CONTRACTS — interlocutory application by the plaintiff seeking injunctive relief against the defendant, a former employee — where defendant had established her own business and admitted to soliciting the plaintiff’s clients — where the defendant’s employment agreement included post-employment restraint of trade clauses — whether contractual obligations survived the termination of the employment agreement in circumstances where the defendant alleged that the plaintiff had repudiated the agreement — enforceability of restraint of trade clauses — balance of convenience — insufficiently strong prima facie case to justify interlocutory relief beyond undertakings offered by the defendant — orders sought by the plaintiff imprecise and uncertain — subject to undertakings to the Court by the defendant, interlocutory application refused
EQUITY — confidential information — where plaintiff alleged that defendant had retained and made use of confidential information gained during the course of her employment — where plaintiff sought injunction to enforce equitable, statutory and contractual obligations of confidence — insufficiently strong prima facie case to justify interlocutory relief beyond undertakings offered by the defendant — orders sought by the plaintiff were imprecise and uncertain — injunction refused
EQUITY — whether plaintiff should be denied relief due to unclean hands — equitable principle does not apply
TORTS — where plaintiff sought orders to prevent defendant from inducing clients to breach their contracts of engagement of the plaintiff — insufficiently strong prima facie case to justify interlocutory relief — injunction refused
Recent cases about breach of confidence
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Aristocrat Technologies Australia PL v Light & Wonder, Inc. (No 2) [2025] FCA 64
Application for interlocutory injunction to restrain individual from using devices containing confidential information – application refused.
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Fortrend Securities Pty Ltd v Wollermann (No 2) [2025] FCA 96
CORPORATIONS – alleged breaches of equitable duty of confidence, fiduciary duties and statutory obligations by former employee – where clients moved from applicants to the respondents’ new employer – whether respondents breached the employment contract or used confidential information to solicit former clients – whether new employer liable as an accessory or for inducing breach…
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Pilatus Training Solutions Australia Pty Ltd v Secure & Innovate Group Pty Ltd [2024] FCA 1294
DISCOVERY – application for preliminary discovery – where documents sought to determine whether to commence proceedings for copyright infringement and breach of confidence – whether anticipated copyright claim would be defeated by s 183 of the Copyright Act (Cth) – whether confidential information adequately defined Related cases on preliminary discovery Original article available at: https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2024/2024fca1294For…
Original article available at: https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2023/2023fca0685
For more information, see the original judgement.
