Wendt v Northwood [2004] NSWSC 23

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Wendt v Northwood [2004] NSWSC 23 HEARING DATE(S) : 22/09/03, 23/09/03, 24/09/03, 10/10/03 JUDGMENT DATE : 29 March 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Shaw J at 1 DECISION : 1) The plaintiff's claim for equitable damages for breach of fiduciary duty does not succeed;; 2) The plaintiff's claim for improper profit arising from a breach of fiduciary obligations does not succeed;; 3) The plaintiff's claim under s42 of the Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW) does not succeed;; 4) The plaintiff to pay the defendant's costs.

CATCHWORDS : fiduciary obligations - solicitor/client relationship - continuing relationships - duty of disclosure - conflict of interest - improper profit - s42 Fair Trading Act, misleading and deceptive conduct LEGISLATION CITED : Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW), ss42, 68 Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s126 Allison v Clayhills (1907) 97 LT 709; Beach Petroleum NL v Kennedy (1999) 48 NSWLR 1; Boardman v Phipps [1967] 2 AC 46; Breen v Williams (1998) 186 CLR 71; Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1928) 60 CLR 336; Chan v Zacharia (1984) 154 CLR 178; Clarke Boyce v Mouat (1994) 1 AC 428; Consul Development Pty Ltd v DPC Estates Pty Ltd (1975) 132 CLR 373 ; Farrington v Rowe McBride & Partners [1985] 1 NZLR 83; Heydon v NRMA Ltd (2000) 51 NSWLR 1; Hospital Products Ltd v United States Surgical Corporation (1984) 156 CLR 41; Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; Jordy v Vanderplump (1920) 64 SJ 324 (Ch); CASES CITED : Keith Henry & Co Pty Ltd v Stuart Walker & Co Pty Ltd (1958) 100 CLR 342; Maguire v Makaronis (1997) 188 CLR 449; McMaster v Byrne [1952] 1 All ER 1362; Morris v Hanley (2003) 173 FLR 83; Nocton v Lord Ashburton [1914] AC 932; Payne v Parker [1976] 1 NSWLR 191; Phelan v Middle States Oil Corp (1955) 220 F 2d 593; Pilmer and Ors v Duke Group Ltd (2001) 207 CLR 165; Prince Jeffri Bolkiah v KPMG (A firm) (1999) 2 WLR 21; Re Demagogue Pty Limited v Ramensky (1992) 110 ALR 608; (1992) 39 FCR 31; Regal (Hastings) Ltd v Gulliver [1967] 2 AC 134; The Marriage of Griffis (1991) 105 FLR 441; Tyrell v Bank of London and Ors (1862) 10 HLC 26; Warman International Limited & Anor v Dwyer & Ors (1995) 182 CLR 544; Wendt v Northwood [2003] NSWSC 546 PARTIES : Roy Wendt - Plaintiff Kenneth Edward Northwood - Defendant FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 20172/2000 COUNSEL : W. Haffenden with S. Bensen - Plaintiff D. Williams - Defendant SOLICITORS : Kenneally & Co Solicitors - Plaintiff Acuiti Legal Solicitors - Defendant