Willis Australia Group Services Pty Ltd v Griggs [2012] NSWSC 659

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Willis Australia Group Services Pty Ltd v Griggs [2012] NSWSC 659 Hearing dates: 8 June 2012 Decision date: 14 June 2012 Jurisdiction: Equity Division - Duty List Before: Ward J Decision: Interlocutory application granted Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE - interlocutory injunctions - application for injunction to restrain the defendants from breaching various restrictive covenants in agreements entered in connection with their employment - HELD - limited injunctive relief granted on an interlocutory basis Legislation Cited: Accident Compensation Act 1985 (Vic) Companies Act 1981 (Bermuda) Companies Act 2006 (UK) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Migration Act 1958 (Cth) Restraints of Trade Act 1976 (NSW) Victims Support and Rehabilitation Act 1996 (NSW) Cases Cited: ACP Magazines Pty Ltd v Southdown Publications Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 715 Attorney-General of Australia v Adelaide Steamship Co [1913] AC 781 Aussie Home Loans v XInc Services [2005] NSWSC 285 Australian Broadcasting Corporation O'Neill (2006) 229 ALR 457 Cactus Imaging Pty Ltd v Peters (2006) 71 NSWLR 9 Capgemini US v Case [2004] NSWSC 674 Cerilian Pty Ltd v Graham Fraser [2008] NSWSC 1016 Dalgety Wine Estates Pty Ltd v Rizzon (1979) 141 CLR 552 Damberg v Damberg [2001] NSWCA 87; (2001) 52 NSWLR 492 Dawnay Day & Co Ltd v De Braconier d'Alphen [1998] ICR 1068 Hanna v OAMPS Insurance Brokers Ltd [2010] NSWCA 267 Hannamax Hi-Tech Pry Ltd v O'Donnell [2001] NSWSC 634 Herbert Morris Ltd v Saxelby [1916] 1 AC 688 Huhtamaki Australia Ltd v Botha [2004] NSWSC 386 IceTV v Duncan Ross and Ors [2007] NSWSC 635 Idameneo (No 123) Pty Ltd v Dr Teresa Angel-Honnibal [2002] NSWSC 1214 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Birt [2006] NSWSC 995 KA & C Smith Pty Ltd v Ward (1998) 45 NSWLR 702 Kearney v Crepaldi [2006] NSWSC 23 Kolback Securities Ltd v Epoch Mining NL (1987) 8 NSWLR 533 Kone Elevators Pty Ltd v McNay (1997) ATPR 41-564; (1997) Aust Contract R 90-080 Koops Martin Financial Services Pty Ltd v Reeves [2006] NSWSC 449 Littlewoods Organisation Ltd v Harris [1977] 1 WLR 1472 Maggbury Pty Ltd v Hafele Australia Pty Ltd (2001) 210 CLR 181 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Baker (1997) 45 ALD 136 Network Ten Ltd v Fullwood (1995) 62 IR 43 North Western Salt Co Ltd v Electrolytic Alkali Co Ltd [1914] AC 461 Orleans Investments Pty Ltd v MindShare Communications Ltd (2009) 254 ALR 81 Otis Elevator Company Pty Ltd v Nolan [2007] NSWSC 593 Pacific Carriers Ltd v BNP Paribas (2004) 218 CLR 451 Pickering v Stephenson (1872) LR 14 Eq 322 Professional Advantage Pty Ltd v Smart [2008] NSWSC 873 Putsman v Taylor [1927] 1 KB 637 Regie Nationale des Usines Renault SA v Zhang [2002] HCA 10, (2002) 210 CLR 491 Rouen; Rentokil Pty Ltd v Lee (1995) 183 LSJS 444 Sidameneo (No 456) Pty Ltd v Alexander [2011] NSWCA 418 Seven Network (Operations) Ltd v James Warburton (No 2) [2011] NSWSC 386 State of Victoria v Leck [2010] VSCA 76 Tullett Prebon (Australia) Pty Ltd v Simon Purcell [2008] NSWSC 852 Two Lands Services Pty Ltd v Cave [2000] NSWSC 14 Victims Compensation Fund Corp v Brown [2003] HCA 54 Walker v W A Pickles Pty Ltd [1980] 2 NSWLR 281 Western Export Services Inc v Jireh International Pty Ltd [2011] HCA 45 Woolworths Ltd v Olson [2004] NSWCA 372 Wright v Gasweld Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 317 Zuellig v Pulver [2000] NSWSC 7 Texts Cited: Collins (ed) Dicey & Morris on the Conflict of Laws (11th ed, 1987) Collins (ed), Dicey and Morris on The Conflict of Laws (13th ed, 2000) M Davies, A S Bell and P L G Brereton, Nygh's Conflict of Laws in Australia (8th ed, 2010) P Davies, Principles of Modern Company Law (8th ed, 2008) Meagher, Gummow and Lehane, Equity Doctrines and Remedies (2nd edn) Category: Interlocutory applications Parties: Willis Australia Group Services Pty Ltd (First Plaintiff) Willis Australia Ltd (Second Plaintiff) Michael Griggs (First Defendant) Peter Matthews (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: J K Kirk SC with S Fitzpatrick (Plaintiffs) A Moses SC with Y Shariff (Defendants) Solicitors Allens Linklaters (Plaintiffs) Holding Redlich (Defendants) File Number(s): 12/176823