Kolavo v Pitsikas (t/as Comino and Pitsikas) & Anor [2003] NSWCA 59

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Kolavo v Pitsikas (t/as Comino and Pitsikas) & Anor [2003] NSWCA 59 HEARING DATE(S) : 17 February 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 1 April 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Stein JA at 1; Santow JA at 2; Cripps AJA at 3 DECISION : Appeal allowed and orders of Gamble ADCJ set aside.

CATCHWORDS : LEGAL PRACTITIONERS - professional liability - duty of care owed by a professional legal advisor to client - negligent provision of advice - legal practitioners must exercise reasonable care and skill in provision of professional advice - tortious duty of care identical to contractual duty - whether solicitor can rely on the expertise of a barrister - whether a reasonably competent lawyer could have given any advice other than that the appellant's case was hopeless - whether failure to advise that case hopeless constitutes a breach of duty - whether District Court had jurisdiction to determine claim for equitable relief - whether trial judge erred in refusing to allow leave to amend claim for equitable relief - District Court Act - s134(1)(h) - whether trial judge erred in refusal to exercise discretion to allow leave to amend claim for equitable relief - D LEGISLATION CITED : District Court Act 1973, s 134(1)(h) Boland v Yates Property Corporation Pty Ltd (1999) 167 ALR 575 BP Refinery (Westernport) Pty Ltd v Hastings Shire Council (1977) 180 CLR 266 CASES CITED : Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Hadfield (2001) 53 NSWLR 614 Heydon v NRMA (2000) 51 NSWLR 1 Midland Bank Trust Co Ltd v Hett, Stubbs and Kemp [1979] Ch 384 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40 Eva Evdokia Kolavo (Appellant) PARTIES : Spero Pitsikas (t/as Comino and Piksikas) (First Respondent) James W Conomos (Second Respondent) FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41033/01 COUNSEL : Mr M J Neill QC/Ms G M Preston (Appellant) Mr T E F Hughes QC/Mr T D F Hughes (First/Second Respondents) Graham Molloy & Associates (Appellant) SOLICITORS : Henry Davis York (First Respondent) Moray & Agnew (Second Respondent)