Bird v Ford [2013] NSWSC 264

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Bird v Ford [2013] NSWSC 264 Hearing dates: 26 November 2012, 27 November 2012, 28 November 2012, 29 November 2012, 30 November 2012, 5 December 2012 Decision date: 28 March 2013 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Schmidt J Decision: 1. Judgment for the defendants. 2. The plaintiffs to pay the defendants' costs of the proceedings, as agreed or assessed. 3. All exhibits and subpoenaed material may be returned forthwith; any exhibits returned must be retained intact by the party or person that produced the material until the expiry of the time to file an appeal, or until any appeal has been determined. Catchwords: TORTS - negligence - professional negligence - legal - what advice was given about the Education Act 1990 - whether the advice given was not to pursue proceedings in Court - were the plaintiff's misled as to the defendants' expertise - two retainers - defendants' duty to the plaintiffs - was the advice given under the first retainer negligent or clearly wrong - the second retainer - immunity from suit - were the proceedings brought entirely misconceived, having no prospects of success - causation - damages - non-economic loss - economic loss - legal expenses - medical treatment expenses - proportionate liability - orders

EVIDENCE - witnesses - reliability of evidence - first defendant's evidence preferred over first plaintiff's evidence

PROCEDURE - evidence - application for leave to rely upon late served affidavit - application granted Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998 Education Act 1990 Fair Trading Act 1987 Legal Profession Act 1987 (repealed) Legal Profession Act 2004 Supreme Court Act 1970 Cases Cited: Aon Risk Services Australia Limited v Australian National University [2009] HCA 27; (2009) 239 CLR 175 Australian Workers' Union v Bowen (No 2) [1948] HCA 35; (1948) 77 CLR 601 Bird v Campbelltown Anglican Schools Council [2007] NSWSC 1419 Capebay Holdings Pty Ltd v Sands [2002] WASC 287; [2003] ANZ ConvR 170 Capital Brake Service Pty Limited v Meagher [2003] NSWCA 225 Carter v NSW Netball Association [2004] NSWSC 737 CF v The State of New South Wales [2003] NSWSC 572; (2003) 58 NSWLR 135 D'Orta-Ekenaike v Victoria Legal Aid [2005] HCA 12; (2005) 223 CLR 1 Donnellan v Woodland [2012] NSWCA 433 Hedges v Australasian Conference Association Limited [2003] NSWSC 1107 Heydon v NRMA Ltd; [2005] NSWCA 374; (2005) 51 NSWLR 1 Giannarelli v Wraith [1988] HCA 52; (1988) 165 CLR 543 Jones v Dunkel [1959] HCA 8; (1959) 101 CLR 298 Keddie v Stacks/Goudkamp Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 254; (2012) 293 ALR 764 Keefe v Marks (1989) 16 NSWLR 713 Kolavo v Pitsikas [2003] NSWCA 59 Kowalczuk v Accom Finance Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 343; (2008) 77 NSWLR 205 Lemoto v Able Technical Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 153; (2005) 63 NSWLR 300 Seymour v Swift (1976) 10 ACTR 1 Symonds v Vass [2009] NSWCA 139; (2009) 257 ALR 689 Rogers v Whitaker [1992] HCA 58; (1992) 175 CLR 479 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Williams v Spautz [1992] HCA 34; (1992) 174 CLR 509 Wolfenden v International Theme Park Pty Ltd t/as Wonderland) [2008] NSWCA 78 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Vrede Jane Bird (First Plaintiff) Gordon Phillip Bird (Second Plaintiff) David Clifton Ford t/as Emil Ford & Co (First Defendant) Gary Cedric Pritchard t/as Emil Ford & Co (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr DE Baran (Plaintiffs) Mr G Craddock SC (Defendants) Solicitors: John Stonham & Co (Plaintiffs) Mullane & Lindsay (Defendants) File Number(s): 2010/232539 Publication restriction: None