Public Bodies

• Councillor, Devonport Borough Council
• Chairman, Planning Hearings Committee
• Chairman, Recycling Committee

Legal Practice

• 1969-1970 Russell McVeagh - Law Clerk
• 1973 University of Michigan, School of Law - Teaching Fellow
• 1974-1978 University of Auckland, Faculty of Law - Senior Lecturer (tenured)
• 1979 Lewis and Clark Law School, Portland, Oregon, USA - Visiting Professor (Environmental Law)
• 1979-1980 University of Western Ontario, Faculty of Law, London, Ontario, Canada - Visiting Professor (Torts, Contract, Administrative Law)
• 1980-1986 Dalhousie University, Faculty of Law, Nova Scotia, Canada - Associate Professor, tenured (Torts, Contract, Administrative Law)
• 1986-2002 Chapman Tripp - Litigation Partner; Chairperson - National Board; Chairperson - Partner Admission Committee
• 2002-2007 Barrister Sole
• 2007- Queen's Counsel

Appointments and Professional Activities

• New Zealand Bar Association, Council member, 2004-present; Vice President 2009; President elect 2011
• New Zealand Bar Association, Rules Committee member 2011 -
• New Zealand Law Society, appointed member Auckland branch, 2009 - 2011
• SPCA Prosecutions Panel 2009 -
• Faculty Member, NZLS Litigation Skills Programme, 2009 -
• LEADR - Founding Director of the NZ Chapter
  Director, Dalhousie - Indonesia Environmental Law Programme
• Director, Environmental Defence Society Inc 1973-1978

During my time at the Bar I have been involved in a wide range of work. This has principally been in the areas of commercial/contractual disputes, defamation, privacy and related media areas (acting for both plaintiffs and defendants), judicial review, construction disputes and regulatory issues including trade practices.

In May 2011, I was appointed as counsel assisting the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by the Canterbury Earthquakes. The Royal Commission has an interim report deadline of 11 October 2011 and a final report deadline of 1 April 2012. The Commissioners are Justice Cooper, Sir Ron Carter and Associate Professor Richard Fenwick. The Royal Commission is sitting in Christchurch.

