Daily Banking: Friday, 18 September 2015 View in browser
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AR Conolly Company Lawyers.
Today’s Benchmark is dedicated to the memory of Bill Washington of Counsel who died suddenly this week, and who recently presented for us on Benchmark Television. This program is yet to be broadcast.

Daily Banking

Executive Summary (One Minute Read)
Nadarajapillai v Naderasa (FCA) - bankruptcy - stay of sequestration order pending disposal of appeal refused - interlocutory application dismissed
Capogreco v Rogerson (NSWSC) - contract - misleading and deceptive conduct - second defendant not authorised to sell plaintiffs’ shares in racehorse at private sale - plaintiffs entitled to declarations regarding respective ownership of shares in horse and to an account from second defendant - misleading and deceptive conduct claims dismissed
Distinctive FX Pty Ltd v Wright (No 3) (VSC) - freezing orders - life insurance proceeds - further order sought by second defendant’s lawyers refused
Wise Energy Group Company Ltd v Rocke (WASCA) - security for costs - loan agreement - security deed - appeal stayed pending payment of security for costs
Benchmark Television
 
 
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Fred Hawke & David Gerber on Proportionate Liability
Clayton Utz Partners Frederick Hawke and David Gerber discuss proportionate liability, and what happens when a plaintiff claims the same loss under different statutory provisions, where some of those provisions give rise to apportionable claims and some do not.
 
Summaries With Link (Five Minute Read)
Nadarajapillai v Naderasa [2015] FCA 1022
Federal Court of Australia
Markovic J
Bankruptcy - sequestration order - stay - sequestration order made against applicant’s estate by Federal Circuit Court judge - Official Trustee was trustee of applicant’s estate - applicant filed Notice of Appeal against judgment and order and also sought that sequestration order and consequential orders be stayed until disposal of appeal - ss5, 37(2)(a), 52(3), 58(1), 60(2), & 178 Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) - r36.08 Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) - whether arguable point on appeal - held: Court satisfied there was arguable point to be raised on appeal however balance of convenience did not weigh in applicant’s favour - no risk of irreparable harm to applicant in the absence of stay in terms sought - stay refused - interlocutory application dismissed.
Nadarajapillai
Capogreco v Rogerson [2015] NSWSC 1371
Supreme Court of New South Wales
Bergin CJ in Eq
Contract - misleading and deceptive conduct - plaintiffs purchased interest in defendant’s horse - defendant entered horse in auction - defendant sold horse to second defendant by private sale - plaintiffs claimed they weren’t advised of offer to purchase horse or informed or consulted concerning sale - plaintiffs claimed they did not authorise or consent to purported sale or transfer of their ownership interests - plaintiffs claimed they wished to purchase horse at auction - plaintiffs refused to accept money from sale of horse and claimed no ratification of sale of horse - held: plaintiffs’ claims against defendant for misleading or deceptive conduct dismissed - defendant did not have authority to sell plaintiffs’ shares in horse - plaintiffs entitled to declarations they held respective percentage interests in horse - plaintiffs entitled to order for account against second defendant - parties should proceed to mediation.
Capogreco
Distinctive FX Pty Ltd v Wright (No 3) [2015] VSC 482
Supreme Court of Victoria
Elliot J
Freezing orders - life insurance proceeds - plaintiffs alleged former employee, now deceased, misappropriated millions of dollars - employee’s widow was second defendant - plaintiff alleged widow knowingly received misappropriated funds and knowingly assisted in misappropriation - freezing orders and orders preventing dissipation of funds in respect of life insurance proceeds were in place - second defendant sought further order that any order allowing her access to life insurance proceeds for legal costs be on condition that plaintiffs release second defendant’s legal practitioners from claims as to application of life insurance proceeds or their traceable proceeds for payment of legal expenses - held: inappropriate to make further order sought by second defendant’s lawyers at this stage - Court effectively being asked to make final decision in relation to life insurance proceeds - in absence of relevant evidence Court did not know whether there was a danger that order sought would wrongly exempt solicitors from liability - order refused.
Distinctive
Wise Energy Group Company Ltd v Rocke [2015] WASCA 192
Court of Appeal of Western Australia
Newnes JA
Security for costs - corporations - loan agreement - security deed - respondents sought pursuant to both s1335(1) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and r44(1) Supreme Court (Court of Appeal) Rules 2005 (WA) security for costs of appellant’s appeal in proceedings - held: Court satisfied on evidence there was reason to believe appellant would be unable to pay costs if appeal unsuccessful - no unreasonable delay by respondents in making application - no evidence appellant would be shut out of appeal if security for costs ordered - appeal reasonably arguable - security for costs ordered - appeal to be stayed until security for costs provided.
Wise
The Wood-Pile
By Robert Frost


Out walking in the frozen swamp one gray day,
I paused and said, 'I will turn back from here.
No, I will go on farther—and we shall see.'
The hard snow held me, save where now and then
One foot went through. The view was all in lines
Straight up and down of tall slim trees
Too much alike to mark or name a place by
So as to say for certain I was here
Or somewhere else: I was just far from home.
A small bird flew before me. He was careful
To put a tree between us when he lighted,
And say no word to tell me who he was
Who was so foolish as to think what he thought.
He thought that I was after him for a feather—
The white one in his tail; like one who takes
Everything said as personal to himself.
One flight out sideways would have undeceived him.
And then there was a pile of wood for which
I forgot him and let his little fear
Carry him off the way I might have gone,
Without so much as wishing him good-night.
He went behind it to make his last stand.
It was a cord of maple, cut and split
And piled—and measured, four by four by eight.
And not another like it could I see.
No runner tracks in this year's snow looped near it.
And it was older sure than this year's cutting,
Or even last year's or the year's before.
The wood was gray and the bark warping off it
And the pile somewhat sunken. Clematis
Had wound strings round and round it like a bundle.
What held it though on one side was a tree
Still growing, and on one a stake and prop,
These latter about to fall. I thought that only
Someone who lived in turning to fresh tasks
Could so forget his handiwork on which
He spent himself, the labor of his ax,
And leave it there far from a useful fireplace
To warm the frozen swamp as best it could
With the slow smokeless burning of decay.

RobertFrost