Alex’s notable matters span cross-border litigation, insolvency and restructuring, fraud, professional negligence, public and administrative law, urgent relief, and construction. They include:
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• Acting for the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine adverse to the Russian Federation in litigation arising out of a purported bond arrangement issued by Ukraine and purchased by Russia in 2013.
• Acting for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a United States government regulator, in proceedings against six of the world’s largest banks alleging manipulation of the LIBOR rate.
• Acting for the Official Receiver of the United Kingdom in a large claim against KPMG LLP arising out of the collapse of Carillion Plc, then the UK’s largest construction company. At the time this claim was filed, it was the largest ever audit negligence claim brought in England.
• Acting for a high-yield noteholder in contentious English restructuring proceedings, in a case with parallel proceedings in England, Germany, Luxembourg and the United States.
• Acting for an Indian-headquartered conglomerate defending multi-billion-dollar fraud claims brought by the ArcelorMittal group, in a case involving parallel proceedings in England, the Cayman Islands, Mauritius, the United States and India.
• Acting for a hedge fund in a multi-billion-dollar restructuring dispute arising out of the collapse of Steinhoff, a South African retail conglomerate, which involved challenges to the restructuring in England, the Netherlands, and South Africa.
• Acting for Airbus SAS, the world’s largest commercial aircraft manufacturer, in multi-billion-dollar warranty disputes against Qatar Airways.
• Acting in an arbitration for a construction joint venture in respect of one of New Zealand’s largest ever roading projects.
• Acting for AerCap, the world’s largest aircraft leasing company, in a multi-million-dollar dispute regarding the payment of letters of credit, which involved the interplay between letters of credit and the Russian sanctions regime.
• Defending a global mining conglomerate in a human rights claim following the death and injury of several trespassers at a mine in Tanzania at the hands of local police.
• Acting for Fonterra in successfully defending a judicial review brought by one of its competitors, challenging the setting of the milk price and the Commerce Commission’s review of that price.
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Alex has advocacy experience in New Zealand courts and arbitral tribunals, including:
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• Acting for the administrators in the administration of CBL Insurance Ltd, New Zealand’s longest-running voluntary administration. This involved multiple High Court applications and appearances, including as junior counsel in a leading case clarifying the powers of interim liquidators (Re CBL Insurance Ltd [2019] 2 NZLR 262 (HC)).
• Successfully obtaining court approval of schemes of arrangement, including in certain of New Zealand’s largest commercial transactions. Alex has appeared both as lead counsel (Re Radius Properties Ltd [2017] NZHC 473) and as junior counsel (Re Trustpower Ltd [2016] NZHC 2499; Heartland Bank Ltd v Heartland Group Holdings Ltd [2018] NZHC 2725; and Re Trade Me Group Ltd [2019] NZHC 840).
• Acting as junior counsel in the leading case on the quantification and payment of costs following an unsuccessful takeover, delivering the closing submissions for the defendant (Abano Healthcare Group Ltd v Healthcare Partners Holdings Ltd [2018] 3 NZLR 605 (HC)).
• As lead counsel, successfully opposing an application for directions in contentious trust and estate proceedings (Re The Jocelyn Grattan Charitable Trust [2018] NZHC 2343).
• Acting as junior counsel for the successful plaintiff in a leading case on the “fixtures vs chattels” distinction (Queenstown Central Ltd v March Construction Ltd [2016] NZHC 1884).
• Appearing in a leading case regarding the definition of a “contingent creditor” in the context of an application to restore a company to the register (Wellington City Council v Registrar of Companies [2015] 3 NZLR 411 (HC)).
• Appearing in an arbitration for a Greek financial services company in a contractual dispute.
• Appearing in an arbitration regarding warranty claims against a manufacturer of wind turbines.

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• Speaker, NZLS Commercial Law Conference, “Managing Privilege in M&A Transactions” (with Anastasiya Gamble) (2026)
• Speaker, Legalwise Seminar, “Without Prejudice Privilege” (2026)
• Co-author of the English law chapter in Felicity Toube KC, International Asset Tracing in Insolvency (OUP, 2025)

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• Gilbert Walker, Auckland (Special Counsel, 2025-2026)
• Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan UK LLP, London (Senior Associate, 2019-2025)
• Russell McVeagh, Auckland (Law Clerk and Solicitor, 2011-2014; Senior Solicitor, 2014-2017; Senior Associate, 2017-2019)

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BA/LLB (Hons) (Auckland)

Admitted as a barrister and solicitor: 2012

Commenced practice as a barrister sole: 2026

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