Michael Wilson and Partners Limited v Robert Colin Nicholls & Ors [2009] NSWSC 1377

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Michael Wilson and Partners Limited v Robert Colin Nicholls & Ors [2009] NSWSC 1377

HEARING DATE(S) : 15/6/09, 16/6/09, 23/6/09, 24/06/09, 29/06/09, 30/06/09, 13/07/09, 14/07/09, 23/07/09, 24/07/09, 27/07/09 - 30/07/09,6/08/09, 10/08/09, 11/08/09, 13/08/09, 17/08/09- 20/08/09, 24/08/09 - 28/08/09, 1/09/09, 2/09/09, 7/09/09, 9/09/09, 10/09/09

JUDGMENT DATE : 11 December 2009

JURISDICTION : Equity Division Commercial List

JUDGMENT OF : Einstein J

DECISION : Joint and several liability of defendants in the sums of $US3,508,793.91, €555,258.94 and $AUS4,000,000.00 .

CATCHWORDS : Practice and procedure-Equitable compensation - 'Nullus commodum capere potest de injuria sua propria' - Harris v Digital Pulse - The engaging of the principle that no man can take advantage of his own wrong stands well apart from an attempt to award punitive-exemplary damages for breach of fiduciary duty - Precise form of relief must be moulded to satisfy the demands of justice and good conscience in the particular case - Co-existence of remedies - Notwithstanding the conspiracy allegations having been upheld plaintiff disentitled to any separate relief - Findings in relation to tort of conspiracy tightly intertwined with the findings in relation to the breaches of fiduciary duty and similar - Costs - Indemnity costs - Declaratory orders are non executory and cannot be stayed

LEGISLATION CITED : Civil Procedure Act 2005

CATEGORY : Consequential orders

ADC v White [1999] NSWSC 43 Alghussein Establishment v Eton College [1988] 1 WLR 587 Armory v Delamirie (1722) 1 Stra 505 Arnheim Land Aboriginal Land Trust v Northern Territory of Australia [2007] FCAFC 31 Barnes v Addy (1874) LR9 Ch App 244; (1874) 43 LJ Ch 513 Beatty v Guggenheim Exploration Co 122 NE 378 (1919); 225 NY 380 Bunnings Forest Products v Bullen (1994) 54 FCR 342 Chalmers v Pardoe [1963] 1 WLR 677, [1963] 3 All ER 552 Degmam Pty Limited (in liq) v Wright (no 2) [1983] 2 NSWLR 354 Dey v Victorian Railways Commissioners (1949) 78 CLR 62 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 Harris v Digital Pulse Pty Ltd [2003] NSWCA 10 Holmes v Walton [1961] WAR 96 Houghton v Immer (No 155) Pty Ltd (1997) 44 NSWLR 46 Huntsman Chemical Company Australia Ltd v International Pools Australia Limited (1995) 36 NSWLR 242 CASES CITED : Idoport Pty Limited v National Australia Bank Limited [2006] NSWSC 895 Jago v District Court of NSW (1989) 168 CLR 23 LJP Investments Pty Ltd v Howard Chia Investments Pty Ltd (No 2) (1990) 24 NSWLR 499 McKenzie v McDonald [1927] VLR 134 New South Wales Dairy Corporation v Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co Ltd (1989) 14 IPR 75 Nocton v Lord Ashburton [1914] AC 932 O'Keeffe Nominees Pty Ltd v BP Australia Ltd (No 2) (1995) 55 FCR 591 Oshlack v Richmond River Council (1998) 193 CLR 72 Rooster Club Inc v Northern Tavern Pty Ltd (No 2) [2003] SASC 143 Seager v Copydex Ltd [1967] 1 WLR 923; [1967] 2 All ER 415; [1969] 1 WLR 809; [1969] 2 All ER 718 Stellar Call Centres Pty Ltd v Community and Public Sector Union [1999] FCA 1236 Surf Road Nominees Pty Ltd v James [2004] NSWSC 223 Theo, Re; Ex parte Theo and Official Trustee in Bankruptcy [1996] FCA 787; 70 FCR 317 United States Surgical Cooperation v Hospital Products International Pty Ltd [1982] 2 NSWLR 766 Waters v P C Henderson (Australia) Pty Ltd (1994) 254 ALR 328 Westminster City Council v Porter [2003] Ch 436