I act directly for clients and work alongside senior lawyers in civil matters, ranging from commercial litigation to governance advice.
Drawing on my significant experience in commercial and public law litigation, I provide pragmatic and commercial solutions to client’s complex strategic and technical issues.
Clients value my clear, analytical thinking under pressure. I distil critical issues and facts efficiently from complicated situations. I place a high value on integrity and empathy in what are often challenging situations for my clients and colleagues, and I become an integral and trusted part of any team.
Civil and commercial law
Representative clients include:
- A large New Zealand property development company in relation to various contractual and resource management proceedings.
- An air cargo airline in complex cartel litigation in the English High Court and related parallel proceedings overseas.
- A global pharmaceutical company in a contractual dispute with a major competitor.
- A farm owner seeking damages in the New Zealand High Court from a manufacturer of a faulty product which allegedly caused salmonella outbreaks.
- A defendant to proceedings in the English High Court and parallel proceedings overseas in connection with a failed joint venture in a real estate investment.
Public and administrative law
I have broad experience acting for regulatory bodies and charitable and community organisations in regulatory proceedings, judicial review proceedings and contentious governance matters. Representative clients include:
- The Ministry of Health in judicial review proceedings challenging the licensing of pharmacies.
- Post settlement governance entities of iwi in relation to various contentious and governance issues.
- A trustee and director of several national Māori organisations involved in governance disputes, including corruption and conflict of interest issues.
- A lawyer in the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal defending charges of professional misconduct.
- Regulatory bodies established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 on competence and disciplinary matters.
- Disenfranchised members of an incorporated society in judicial review and breach of contract proceedings.
I also appeared as junior counsel to amicus curiae in judicial review proceedings brought by a serving prisoner challenging government correctional policy.