• Counsel for Commerce Commission in proceedings alleging misleading statements in prospectus and financial statements (2011)
• TVNZ v West; TVWorks v Sundborn, CIV 2010 485 2007 (appeal under Broadcasting Act against decision of Broadcasting Standards Authority). Appointed as Amicus Curiae to argue case for respondents: Judgment 21 April 2011, Asher J
• Saito Offshore Pty Ltd v Wing Hung Printing Co Ltd and others, CIV 2008-404-4621; CA 437/2009. (breach of licence agreement; misuse of confidential information): protest to jurisdiction; dismissed. Counsel for plaintiff (2010)
• Commerce Commission v Visy Board (NZ) and others CIV 2007-404-7237. (International cartel proceedings; protest to jurisdiction substantially upheld: HC, Auckland, 20 April 2011, Heath J. Judgment appealed). Counsel for individual defendant (2010)
• Counsel for the plaintiffs in proceedings against regional and territorial authorities challenging the legality of fees levied against a number of Auckland marinas (2010)
• Commerce Commission v Bluestone Mortgages NZ Ltd and ors, CIV 2009-409-617 (Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA); lawfulness of credit fees). Counsel for the Commission (2010)
• Commerce Commission v Motor Trade Finance and ors, CIV 2010-409-26 (CCCFA; lawfulness of credit fees). Counsel for Commission (2010)
• Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd v The Grate Kiwi Cheese Co Ltd & another. CIV 2009-485-1223; CA223/2010 (entitlement to raw milk under the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act; meaning of a "independent processor"). Appeal by Fonterra to Supreme Court: SC38/2011 pending). Counsel for Commerce Commission (2009 -)
• Advice on liability of local authority for issuing CCC and notice to fix leading to loss of sales by developer (2010)
• Advising on liability for pumping pressure failures on offshore oil rig, including Letter of Request procedures (2010)
• Parihoa Farms Ltd v Rodney District Council CIV 2009-404-000537 (encumbrance securing covenant in gross; landowners right to discharge; clog on equity of redemption). Counsel for plaintiff (2009 - )
• Counsel for defendants in international cartel proceedings (2009-2010 )
• Energizer NZ Limited v Panasonic NZ Limited, CIV 2009-404-4087 (Fair Trading Act; interim injunction). Counsel for Panasonic (2009)
• Peters v TVNZ and another, CIV 2004-404-311 (Defamation Act; successful application for leave under s 41). Counsel for Winston Peters (2009)
• Arbitrator: lease dispute (2009)
• Counsel for defendant in proceedings against finance company directors and officers (2009)
• Counsel for plaintiff in professional liability claim (2009)
• Counsel for a major local authority in an arbitration regarding compensation under the Public Works Act (2008)
• Auckland Regional Council v Rodney District Council and Parihoa Farms Limited, HC Auckland (judicial review proceedings brought by the ARC to set aside a resource consent for construction of a house overlooking the Te Henga Walkway on the Muriwai-Bethells coast). Counsel for Parihoa Farms Limited (2007)
• Hellaby Holdings Limited v ASB Management Services Limited & ors, HC Auckland, (asset acquisition). Counsel for fifth defendant (2007)
• Advice on the 'alternative solutions' provisions of the Building Act (judicial review issues) (2007)
• Commerce Commission v Cards NZ Ltd & ors, HC Wellington, 2006 (Commerce Act, ss27, 30). Second counsel for third defendant (2007-2010)
• Southgate Centre Ltd v Mitre10, HC Auckland, (rent charge dispute). Counsel for defendant (2007)
• HarvestPro Logging Ltd v Cordyline Holdings Ltd, HC Auckland, 2006 (PPSA) (2007)
• Intec v Engle and ors, HC Auckland, (application to set aside judgment entered on foreign arbitral award). Counsel for plaintiff (2007)
• Arbitration - construction dispute; breach of contract, rectification and estoppel. Counsel for the contractor (2006)
• Defamation proceedings in Fiji against the Fiji Times (internet issues). Counsel for plaintiffs (2006)
• The Queen v Patel, HC Auckland, (2005); CA (2006) (application to set aside witness summons issued against a senior television journalist) Counsel for journalist
• Independent Counsel, appointed to determine relevance and privilege issues with respect to documents seized under warrant by the Commerce Commission (price-fixing allegation) (2005)
• Parihoa Farms Ltd & ors v Rodney District Council & ors, HC Auckland, (judicial review proceedings; Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Bill; consultation requirements under part 6, Local Government Act 2002). Counsel for plaintiff landowners (2005)
• Downie v Matthews, HC Auckland, (sale and purchase dispute; specific performance). Counsel for plaintiff (2005)
• Hosking v Runting & anor [2003] 3 NZLR 385; [2005] 1 NZLR 1 (CA) (tort of privacy). Counsel for intervener
• State Services Commissioner & ors v Pauanui Publishing Ltd, HC Auckland, (Scampi Inquiry, breach of confidence by media, interim injunction). Counsel for plaintiffs (2004)
