Sharpe v Grobbel [2017] NSWSC 1065

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Sharpe v Grobbel [2017] NSWSC 1065 Hearing dates: 10 August 2017 Date of orders: 15 August 2017 Decision date: 15 August 2017 Jurisdiction: Equity - Corporations List Before: Brereton J Decision: Application to set aside subpoena and alternatively to excuse recipient from producing documents dismissed with costs Catchwords: EVIDENCE – subpoenas – motion to set aside subpoena – where applicant directs subpoena to law firm – where law firm claims privilege on behalf of client – where no privilege as between parties with common interest in subject matter of communications – where reasonable basis for supposing that sought material will likely add to relevant evidence – held, motion dismissed. Legislation Cited: (CTH) Corporations Act 2001, s 198F, s 237, s 247A (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 r 33.4 Cases Cited: A v Z [2007] NSWSC 899; (2007) 212 FLR 255 Aerva NC (Australia) Pty Ltd v Summit Resources (Australia) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2008] WASC 10 Attorney-General (NSW) v Chidgey (2008) 182 A Crim R 536; [2008] NSWCCA 65 BBGP Managing General Partner Ltd v Babcock & Brown Global Partners [2011] Ch 296; [2011] 2 All ER 297 Botany Bay Instrumentation & Control Pty Limited v Stewart [1984] 3 NSWLR 98 Brand v Digi-Tech (Australia) Ltd [2001] NSWSC 425 CIA Barca de Panama SA v George Wimpey & Co. Limited [1980] 1 Lloyd's Rep 598 Claremont Petroleum NL, Re (1990) 2 Qd R 31 Commercial Union Assurance Co PLC v Mander [1996] 2 Lloyd's Rep 640 Commissioner for Railways v Small (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 564 Czerwinski v Syrena Royal Pty Ltd [2000] VSC 125 Dennis & Sons Ltd v West Norfolk Farmers Manure & Chemical Cooperative Co Ltd [1943] Ch 220 Eastmark Holdings Pty Limited v Kabraji (No 3) [2012] NSWSC 1463 Edman v Ross (1922) 22 SR(NSW) 351 Farrow Mortgage Services Pty Ltd (in liq) v Webb (1996) 39 NSWLR 601 Fox v Gadsden (2003) 46 ACSR 713 Geffen v Goodman Estate [1991] 2 SCR 353 Re Geneva Finance Ltd (1992) 7 WAR 496; 7 ACSR 415 Hancock v Rinehart (Freehills subpoena) [2017] NSWSC 530 Hanks v Admiralty Resources NL (No 2) [2011] FCA 1464 Hellenic Mutual War Risks Association (Bermuda) Ltd v Harrison (The "Sagheera") [1997] 1 Lloyd's Rep 160 ICAP Australia Pty Ltd v BGC Partners (Australia) Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 307 Kimber v Brookman Solicitors [2004] 2 FLR 221 Lavallee, Rackel & Heintz v Canada (Attorney-General) 2002 SCC 61. Morgan Grenfell, Ex parte [2003] 1 AC 563; [2002] UKHL 21 National Employers' Mutual General Insurance Association v Waind and Hill [1978] 1 NSWLR 372 Nationwide Building Society v Various Solicitors [1999] PNLR 52 Oswal v Burrupo Fertilisers Pty Ltd (2013) 295 ALR 708 Portal Software v Bodsworth [2005] NSWSC 1115 Prince Jefri Bolkiah v KPMG [1999] 2 AC 222; [1999] 1 All ER 517 R v Central Criminal Court; ex parte Francis & Francis [1989] AC 346 R v Derby Magistrates Court; ex parte B [1996] AC 487 R v Merchant Tailors' Company (1831) 2 B & Ad 115; (1831) 109 ER 1086 R v Saleam [1999] NSWCCA 86 Rowland v Meudon Pty Limited [2008] NSWSC 381 Satz v ACN 069 808 957 Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 365 Schreuder v Murray (No 2) (2009) 260 ALR 139; 41 WAR 169; [2009] WASCA 145 Sharpe v Grobbel [2017] NSWSC 2 Smartec Capital Pty Limited v Centro Properties Limited [2011] NSWSC 495; (2011) 83 ACSR 461 Svenska Handelsbanken v Sun Alliance and London Insurance PLC [1995] 2 Lloyd's Rep 84 Trade Practices Commission v Arnotts Ltd (1989) 88 ALR 90 TSB Bank plc v Robert Irving & Burns [2000] 2 All ER 826 Wilson v Rastall (1792) 4 TR 753 Winterthur Swiss Insurance Company & Anor v AG (Manchester) Ltd & Ors [2006] EWHC 839 (Comm) Yunghanns v Elfic Pty Ltd (No 2) [2000] 1 VR 92 Texts Cited: Passmore, C, Privilege, 3rd ed Phipson on Evidence, 14th ed (1990) Phipson on Evidence, 15th ed (2000) Phipson on Evidence, 18th ed (2013) Thanki B (ed), The Law of Privilege (2006) Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Frederick Patrick Sharpe (first plaintiff) Joel Francis Fleming (second plaintiff) Sachil Investments Pty Ltd (third plaintiff) Biosoft Pty Ltd (fourth plaintiff) Christoph Grobbel (first defendant) Renat Heuberger (second defendant) South Pole Holding Ltd (third defendant) Climate Friendly Pty Ltd (fourth defendant) Representation: Counsel: A. Hochroth (plaintiffs/applicants) A. Byrne (defendants/respondent)