Profile
Admissions: Tasmania
Signed Bar Roll:
Areas of practice: IP, IT, Telecommunicati
Background details:
Prior to signing the Bar Roll, Benjamin was a Senior Associate with Dibbs Abbott Stillman and specialising in large commercial disputes in the Federal Court of Australia and the State Supreme Courts of Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania.
Relevant cases:
Benjamin has been involved in the following selection of noteworthy cases:
WIPO Domain Name Disputes
ImageShack Corp v Steven Baxt (imageshack.com
High Court of Australia
Rose & Ors v New South Wales Native Title Services M93 of 2005 - special leave application
Federal Court:
Hidden Cove Solutions Pty Ltd v Certatech Pty Ltd No. 1224 of 2007 - Corporations - oppression
ACCC v Audi Australia Pty Ltd VID1018 of 2007 - Trade Practices - misleading and deceptive conduct - advertising
Komtel Pty Ltd v Australasia Telecommunicati
Prohunt Holdings Pty Ltd v Paulsen & Ors No. NSD 1011 of 2007 - cross-claim - directors duty under Corporations Act, copyright, confidential information, trade marks, Norwich orders, preservation orders, interlocutory prohibitive relief, constructive trust and Barnes v Addy
Paulsen v Prohunt Holdings Pty Ltd & Ors No. NSD 1011 of 2007 - oppression - corporations - winding up
aaNet Pty Ltd & Anor v Eftel Limited & Anor No. VID1198 of 2006 - Telecommunicati
HitPro Pty Ltd v .au Domain Administration Limited No. VID901 of 2006 - Domain Names - breach of contract and unconscionable conduct.
aaNet Communications Pty Ltd v Telstra Corporation No. VID865 of 2006 - Telecommunicati
Liberty Funding Pty Ltd & Anor v Phoenix Capital Limited [2005] 218 ALR 283- Full Court of Branson, Sundberg and Allsop JJ- Evidence - Admissibility - Affidavit from prior proceedings - Special circumstances - Appeal against Federal Court of Australia decision to exclude affidavit on grounds of legal privilege.
Liberty Financial Pty Ltd v Bluestone Group Pty Ltd (No 2) [2005] FCA 1485- Defamation - waiver of legal professional privilege - restricting inspection to parts of documents
Liberty Financial Pty Ltd v Bluestone Group Pty Ltd [2005] FCA 470 - Heerey J - Defamation - discovery - misleading and deceptive conduct - respondent published document alleging applicant's engagement in other litigation an abuse of process - whether documents relating to applicant's state of mind in commencing and continuing such litigation discoverable.
Liberty Financial Pty Ltd v Scott [2002] FCA 345- Weinberg J - Anton Piller - Copyright - application to set aside or discharge Anton Piller order
Supreme Court of Tasmania
Gleeson v Freshwater Creek Pty Ltd No. 328 of 2008 - Election - Specific performance - breach of implied term - estoppel by conduct - estoppel by convention - estoppel in pais - misleading and deceptive conduct and unconscionable conduct
Supreme Court of Victoria
The Queen v Wallis & Bryant No. 4545 of 2008 - contempt
Network Limited v Speck & Ors No. 2039 of 2006 - breach of agreement
Leckbarb Pty Ltd T?A Bedzone v Bev Mwrks (Australia) Pty Ltd No. 2086-06 - Commercial List - misleading and deceptive conduct - duress - unconscionable conduct - breach of fiduciary duty and oppression
Dairy Farmers Society of Australia v QBE & Ors 9697 of 2005 - insurance - agency- breach of warranty of authority - misleading and deceptive - corporations
De Wet v Valir Pty Ltd No. 5548 of 2007 - oppression - corporations
Roads Corporation (Vic Roads) v Nechovski & Ors No. 5486 of 2007 - recovery of land - licence - revocation of licence
James Woods on behalf of the Superior Court of California No. 9301 of 2006 - letter of request issued by Californian Court - subpoena for production issued by Supreme Court of Victoria - objection made to subpoena
CNH Australia Pty Ltd v Gleason Cranes Properties Pty Ltd No. 10041 of 2006 - Guarantee and Contract
National Australia Bank v Arnold & Ors No. of 2006 - Property - life estate in real property
Eftel Limited v Orchid Flower Pty Ltd & Anor No. 9031 of 2006 - Telecommunicati
Harrison v Kerrilli Pty Ltd [2006] VSC 310 - application to set subpoena aside - abuse of process.
