Técnicas Reunidas SA v Andrew [2018] NSWCA 192

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Técnicas Reunidas SA v Andrew [2018] NSWCA 192 Hearing dates: 13, 14 August 2018 Decision date: 31 August 2018 Before: Bathurst CJ at [1]; Leeming JA at [2]; White JA at [86] Decision: 1. Grant leave to appeal.

2. Rename the twelfth respondent as "William Leslie Ryan".

3. Direct Técnicas Reunidas to file a notice of appeal in the form of the draft notice of appeal in the appeal books but reflecting order 2 above, and otherwise dispense with the obligations of service.

4. Appeal dismissed, with costs. Catchwords: CONTRACT – discharge of contract inferred by agreement – abandonment – no need for express offer and acceptance

SOLICITORS – retainer – firm gave advice to client in building dispute with subcontractor – ICC arbitration commenced six months later – client retained another firm to act in arbitration – no response by client to overtures by first firm to act for it in arbitration – one year later, partners acting for subcontractor in building dispute and in arbitration became partners of first firm – firm retained confidential information of client arising out of its earlier retainer – firm put in place information barriers relating to its earlier involvement – client sought injunction preventing firm from acting for subcontractor in arbitration – whether earlier retainer terminated or abandoned – whether firm had shown no real risk of disclosure of confidential information – whether inherent jurisdiction to protect administration of justice and its appearance supported injunction – primary judge dismissed proceedings – appeal dismissed Legislation Cited: Construction Contracts Act 2004 (WA) Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules 2015 (NSW) and (Vic), r 11 Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW), s 25 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 101 Cases Cited: Brambles Holdings Ltd v Bathurst City Council (2001) 53 NSWLR 153; [2001] NSWCA 61 Branir Pty Ltd v Owston Nominees (No 2) Pty Ltd (2001) 117 FCR 424; [2001] FCA 1833 Cooper v Winter [2013] NSWCA 261 Crowe-Maxwell v Frost (2016) 91 NSWLR 414; [2016] NSWCA 46 Fitzgerald v Masters (1956) 95 CLR 420; [1956] HCA 53 Integrated Computer Services Pty Ltd v Digital Equipment Corp (Aust) Pty Ltd (1988) 5 BPR 97,326 Kallinicos v Hunt (2005) 64 NSWLR 561; [2005] NSWSC 1181 Maxwell-Smith v S & E Hall Pty Ltd (2014) 86 NSWLR 481; [2014] NSWCA 146 McVeigh v Linen House Pty Ltd [1999] 3 VR 394; [1999] VSCA 138 Melreef Pty Ltd v Glenn [2015] WASCA 111 Prince Jefri Bolkiah v KPMG [1999] 2 AC 222 Protector Glass Industries Pty Ltd v Southern Cross Autoglass Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 16 Ryder v Frohlich [2004] NSWCA 472 Spincode Pty Ltd v Look Software Pty Ltd (2001) 4 VR 501; [2001] VSCA 248 Summers v Commonwealth (1918) 25 CLR 144; [1918] HCA 33 Sze Tu v Lowe (2014) 89 NSWLR 317; [2014] NSWCA 462 Técnicas Reunidas SA v Andrew [2018] NSWSC 645 Tonner v Delaporte [2018] WASCA 115 Vroon BV v Foster's Brewing Group [1994] 2 VR 32 White v Timbercorp Finance Pty Ltd (in liq) [2017] VSCA 361; 123 ACSR 284 Texts Cited: T Aplin et al, Gurry on Breach of Confidence, (2nd ed, 2012, Oxford University Press) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Técnicas Reunidas SA (Applicant) Sadie Andrew (First Respondent) Anthony Arrow (Second Respondent) John Michael Battye (Third Respondent) Robert Charles Buchanan (Fourth Respondent) Gregory Campbell (Fifth Respondent) Bettina Margaret Cole (Sixth Respondent) Matthew Croagh (Seventh Respondent) Simela Karasavidis (Eighth Respondent) Christina Adrienne Parker (Ninth Respondent) Ian David Rennick (Tenth Respondent) Ewan Robertson (Eleventh Respondent) William Leslie Ryan (Twelfth Respondent) Representation: Counsel: R A Dick SC, D J Barnett (Applicant) R G McHugh SC, M R Tyson (Respondents)