• BT Funds Management Ltd v Murphy & anor, HC Wellington, (Securities Act; appointed as Temporary Representative and Amicus responsible for determining classes of investors) (2003)
• Karam v ACP Media Ltd & anor, HC Auckland, (defamation proceeding; North & South article on the Bain murders). Counsel for defendants (2003)
• Su-Chin Lin v Hall & ors, HC Auckland, (sale and purchase dispute; specific performance; third party claim against solicitors). Counsel for defendant (2003)
• DL Somers-Edgar & anor v Lee, HC Wellington, (defamation). Counsel for plaintiff (2003)
• Sreka Industries Ltd v Opus International Consultants Ltd & anor, HC Wellington, (defamation). Counsel for plaintiff (2002)
• A-G v Ireland and Langwell [2002] 2 NZLR 221 (CA) (judicial review; interpretation of s58 of the Reserves Act). Counsel for plaintiffs/respondents
• Kamp v Smith, DC Napier, (defamation). Counsel for plaintiff (2002)
• Nordhoff v Chapman Tripp & anor, HC Auckland, (Quistclose Trusts). Counsel for defendants (2002)
• University of Auckland Senior Common Room v Desmoné Ltd, HC Auckland, (2002) 7 NZBLC 103,580. Counsel for plaintiff
• Lange v Atkinson & anor, [1997] 2 NZLR 22 (HC); [1998] 3 NZLR 424 (CA); [2001] 1 NZLR 257 (PC); [2001] 3 NZLR 385 (CA) (defamation; qualified privilege for political speech). Junior counsel for defendants
• Cedco Publishing Co Ltd v Hodder Moa Beckett and Geddes Publishing Co (UK) Ltd, HC Auckland, (breach of US licence agreement). Counsel for plaintiff (2000)
• Complaint by Allied Domecq to the Standing Committee of the New Zealand Stock Exchange (Lion Nathan acquisition of Montana; breach of Securities Act and Stock Exchange Rules). Junior counsel for Allied Domecq
• Commerce Commission v Alpha Club, (2000) NZBLC, Vol 6 103,062 (prosecution under s24 of the Fair Trading Act; pyramid selling). Counsel for defendant
• ICC arbitration (breach of licensing agreement). Counsel for plaintiff
• Fullers Northland Ltd v ARC & anor, HC Auckland, (judicial review of public authority tendering). Counsel for plaintiff (1999)
• PPCS Ltd v NZ Rural Press & anor, HC Auckland, (defamation). Counsel for plaintiff (1999)
• Counsel for Fletcher Homes Ltd in respect of claims by home owners under the Fair Trading Act alleging over-valued new homes:
  • 600 claimants
  • Designed ADR process
  • Overall responsibility for litigation strategy (1997-1999)
• Gosper & Olssen v Fletcher Homes Ltd & anor, HC Wellington, (test case with respect to the allegations against Fletcher Homes Ltd). Junior counsel for defendant (1998)
• Gosper v Licensing (NZ) Ltd and anor, (1997) 11 PRNZ 58 (Fair Trading Act). Counsel for defendant
• INL v Australian Consolidated Press NZ Ltd [1996] 3 NZLR 722 (passing off). Counsel for defendant
• TV3 Network Services Ltd v The News Corporation, HC Auckland, (1996) 7 TCLR 60 (dispute over television rights to SuperLeague). Counsel for first three defendants
• Geddes v Australian Consolidated Press NZ Ltd & ors, HC Auckland, (defamation proceedings). Counsel for defendant (1995)
• Telecom Corporation v Auckland City Council [1995] 3 NZLR 489 (judicial review; rateability of utilities). Junior counsel for plaintiff
• Benjamin Developments Ltd v Robt. Jones (Pacific) Ltd [1994] 3 NZLR 189 (contract). Junior counsel for plaintiff
• Knox v Australian Consolidated Press NZ Ltd, HC Auckland, (defamation). Counsel for defendant (1992)
• McRae v Australian Consolidated Press NZ Ltd, HC Auckland, (defamation; new trial application). Junior counsel for defendant (1992)
• General Communications Ltd v DFC [1990] 3 NZLR 406 (Quistclose Trusts). Junior counsel (HC)
• GSH Finance Pty Ltd v Chase Securities Ltd [1989] 1 NZLR 481 (contract). Junior counsel (CA)
• Arbitration between Hawkins Construction Ltd and the Auckland City Council regarding the Aotea Centre (construction dispute). Junior counsel

• Judicial review: jurisdiction and justiciability - the public/private divide, Auckland District Law Society CLE seminar, 8 September 2009
• Litigation funding, New Zealand Bar Association Annual Conference, Wellington 12 September 2009
• The impact of cyberspace on domestic law - defamation, New Zealand Bar Association 1st International Conference, Sydney, Australia, August 2008
• Deterring breach of contract: are equitable remedies the answer? NZ Lawyer, 27 April 2007, page 20
• More Effective Management of Defamation Cases [2006] NZ Law Review 525
• Specific Performance: Sale of Land [2006] NZLJ 196
• Equity as a Source of Contract Remedies, LexisNexis 6th Annual Contract Law Conference, 21 March 2007
• Legal Research Foundation Seminar on Media Law, More Effective Management of Defamation Cases, June 2006
• Arbitration versus Litigation: Comparative Costs Recovery Issues, First NZ Arbitration Day Conference, June 2006
• Equity as a Source of Contract Remedies, LexisNexis Contracts Master Class, July 2005
• ADLS Seminar, Privacy Law
• Solomon, Feldthusen & Mills, Cases and Materials on the Law of Torts (Carswells) 1st and 2nd Editions
• Defamation Section, Canadian Digest (3rd Edition)