Donnellan v Woodland [2012] NSWCA 433

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Donnellan v Woodland [2012] NSWCA 433 Hearing dates: 8 August 2012 Decision date: 18 December 2012 Before: Beazley JA at [1]; Basten JA at [253]; Barrett JA at [276]; Hoeben JA at [284]; Sackville AJA at [285] Decision: 1. Appeal allowed; 2. Set aside orders made in the Court below; 3. Judgment for the defendant on the statement of claim; 4. The respondent to pay the appellant's costs of the appeal and at first instance. The respondent to have a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951; 5. The notice of motion filed 4 September 2012 dismissed with costs. [Note: The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 provide (Rule 36.11) that unless the Court otherwise orders, a judgment or order is taken to be entered when it is recorded in the Court's computerised court record system. Setting aside and variation of judgments or orders is dealt with by Rules 36.15, 36.16, 36.17 and 36.18. Parties should in particular note the time limit of fourteen days in Rule 36.16.] Catchwords: TORTS - Negligence - Legal practitioner's duty of care - Legal practitioner retained to advise in respect of the Conveyancing Act 1919, s 88K - Application not granted - Whether legal practitioner's advice negligent - Whether advice protected by advocates' immunity - Principle of finality of litigation.

LEGAL PRACTITIONERS - Advocates' immunity - Application of principle in D'Orta-Ekenaike v Victoria Legal Aid - Scope of advocates' immunity - Whether alleged negligent conduct led to a decision affecting the conduct of the case in court. Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 Civil Procedure Act 2005 Conveyancing Act 1919 Fair Trading Act 1987 Supreme Court Act 1970 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Cases Cited: 117 York Street Pty Ltd v Proprietors of Strata Plan No 16123 (1988) 43 NSWLR 504 Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak; Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Bou Najem [2009] HCA 48; 239 CLR 420 Alpine Holdings Pty Ltd v Feinauer [2008] WASCA 85 Attard v James Legal Pty Ltd [2010] NSWCA 31 Biggar v McLeod [1978] 2 NZLR 9 Blulock Pty Ltd v Majic (2001) 10 BPR 19,143 Boland v Yates Property Corporation Pty Ltd [1999] HCA 64; 74 ALJR 209 Bott v Carter [2012] NSWCA 89 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333; [1975] 3 WLR 586 Chamberlain v Ormsby t/as Ormsby Flower [2005] NSWCA 454 Coshott v Barry [2009] NSWCA 34 D'Orta-Ekenaike v Victorian Legal Aid [2005] HCA 12; 223 CLR 1 Dansar Pty Ltd v Pagotto [2008] NSWSC 112 Day v Rogers [2011] NSWCA 124 Durack v De Winton (1998) 9 BPR 16,403 Gett v Tabet [2009] NSWCA 76; 254 ALR 504 Giannarelli v Wraith [1988] HCA 52; 165 CLR 543 Goodwin v Yee Holdings Pty Ltd (1997) 8 BPR 15,795 Grattan v Simpson (1998) 9 BPR 16,649 Hanny v Lewis (1998) 9 BPR 16,205 Hawkins v Clayton [1988] HCA 15; 164 CLR 539 Heenan v Di Sisto [2008] NSWCA 25; 13 BPR 25,213 Heydon v NRMA [2000] NSWCA 374; 51 NSWLR 1 In the Matter of an Application by Kindervater [1996] ANZ ConvR 331 ING Bank (Australia) Ltd v O'Shea [2010] NSWCA 71; 14 BPR 27,317 Katakouzinos v Roufir Pty Ltd (1999) 9 BPR 17,303 Keefe v Marks (1989) 16 NSWLR 713 Kelley v Corston [1998] 3 WLR 246; [1997] 4 All ER 466 Kent Street Pty Ltd v Council of the City of Sydney (2001) 10 BPR 18,757 King v Carr-Gregg [2002] NSWSC 379 Kuru v State of New South Wales [2008] HCA 26; 236 CLR 1 Malec v JC Hutton Pty Ltd [1990] HCA 20; 169 CLR 638 MacRae v Stevens [1997] ANZ ConvR 129; (1996) Aust Tort Reports 81-405 Rees v Sinclair [1974] 1 NZLR 180 RJE v Secretary to the Department of Justice [2008] VSCA 265 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Dederer [2007] HCA 42; 234 CLR 330 Rogers v Whitaker [1992] HCA 58; 175 CLR 479 Sellars v Adelaide Petroleum NL [1994] HCA 4; 179 CLR 332 Somasundaram v Melchior & Co [1988] 1 WLR 1394; [1989] 1 All ER 129 Stephens v Giovenco; Dick v Giovenco [2011] NSWCA 53 Studer v Boettcher [2000] NSWCA 263 Symonds v Vass [2009] NSWCA 139; 257 ALR 689 Tonitto v Bassal (1992) 28 NSWLR 564 Tregoyd Gardens Pty Ltd v Jervis (1997) 8 BPR 15,845 Trust Co Australia v Perpetual Trustees WA (1997) 42 NSWLR 237 Vairy v Wyong Shire Council [2005] HCA 62; 223 CLR 422 Voli v Inglewood Shire Council [1963] HCA 15; 110 CLR 74 Walton t/as Pitcher Walton & Co v Efato Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 86 Wilson v Carter [2005] NSWSC 1351 Woodland v Manly Municipal Council [2003] NSWSC 524 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt [1980] HCA 12; 146 CLR 40 Texts Cited: Walmsley, Abadee, Zipser, Professional Liability in Australia, 2nd ed (2007) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Patrick Donnellan t/as P J Donnellan & Co (Appellant) Peter Richard Woodland (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J C Kelly SC; M Avenell (Appellant) R E Dubler SC; J S Emmett (Respondent) Solicitors: Colin Biggers & Paisley (Appellant) Esplins Solicitors (Respondent) File Number(s): CA 2007/265232 Publication restriction: No Decision under appeal Jurisdiction: 9111 Citation: Woodland v Donnellan [2011] NSWSC 777 Date of Decision: 2010-07-29 00:00:00 Before: R S Hulme J File Number(s): 2007/20438