George Nassour v Anthony Mark Malouf t/as Malouf Solicitors [2011] NSWSC 356

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: George Nassour v Anthony Mark Malouf t/as Malouf Solicitors [2011] NSWSC 356 Hearing dates: 7 September 2010 Decision date: 03 May 2011 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Harrison AsJ Decision: (1) The decision of the Review Panel dated 24 April 2009 is set aside. (2) It is determined that for the disputed costs, the fair and reasonable amount of costs to be paid to Mr Malouf is nil. (3) The defendant is to pay the plaintiff's costs as agreed or assessed. Catchwords: Appeal decision of costs review panel -jurisdiction of the review panel to determine issues of waiver and estoppel - whether a residual category or waiver exists at common law - waiver by election - waiver by estoppel - abandonment - termination of agreement - misleading or deceptive conduct Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 Competition and Consumer Act 2010 Fair Trading Act 1987 Fair Trading Amendment (Australian Consumer Law) Act 2010 Legal Profession Act 2004 Legal Profession Regulation 2002 Limitations of Actions Act 1958 (Vic) Trade Practices Act 1974 Cases Cited: Agricultural and Rural Finance Pty Limited v Gardiner [2008] HCA 57; 238 CLR 570 Australian Crime Commission v Gray & Anor [2003] NSWCA 318 Australian Securities Commission v Marlborough Goldmines Ltd [1993] HCA 15; (1993) 177 CLR 485 Commonwealth v Verwayen (1990) 170 CLR 394 Doyle v Hall Chadwick [2007] NSWCA 159 Dunn v Jerrard & Stuk Lawyers [2009] NSWSC 681 Evans v Bartlam (1936) 1 KB 202 Hall Chadwick v Doyle [2006] NSWSC 1195 Helicopters Pty Ltd v Bankstown Airport Limited [2009] NSWSC 889 Kostopoulos v G E Commercial Finance [2005] QCA 311 Larsen v Vile [1999] NSWCA 397 Levy v Bergseng [2008] NSWSC 294; (2008) 72 NSWLR 178 Muriniti v Lyons [2004] NSWSC 135 Nikolaidis v Legal Services Commissioner [2007] NSWCA 130 Noroton Holdings Pty Ltd v Sydney Land Corp Ltd [1999] NSWSC 192 Sargent v ASL Developments (1974) 131 CLR 634 Oliver Ashworth (Holdings) Ltd v Ballard (Kent) Ltd [1999] 2 All ER 791 Yogesh Enterprises Pty Ltd v Jury & Anor [2011] NSWSC 131 Waltons Stores (Interstate) v Maher [1988] HCA 7; (1988) 164 CLR 387 Waterman v Gerling Australia Insurance Cp Pty Ltd (2005) 65 NSWLR 301 Wentworth v Rogers; Wentworth & Russo v Rogers [2006] NSWCA 145; (2006) 66 NSWLR 474 Woodhouse AC Israel Cocoa Limited SA v Nigerian Produce Marketing Company Limited [1972] AC 741 Texts Cited: Australian Consumer Law (ACL) The Macquarie Dictionary, 3rd ed Jeannie Paterson, Andrew Robertson and Arlen Duke, Principles of Contract Law, 3rd ed (2009) Thomson Reuters John Carter, Elisabeth Peden and Greg Tolhurst, Contract Law in Australia, 5th ed (2007) Lexis Nexus Butterworths Category: Principal judgment Parties: George Nassour - Plaintiff Anthony Mark Malouf - Defendant Representation: Counsel: J O'Connor - Plaintiff R W Tregenza - Defendant Solicitors: Legal Aid NSW - Plaintiff Malouf Solicitors - Defendant File Number(s): 2010/53202