Stillman v Rusbourne [2014] NSWSC 730

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Stillman v Rusbourne [2014] NSWSC 730 Hearing dates: 3 June 2014 Decision date: 13 June 2014 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Davies J Decision: 1. The proceedings are dismissed pursuant to r 13.4 UCPR; 2. The Plaintiff is to pay the costs of the proceedings. Catchwords: LEGAL PRACTITIONERS - negligence - immunity from suit - scope of advocate's immunity - advice given at mediation to settle - judgment entered pursuant to settlement - whether work done leading to the conduct of the case in court - whether coercion by solicitor is within the immunity - whether appropriate to deal with immunity on a summary basis Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) Cases Cited: Attard v James Legal [2010] NSWCA 311 Attwells v Jackson Lalic Lawyers Pty Ltd [2013] NSWSC 1510 Biggar v McLeod [1978] 2 NZLR 9 Bott v Carter [2012] NSWCA 89 Chamberlain v Ormsby t/as Ormsby Flower [2005] NSWCA 454 D'Orta-Ekenaike v Victoria Legal Aid [2005] HCA 12; (2005) 223 CLR 1 Donnellan v Woodland [2012] NSWCA 433 General Steel Industries v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 Giannarelli v Wraith (1988) 165 CLR 543 Goddard Elliott v Fritsch [2012] VSC 87 Harvey v Phillips (1956) 95 CLR 235 Keefe v Marks (1989) 16 NSWLR 713 NT Pubco Pty Ltd v Strazdins [2014] NTSC 8 Studer v Boettcher [2000] NSWCA 263 Symonds v Vass [2009] NSWCA 139 Romeo v Papalia [2012] NSWCA 221 Young v Hones (No.2) [2013] NSWSC 1429 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Trevor James Stillman (Plaintiff) Peter Edward John Rusbourne (First Defendant) Matthew Gerard Coates (Second Defendant) Tiana Victoria Daly (Third Defendant) Sonja Adriana Fay Daly (Fourth Defendant) Leanne Kylie Walker (Sixth Defendant) Representation: Counsel: A E Maroya (Plaintiff) M J Darke & Q Rares (Defendants)