Dhaliwal v Pade & ors;Pade & Anor v Florent & Ors;Florent v Pade & Ors [2003] NSWCA 16

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Dhaliwal v Pade & ors;Pade & Anor v Florent & Ors;Florent v Pade & Ors [2003] NSWCA 16 HEARING DATE(S) : 04/11/02, 05/11/02 JUDGMENT DATE : 10 April 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Meagher JA at 1; Handley JA at 30; Ipp JA at 38 DECISION : 1. Appeal No. 41032 of 2001 (Dhaliwal v Pade & Ors): Appeal dismissed, appellant to pay costs of respondents. 2. Appeal No. 41048 of 2001 (Pade & Anor v Kearns): Appeal dismissed, appellant to pay respondent's costs. 3. Appeal No. 40996 of 2001 (Florent v Pade & Anor): Appeal dismissed, appellant to pay costs of respondents.

CATCHWORDS : Relationship of solicitor and client - Return of documents at request of client - Non-compliance with client's instructions - Solicitor de son tort - Vicarious liability - Mitigation of damages - Onus on appellant to prove possibility and efficacy of mitigatory conduct - Doubtful litigation not required to be embarked upon. LEGISLATION CITED : Real Property Act 1900 Gould v Vaggelas (1984) 159 CLR 215 Barry v Heider (1914) 19 CLR 197 CASES CITED : Abigail v Lapin [1934] AC 491 Walker v Linom [1907] 2 Ch 104 Pilkington v Wood [1953] Ch 770 Rajinder Dhaliwal v Barry Henderson Pade & Jeanette Pade & 3 Ors; PARTIES : Barry Henderson Pade & Jeanette Pade v James Gordon Kearns John Florent v Barry Henderson Pade & Jeanette Pade & 2 Ors FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41032 of 2001;; 41048 of 2001;; 40996 of 2001 Dhaliwal: G Curtin Pade: D Davies SC & G Laughton COUNSEL : Florent: R A Campbell Kearns: D Pritchard Poynten: N/A Dhaliwal: Phillips Fox Pade: E C Abernethy SOLICITORS : Florent: Merrick Spicer & Associates Kearns: Ebsworth & Ebsworth Poynten: John Poynten