BLYTHE v NORTHWOOD [2005] NSWCA 221

Reported Decision : 63 NSWLR 531

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: BLYTHE v NORTHWOOD [2005] NSWCA 221

HEARING DATE(S): 14, 15 December 2004

JUDGMENT DATE: 8 July 2005

JUDGMENT OF: Mason P at 1; Giles JA at 208; Bryson JA at 209

DECISION: Appeal dismissed with costs

CATCHWORDS: EQUITY - fiduciary duty of solicitor - execution of mortgage - conflict of interest - duty of disclosure - benefit from transaction - liability to account for unauthorised benefit - knowledge of circumstances giving rise to conflict. (D)

LEGISLATION CITED: Fair Trading Act 1997

Beach Petroleum NL v Kennedy (1999) 48 NSWLR 1 Bendigo Central Freezing and Fertiliser Co v Cunningham [1919] VLR 387 Birtchnell v Equity Trustees Executors and Agency Co Ltd (1929) 42 CLR 384 Boston Deep Sea Fishing and Ice Co v Ansell (1888) 39 Ch D 389 Breen v Williams (1996) 186 CLR 71 Chan v Zachariah (1984) 154 CLR 178 Clark Boyce v Mouat [1994] 1 AC 428 Eden v Ridsdales Railway Lamp and Lighting Co (1889) 23 QBD 368 Harris v Digital Pulse Pty Ltd (2003) 56 NSWLR 298 Keech v Sandford (1726) Sel Cas Ch 61; 25 ER 223 CASES CITED: Maguire v Makaronis (1997) 188 CLR 449 Pavey & Matthews Pty Ltd v Paul (1987) 162 CLR 221 Phipps v Boardman [1967] AC 46 Pilmer v Duke Group Ltd (in liq) (2001) 207 CLR 165 Prince Jefri Bolkiah v KPMG [1999] 2 AC 222 Reading v Attorney General [1951] AC 507 Swindle v Harrison [1997] 4 All ER 705 Triffitt Nurseries v Salads Etectera Ltd [2000] 2 Lloyds Rep 74 Warman International Ltd v Dwyer (1995) 182 CLR 544 Wendt v Northwood [2004] NSWSC 23 Youyang Pty Ltd v Minter Ellison (2003) 212 CLR 484