Freedom Motors Australia Pty Limited v Vaupotic [2003] NSWSC 506

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Freedom Motors Australia Pty Limited v Vaupotic [2003] NSWSC 506 HEARING DATE(S) : 5-9 May 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 12 June 2003 JURISDICTION: Equity Division JUDGMENT OF : Davies AJ DECISION : Matter to be relisted for hearing on relief.

CATCHWORDS : Master & Servant - confidentiality - whether restrictive convenants entered into - employees' implied duty of good faith - whether employees entitled to establish competing business - whether employer's process a trade secret. LEGISLATION CITED : Corporations Act 2001, s 182(1) Fair Trading Act 1987 Amber Size and Chemical Co. Limited v Menzel [1913] 2 Ch 239 Ansell Rubber Co. Pty Ltd v Allied Rubber Industries Pty Ltd [1967] VR 37 Balston Limited v Headline Filters Limited [1987] FSR 330 Faccenda Chicken Ltd v Fowler [1985] FSR 105; [1987] 1 Ch 117 Hivac Limited v Park Royal Scientific Instruments Limited and Ors [1946] 1 Ch 169 CASES CITED : Industrial Rollformers Pty Limited v Ingersoll-Rand (Australia) Limited [2001] NSWCA 111 Nordenfelt v Maxim Nordenfelt Guns & Ammunition Co Ltd [1894] AC 535 Robb v Green [1895] 2 QB 315 Saltman Engineering Co. Ltd & Ors v Campbell Engineering Co. Ltd (1948) 65 RPC 203 Wessex Dairies Limited v Smith [1935] 2 KB 80 Wright v Gasweld Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 317 Freedom Motors Australia Pty Limited (First Plaintiff) PARTIES : Mulco Tool & Engineering Pty Limited (Second Plaintiff) Stan Vaupotic (First Defendant) Leonardo Fabian Garcia (Second Defendant) FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 4303/02 DA Smallbone (Plaintiffs) COUNSEL : In Person (First Defendant) In Person (Second Defendant) SOLICITORS : Doherty Partners (Plaintiffs)