Anthony Kaufmann and Samantha Langan, instructed by AR Conolly & Company, successfully appeared for the applicant in ParcelTools Pty Ltd v Method Industries Pty Ltd [2026] FCA 322.

The applicant sought an injunction to restrain the respondent from terminating or suspending the applicant’s access to an IT system which the applicant contends was the subject of a joint venture and where the existence of any joint venture is challenged by the respondent.

The Federal Court found that there is a serious case to be tried as to whether the respondent owed fiduciary duties as an actual or potential joint venture participant, even prior to the express definition of their relationship by any formal arrangement. Further, the Court found that the balance of convenience favoured the granting of the injunction to prevent misuse of the applicant’s intellectual property in the technology associated with the alleged joint venture, any diversion of customers from the applicant to the irreversible detriment of the alleged joint venture, any reputational harm to the applicant as well as any impact on third party customers of the alleged joint venture.

The judgment may be found here.