Karam v Mazzeo

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA Not Restricted

AT MELBOURNE

COMMON LAW DIVISION

S CI 2011 03123

AKRAM KARAM	Plaintiff
v
LENNON MAZZEO	Defendant

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JUDGE:	Lansdowne AsJ
WHERE HELD:	Melbourne
DATE OF HEARING:	28 June 2016
DATE OF JUDGMENT:	22 December 2016
CASE MAY BE CITED AS:	Karam v Mazzeo
MEDIUM NEUTRAL CITATION:	[2016] VSC 813

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NEGLIGENCE  - claim against former solicitors – summary judgment sought by solicitors – plaintiff did not attend – allegations of bias and other reasons not to proceed unfounded - advocates’ immunity applies in respect of some allegations – no loss shown in respect of others – no real prospect of success – summary judgment granted.

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APPEARANCES:	Counsel	Solicitors
For the Plaintiff	No appearance
For the Defendant	Mr N J Hoyne	Lennon Mazzeo Lawyers

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction and summary............................................................................................................... 1

Background......................................................................................................................................... 2

Preliminary issues.............................................................................................................................. 5

Notice of the hearing date and service of the summons......................................................... 5

Response to the plaintiff’s complaint........................................................................................ 7

Further reasons advanced by the plaintiff as to why the application should not proceed 8

Legal Profession Act 2004.................................................................................................. 8

Adjournment pending the weekly payments proceeding............................................ 9

Allegations of bias............................................................................................................. 10

Amendment of the defence........................................................................................................ 12

Plaintiff’s case................................................................................................................................... 12

Material......................................................................................................................................... 12

Agreed or undisputed facts....................................................................................................... 13

Allegations of negligence.......................................................................................................... 15

Defendant’s submissions................................................................................................................ 18

Discussion.......................................................................................................................................... 19

Test for summary judgment...................................................................................................... 19

Advocates’ immunity................................................................................................................. 19

Application to this claim............................................................................................................ 20

Paragraph (a)...................................................................................................................... 20

Paragraphs (b)-(f)............................................................................................................... 21

Paragraphs (g) and (h)....................................................................................................... 21

Paragraph (i)....................................................................................................................... 24

Paragraph (j)....................................................................................................................... 24

Paragraph (k)...................................................................................................................... 25

Paragraph (l)....................................................................................................................... 25

Paragraph (m)..................................................................................................................... 28

Paragraph (n)...................................................................................................................... 31

Paragraphs (o) and (p)...................................................................................................... 32

Particulars of loss and damage....................................................................................... 33

Discretion..................................................................................................................................... 34

Conclusion......................................................................................................................................... 34

HER HONOUR:

Introduction and summary

1. In his statement of claim the plaintiff, Mr Karam, seeks damages against his former lawyers, Lennon Mazzeo, alleging negligence in their conduct of his proceedings for common law damages for workplace injury in the period 30 September 2009 to 19 November 2009.  These reasons concern a summons filed by Lennon Mazzeo seeking summary judgment or strike out of the statement of claim.

1. The proceeding commenced by the filing of Mr Karam’s writ and statement of claim on 20 June 2011, but it has not progressed in substance beyond filing of the defence on 1 August 2011.   Thereafter there were a number of interlocutory applications made by Mr Karam, including an application for summary judgment in his favour, which was unsuccessful.  The subsequent delay in the proceeding has been largely due to Mr Karam’s repeated applications for adjournment until the determination of a proceeding in the Magistrates’ Court.  He first made that application by summons filed 29 April 2014.  The Magistrates’ Court proceeding was later transferred to the County Court, and apparently has not yet concluded.

1. Lennon Mazzeo did not oppose the repeated adjournment of this proceeding, and on occasion consented to it, until April of this year.   On 26 April 2016 the parties appeared before J Forrest J and his Honour made orders for the filing and hearing of this summons.  The…