Burrell Solicitors Pty Ltd & Anor v Reavill Farm Pty Ltd & Ors [2016] NSWSC 303

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Burrell Solicitors Pty Ltd & Anor v Reavill Farm Pty Ltd & Ors [2016] NSWSC 303 Hearing dates: 25-29 May 2015; 3 June 2015 Decision date: 24 March 2016 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: White J Decision: 1. Give judgment for the cross-claimants against the first cross-defendant in the sum of $20. 2. Order that the cross-claimants' claims for relief be otherwise dismissed. 3. Stand the proceedings over to a convenient time to hear argument on the question of costs. 4. Direct counsel for the cross-defendants to bring in short minutes of consequential orders that should be made consistent with these reasons. Catchwords: LEGAL PRACTITIONERS — solicitors — provision of misleading and deceptive costs estimates — failure to provide updated reasonable costs estimates — breach of s 316 of Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW) — breach of s 42 of Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW) — breach of s 52 of Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) — breach of s 18 of Australian Consumer Law —breach of retainer — no damage caused by failure to provide reasonable costs estimates LEGAL PRACTITIONERS — solicitors — professional liability — failure to settle proceedings — Immunity from suit ESTOPPEL — issue estoppel — Anshun estoppel — res judicata — whether determination of a costs assessor creates any estoppel Legislation Cited: Australian Consumer Law Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW) Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (NSW) Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW) Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) Cases Cited: Attard v James Legal Pty Ltd [2010] NSWCA 311; (2010) 80 ACSR 585 Attorney-General of New South Wales v Kennedy Miller Television Pty Ltd (1998) 43 NSWLR 729 Beach Petroleum NL v Kennedy (1999) 48 NSWLR 1 Burrell Solicitors Pty Ltd v Reavill Farm Pty Limited & Ors (No. 2) [2011] NSWSC 1615 Cachia v Isaacs (1985) 3 NSWLR 366 Champions Quarry Pty Ltd v Lismore City Council [2011] NSWLEC 1124 Coshott v Barry [2015] NSWCA 257 D'Orta-Ekenaike v Victoria Legal Aid (2005) 223 CLR 1 Donnellan v Woodland [2012] NSWCA 433 Doyle v Hall Chadwick [2007] NSWCA 159 Frumar v The Owners of Strata Plan 36957 [2010] NSWCA 172 Giannarelli v Wraith (1988) 165 CLR 543 Hogarth v Gye [2002] NSWSC 32 Keefe v Marks (1989) 16 NSWLR 713 Kendirjian v Lepore [2015] NSWCA 132 Minerals Corporation Ltd v Anthony Norman Abbot t/as Piper Alderman Lawyers [2004] NSWSC 246 Thrasyvoulou v Secretary of State for the Environment [1990] 2 AC 273 Morris v Riverwild Management Pty Ltd [2011] VSCA 283; (2011) 38 VR 103 O'Halloran v R T Thomas & Family Pty Ltd (1998) 45 NSWLR 262 Reavill Farm Pty Ltd v Lismore City Council [2010] NSWLEC 1207 Ryan v Hansen [2000] NSWSC 354; (2000) 49 NSWLR 184 Short v Crawley (No. 30) [2007] NSWSC 1322 Sidhu v Van Dyke [2014] HCA 19; (2014) 251 CLR 505 Symonds v Vass [2009] NSWCA 139; (2009) 257 ALR 689 Young v Hones [2014] NSWCA 337 Zepinic v Chateau Constructions (Australia) Ltd (No. 2) [2013] NSWCA 227 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Reavill Farm Pty Ltd (1st Cross-Claimant) Champions Quarry Pty Ltd (2nd Cross-Claimant) Jeffery Francis Champion (3rd Cross-Claimant) Diana Christine Champion (4th Cross-Claimant) Macabil Pty Ltd (5th Cross-Claimant) Burrell Solicitors Pty Ltd (1st Cross-Defendant) John Llewellyn Burrell (2nd Cross-Defendant) Representation: Counsel: V McWilliam (Cross-Claimants) A J McInerney SC with L Livingston (Cross Defendants)