Claudia Leung in her capacity as Executrix of the Estate of the late Robert Ho v Paul Mervyn Fordyce t/as Pmf Legal Trading [2019] NSWSC 18

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Claudia Leung in her capacity as Executrix of the Estate of the late Robert Ho v Paul Mervyn Fordyce t/as Pmf Legal Trading [2019] NSWSC 18 Hearing dates: 11, 12, 13, 14 December 2017;Written submissions: 6, 7, 14, 19 December 2017, 22 January 2018 and 6 February 2018 Decision date: 29 January 2019 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Kunc J Decision: Plaintiffs entitled to declarations that costs agreements not sent and to consequential relief Catchwords: EVIDENCE — onus of proof when a declaration is sought in relation to a negative fact — plaintiffs seek declaration that defendant solicitor did not send costs agreements DECLARATIONS — onus of proof when a declaration is sought in relation to a negative fact — plaintiffs seek declaration that defendant solicitor did not send costs agreements Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Cases Cited: Albrighton v Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (1980) 2 NSWLR 542 Amirbeaggi v Business in Focus (Australia) Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 421 Application of Ferdinando Scali [2010] NSWSC 1254 Armagas Ltd v Mundogas S.A. (The Ocean Frost) [1985] 1 Lloyd's Rep 1 Aytul Ak-Tankiz v Ferat Ak & Ramazan Ak [2014] NSWSC 1044 Bater v Bater [1951] P 35 BCI Finances Pty Ltd (in liq) v Binetter (No 4) (2016) 348 ALR 227; [2016] FCA 1351 Blacket v Barnett [2017] NSWSC 1032 Blatch v Archer (1774) 1 Cowp 63; (1774) 98 ER 969 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Connor v Blacktown District Hospital (1971) 1 NSWLR 713 Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council v Darkinjung Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 132 Department of Health v Arumugam [1988] VR 319 Elayoubi v Zipser [2008] NSWCA 335 Ex parte Ferguson; Re Alexander (1944) 45 SR (NSW) 64; (1944) 62 WN (NSW) 15 Fordyce v Ho [2015] NSWCA 240 Forrest v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2012) 247 CLR 486; [2012] HCA 39 Fulton v Fulton [2014] NSWSC 619 Gray v Guardian Trust Australia [2003] NSWSC 704 Ho v Fordyce (ex parte) [2014] NSWSC 1404 Ho v Powell (2001) 51 NSWLR 572; [2001] NSWCA 168 Hutchison Construction Services Pty Ltd v Fogg; Fogg v Les Quatre Musketeers Pty Ltd (t/as Plastamasta South Coast) [2016] NSWCA 135 In the matter of Kit Digital Australia Pty Ltd (in liq) [2014] NSWSC 1547 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Juul v Northey [2010] NSWCA 211 Krakowski v Eurolynx Properties Ltd (1995) 183 CLR 563; [1995] HCA 68 Krstic v Brindley [2006] NSWSC 1414 Kuligowski v Metrobus (2004) 220 CLR 363; [2004] HCA 34 Maguire v Makaronis (1997) 188 CLR 449; [1997] HCA 23 Nadinic v Drinkwater (2017) 94 NSWLR 518; [2017] NSWCA 114 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 110 ALR 449 at 450; [1992] HCA 66 Palmer v Dolman [2005] NSWCA 361 Rail Corporation New South Wales v Donald; Staff Innovations Pty Ltd t/as Bamford Family Trust [2018] NSWCA 82 Re Atkinson [1971] VR 612 Re Day (2017) 91 ALJR 262; [2017] HCA 2 Robert Ho v Paul Mervyn Fordyce t/as Pmf Legal Trading [2015] NSWSC 544 Robert Ho v Paul Mervyn Fordyce t/as Pmf Legal Trading (No 2) [2015] NSWSC 1748 SAMM Property Holdings Pty Ltd v Shaye Properties Pty Ltd [2017] NSWCA 132; (2017) 345 ALR 633 Sangha v Baxter [2009] NSWCA 78; (2009) 52 MVR 492 Saravinovska v Saravinovski (No 6) [2016] NSWSC 964 Sgro v Australian Associated Motor Insurer's Limited (2015) 91 NSWLR 325; [2015] NSWCA 262 Steinberg v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1975) 134 CLR 640; [1975] HCA 63 Strong v Woolworths Limited (2012) 246 CLR 182; [2012] HCA 5 The Nominal Defendant v Cordin [2017] NSWCA 6 Tinnock v Murrumbidgee Local Health District (No 2) [2016] NSWSC 87 Warner v Hung, in the matter of Bellpac Pty Limited (Receivers and Managers Appointed) (In Liquidation) (No 2) (2011) 297 ALR 56; [2011] FCA 1123 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Wentworth v Rogers [2005] NSWSC 143 Ex parte Ferguson; Re Alexander (1944) 45 SR (NSW) 64; (1944) 62 WN (NSW) 15 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Claudia Leung (first plaintiff) Rhodium NSW Pty Ltd (second plaintiff) The Trading House Pty Ltd (third plaintiff)