Profile
Robert was admitted to the bar in 1991, became a Barrister sole in 2018, and was called to the rank of King’s Counsel in 2024.
Robert is an expert litigator and advocate with over 30 years’ experience in a wide variety of practice areas, including civil and commercial disputes. He regularly appears in courts and tribunals at all levels, principally in the higher courts and often against leading silks.
Robert’s track record demonstrates his exceptional ability with complex, high-profile, and high-value instructions. His skill and expertise are recognised by his clients, his peers and the judiciary. For his clients, he delivers solution-based outcomes that recognise both legal and commercial imperatives.
In addition to civil and commercial litigation and dispute resolution, Robert has extensive experience in the areas of defamation, professional discipline and regulatory matters, land and property disputes, insolvency and liquidation, judicial review, trusts and estate litigation, coronial and other inquiries, Bill of Rights issues (freedom of expression), harmful digital communications, copyright issues, privacy, contempt, and suppression.
Robert is recognised as one of New Zealand’s leading defamation and media lawyers and is retained by a number of the country’s principal media outlets. He has appeared for, and successfully defended, publishers in two of the last three defamation jury trials to take place in New Zealand since 2018. He also regularly provides advice to local and international film production and publishing companies.
Robert is ranked Band 3 by Chambers and Partners, which notes "He has a great practice and does a lot of defamation and media law. Very well respected."
Prior to moving to the independent bar at Shortland Chambers in 2018, Robert was a litigation partner for 20 years at the highly respected Wellington firm Izard Weston. His international legal experience in the areas of commercial transactions and insolvency involved working in the London offices of global law firms Reed Smith LLP (as Warner Cranston) and DLA Piper (as Dibb Lupton Broomhead).
Robert is a member of the New Zealand Bar Association, the New Zealand Law Society and has been a faculty member of the NZLS’s Litigation Skills Programme. He has also contributed to legal education as a presenter to a number of NZLS CLE Media Law seminars, and more recently for the Auckland District Law Society on contempt and recusal.
Profile
Robert was admitted to the bar in 1991, became a Barrister sole in 2018, and was called to the rank of King’s Counsel in 2024.
Robert is an expert litigator and advocate with over 30 years’ experience in a wide variety of practice areas, including civil and commercial disputes. He regularly appears in courts and tribunals at all levels, principally in the higher courts and often against leading silks.
Robert’s track record demonstrates his exceptional ability with complex, high-profile, and high-value instructions. His skill and expertise are recognised by his clients, his peers and the judiciary. For his clients, he delivers solution-based outcomes that recognise both legal and commercial imperatives.
In addition to civil and commercial litigation and dispute resolution, Robert has extensive experience in the areas of defamation, professional discipline and regulatory matters, land and property disputes, insolvency and liquidation, judicial review, trusts and estate litigation, coronial and other inquiries, Bill of Rights issues (freedom of expression), harmful digital communications, copyright issues, privacy, contempt, and suppression.
Robert is recognised as one of New Zealand’s leading defamation and media lawyers and is retained by a number of the country’s principal media outlets. He has appeared for, and successfully defended, publishers in two of the last three defamation jury trials to take place in New Zealand since 2018. He also regularly provides advice to local and international film production and publishing companies.
Robert is ranked Band 3 by Chambers and Partners, which notes "He has a great practice and does a lot of defamation and media law. Very well respected."
Prior to moving to the independent bar at Shortland Chambers in 2018, Robert was a litigation partner for 20 years at the highly respected Wellington firm Izard Weston. His international legal experience in the areas of commercial transactions and insolvency involved working in the London offices of global law firms Reed Smith LLP (as Warner Cranston) and DLA Piper (as Dibb Lupton Broomhead).
Robert is a member of the New Zealand Bar Association, the New Zealand Law Society and has been a faculty member of the NZLS’s Litigation Skills Programme. He has also contributed to legal education as a presenter to a number of NZLS CLE Media Law seminars, and more recently for the Auckland District Law Society on contempt and recusal.
Profile
Robert was admitted to the bar in 1991, became a Barrister sole in 2018, and was called to the rank of King’s Counsel in 2024.
Robert is an expert litigator and advocate with over 30 years’ experience in a wide variety of practice areas, including civil and commercial disputes. He regularly appears in courts and tribunals at all levels, principally in the higher courts and often against leading silks.
Robert’s track record demonstrates his exceptional ability with complex, high-profile, and high-value instructions. His skill and expertise are recognised by his clients, his peers and the judiciary. For his clients, he delivers solution-based outcomes that recognise both legal and commercial imperatives.
In addition to civil and commercial litigation and dispute resolution, Robert has extensive experience in the areas of defamation, professional discipline and regulatory matters, land and property disputes, insolvency and liquidation, judicial review, trusts and estate litigation, coronial and other inquiries, Bill of Rights issues (freedom of expression), harmful digital communications, copyright issues, privacy, contempt, and suppression.
Robert is recognised as one of New Zealand’s leading defamation and media lawyers and is retained by a number of the country’s principal media outlets. He has appeared for, and successfully defended, publishers in two of the last three defamation jury trials to take place in New Zealand since 2018. He also regularly provides advice to local and international film production and publishing companies.
Robert is ranked Band 3 by Chambers and Partners, which notes "He has a great practice and does a lot of defamation and media law. Very well respected."
Prior to moving to the independent bar at Shortland Chambers in 2018, Robert was a litigation partner for 20 years at the highly respected Wellington firm Izard Weston. His international legal experience in the areas of commercial transactions and insolvency involved working in the London offices of global law firms Reed Smith LLP (as Warner Cranston) and DLA Piper (as Dibb Lupton Broomhead).
Robert is a member of the New Zealand Bar Association, the New Zealand Law Society and has been a faculty member of the NZLS’s Litigation Skills Programme. He has also contributed to legal education as a presenter to a number of NZLS CLE Media Law seminars, and more recently for the Auckland District Law Society on contempt and recusal.
Areas of practice
Additional information
Admitted to the Bar: 1991
Partner – Izard Weston: 1998 - 2018
Barrister Sole: 2018
Silk: 2024
BCom/LLB (Cant)
Year Admitted: 1991
Barrister Sole: 2018
Silk: 2024
