Dundoen Pty Limited v Richard Wills (Real Estate) Pty Limited [2020] NSWSC 15

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Dundoen Pty Limited v Richard Wills (Real Estate) Pty Limited [2020] NSWSC 15 Hearing dates: 20 January 2020 Date of orders: 28 January 2020 Decision date: 28 January 2020 Before: Henry J Decision: Interlocutory relief granted. See [146]. Catchwords: EQUITY — RESTRAINT OF TRADE — Employment – interlocutory injunction application against former Senior Property Manager at real estate agency - where former employee seeks to commence employment in competitor real estate agent - where employment agreement included post-employment restraints on solicitation and dealing with clients of employer and from working with competitor - where employment agreement entered two and a half years into employee's tenure – where some undertakings given by employee – whether serious question to be tried as to the validity and reasonableness of the non-compete restraint and duration of non-solicitation restraint – serious question to be tried found – balance of convenience – adequacy of damages – discretionary factors. Legislation Cited: Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), ss 182 and 183 Restraints of Trade Act 1976 (NSW), s 4 Cases Cited: Australian Broadcasting Corporation v O'Neill (2006) 227 CLR 57; [2006] HCA 46 Beecham Group Ltd v Bristol Laboratories Pty Ltd (1968) 118 CLR 618 Cactus Imaging (2006) 71 NSWLR 9; [2006] NSWSC 717 Castlemaine Tooheys Ltd v South Australia (1986) 161 CLR 148; [1986] HCA 58 Curro v Beyond Productions Pty Limited (1993) 30 NSWLR 337 Devine Real Estate Concord Pty Ltd & Ors v Wajih Agha (aka Roger Agha) & Anor [2019] NSWSC 786 Ecolab Pty Limited v Stephen Garland [2011] NSWSC 1095 Genesys Wealth Advisers Ltd v Miles [2008] NSWSC 802 Hanna v OAMPS Insurance Brokers Ltd [2010] NSWCA 267 Harlow Property Consultants Pty Ltd v Byford [2005] NSWSC 658 Hitech Contracting Limited v Lynn (Supreme Court (NSW), Austin J, 5 June 2001, unrep) John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited v Birt [2006] NSWSC 995 Kolback Securities Ltd v Epoch Mining NL (1987) 8 NSWLR 533 Kone Elevators Pty Limited v McNay (1997) ATPR ¶41-564; (1997) Aust Contract R 90-080 Koops Martin Financial Services Pty Ltd v Reeves [2006] NSWSC 449 Lindner v Murdock's Garage (1950) 83 CLR 628 Littlewoods Organisation Limited v Harris [1978] 1 All ER 1026; [1977] 1 WLR 1472 Miles v Genesys Wealth Advisers Ltd [2009] NSWCA 25 Mobileworld Operating Pty Ltd v Telstra Corporation Ltd [2005] FCA 1365 Orton v Melman [1981] 1 NSWLR 583 Pearson v HRX Holdings Pty Ltd (2012) 205 FCR 187; [2012] FCAFC 111 Portal Software International Pty Ltd v Bodsworth [2005] NSWSC 1179 Raine & Horne Pty Limited v Adacolk Pty Limited & Ors [2006] NSWSC 36 Stacks/Taree Pty Ltd v Marshall (No 2) [2010] NSWSC 77 Stenhouse Australia Ltd v Phillips [1973] 2 NSWLR 691; [1974] AC 391 Woolworths Ltd v Olson [2004] NSWCA 372 Wright v Gasweld Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 317 Texts Cited: JD Heydon, The Restraint of Trade Doctrine (4th ed, 2018, LexisNexis Butterworths) at 189–190 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Dundoen Pty Limited ACN 082700285 (Plaintiff) Richard Wills (Real Estate) Pty Limited ACN 003488382 (First Defendant) Jillian Gai Wills (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Seck (Plaintiff) A White, Solicitor (First Defendant) R S Warren (Second Defendant)