"Don't work for them. You promised you wouldn't!"

DadCo sold its rent roll to P. P got to work collecting rent, employing DadCo’s former property manager, PM.  

P later made PM redundant. PM planned to take up employment with another estate agent, CousCo, 1.8km away performing the same role: [59]  

To add spice: PM’s dad was a director of DadCo and PM’s cousin was the sole director of CousCo. The relevant family name carried weight: [114]  

The employment contract between P and PM included restraints on her post-employment conduct: [13]  P sought an injunction preventing PM from working for CousCo: [12]  

The Court had to consider (i) whether there was a serious question to be tried, and (ii) whether the balance of convenience favoured an injunction.  

As PM was the “human face” of P, it was seriously arguable that a 4 month restraint would be too short and that a non-compete was legitimate protection for P: [102], [119]  

On balance of convenience, despite the hardship of being prevented from working within 5km PM was only paid a salary, meaning damages – rather than an injunction – would be fine: [131]  

P got up on balance of convenience and serious question to be tried. Injunctions granted: [141] to [143]

Dundeon Pty Limited v Richard Wills [2020] NSWSC 15