/08/2001 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Equity FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 3510/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 14/08/01, 15/08/01, 16/08/01 JUDGMENT DATE : 16 August 2001

Wei Ling Kang (Plaintiff) PARTIES : Christopher Anthony Kwan (First Defendant) Kate Woowin (Second Defendant) Eileen Woowin (Third Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Santow J

G C Lindsay, SC/ M A Robinson (Plaintiff) COUNSEL : M L D Einfeld, QC/ F P Donohoe (First Defendant) C Champion (Schrader & Associates/ Mr Davidson) SOLICITORS : Legal Aid Society (Plaintiff) Verekers (First Defendant) CATCHWORDS : EVIDENCE — Legal professional privilege — whether lost — could evidence nonetheless be adduced under s122 of s125 of Evidence Act 1995 — Meaning of consent for purposes of s122(1) — Meaning of fraud and abuse of power for purpose of s125 — Production of documents under court order — Effect of subsequent discovery of letter by producing party referring to possible privilege when clients out of jurisdiction — dealt with in two contemporaneous judgments to be read together — Capacity to object to adducing of evidence when client out of jurisdiction — Continuance of retainer for that purpose — Duty of lawyer — Recourse to s133 to examine documents. LEGISLATION CITED : Conveyancing Act s37A Evidence Act Part 3.10, s118, s119, s122, s125, s133 Attorney General (NT) v Maurice (1986) 65 ALR 230 Barclays Bank plc v Eustice [1995] 1 WLR 1238 Commissioner, Australian Federal Police v Propend Finance Pty Ltd (1997) 91 A Crim R 451 Commissioner of Australian Federal Police v Propend Finance Pty Ltd (1997) 141 ALR 545 Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) v Citibank Ltd (1989) 85 ALR 588 Flower & Hart v White Industries (Qld) Pty Limited (1999) 87 FCR 134 CASES CITED : Idoport Pty Limited & Anor v National Australia Bank Limited & Ors [2001] NSWSC 222 Rosenberg v Jaine [1983] NZLR 1 State Drug Crime commission v Larsson (1991) 53 A Crim R 131 Stevens v Canada (Privy Council) (1998) 161 DLR (4th) 85 Tuckiar v The King (1934) 52 CLR 335 Watson v McLearnon [2000] NSWSC 19, Hodgson CJ in Eq, 1 February 2000. Williams v Spautz (1992) 174 CLR 509 Zemanek v Commonwealth Bank of Australia & Ors (FCA, Hill J, 2 October 1997, unreported) DECISION : s125 of Evidence Act applicable.