Peninsula Prestige Cars Pty Ltd v Premier Automotive Group Pty Ltd No. 5338 of 2005 - breach of agreement - franchise - misleading and deceptive
County Court of Victoria
Kia Motors Austraia Pty Ltd v Zylux Pty Ltd - Commercial List Pilot - breach of agreement
Pacific Internet v Quality Pharmacy Group - breach of contract - counterclaim - misleading and deceptive conduct
Sterling Pumps Pty Ltd v MR & BH Whitford Nominees Pty Ltd CI-07-02717 - Commercial List - contract
Dawson v Streeton No. of 2006 - Contract - recovery of loan monies
Magistrates' Court of Victoria
Hunter Premuim Funding Limited v (various defendnats) - application for stay under the Service and Execution of Process Act
Peter McCaffrey Constructions Pty Ltd v R.J. & B.I. Pty Ltd No. U02145725 - monies owed
A. Whistle & Co (1979) Pty Ltd v Deer holdings & OrsNo. W00481612 - franchises - trade practices
Trifilletti v Avondale Heights Soccer Club Incorporated No. W00479818 - Associations Incorporation Act 1981 - management of sporting body
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Ragazzi Foods Pty Ltd v Bakas - Retail Lease dispute
Misso v BS Stillwell Hawthorn & Volvo 7210 of 2006 - warranty - contract
District Court of New South Wales
Looking Glass Media Pty Ltd v T3 Communications Pty Ltd No. 498 of 2007 - Telecommunicati
Orchid Flower Pty Ltd v Exetel Pty Ltd No. 1849 of 2005 - Telecommunicati
Supreme Court of Queensland
Khai Vy Ltd v Ultimate Distribution Australia Pty Ltd No. BS926 of 2006 - International sale of goods - breach of agreement - issue of defective furniture.
Published articles and literature:
Co-Editor of "Damages" - 33.10 Laws of Australia - published in October 2007 Editor of "Trespass and Intentional Torts" - 33.8 Laws of Australia - published in October 2007
Discovery: the Federal approach (2007) Journal of the Law Society of Tasmania (Winter 2007)
Contempt of Court: breach of the implied undertaking (2006) Journal of the Law Society of Tasmania (Summer 2006/07)
The changing face of the two nuclear weapons of the law: the new Anton Piller order and Mareva injunction (2006) Journal of the Law Society of Tasmania (Winter 2006)
How Employers Can Monitor the Email Super Highway of IP Secrets (2004) 7(1) INTLB 10 - Intellectual property - Confidential information - Commercial documents - Disclosure via email.
Intellectual Property Rights and Constructive Trusts: Will Doctrinal Rigidity Persist? (2003) 16(2) IPLB 25 - Trusts - Constructive trusts - Intellectual property - Potential transfer and use by third parties.
Protecting Intellectual Property with Anton Piller Orders (2002) 15(7) IPLB 103 - Intellectual property - Anton Piller orders - Protection of client's intellectual property rights - Australia.
Memberships and Associations
Member of the Victorian Bar
Member of the Tasmanian Independent Bar
Member of the Tasmanian Independent Bar Council
Member of the List Committee for Foley's List
Member of Wigs on Wheels (Cycling)
Director of Australian Road Cycling
Director of Spoken Media
Cycling Australia Olympic Selection and General Selections Review Panel