Pacific Equity Partners Pty Ltd v Kerwick [2017] NSWSC 1302

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Pacific Equity Partners Pty Ltd v Kerwick [2017] NSWSC 1302 Hearing dates: 31 August; 1 September 2017 Date of orders: 28 September 2017 Decision date: 28 September 2017 Jurisdiction: Equity - Commercial List Before: Parker J Decision: Summons dismissed Catchwords: Civil Procedure – preliminary discovery – production of documents in connection with marketing of new private equity fund by former employees of plaintiff – strength of potential claim – breach of employment contract – suspected disclosure of confidential information – confidentiality of aspects of "track record" of plaintiff – availability of information in the public domain – no evidence of disclosure of confidential information – discretionary reasons for refusal of application – letter of demand alleging breaches – no fixed decision to sue Legislation Cited: Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 5.3(1) Cases Cited: Hatfield v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd (2010) 77 NSWLR 506; [2010] NSWCA 69 McCarthy v Dolpag Pty Ltd [2000] WASCA 106 Viljoen v Hayes [2017] NSWSC 801 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Pacific Equity Partners Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) Anthony Kerwick (First Defendant) Robert Koczkar (Second Defendant) Adamantem Capital Holdings Pty Ltd (Third Defendant) Representation: Counsel: PD Crutchfield QC/CA Hamilton-Jewell (Plaintiff) JK Kirk SC/ZCF Heger (Defendants)

Solicitors: Arnold Bloch Leibler (Plaintiff) King & Wood Mallesons (Defendants) File Number(s): 2017/105122 Publication restriction: Nil