Ralph Simpson

Ralph has an established track record for grappling with complex issues and providing practical solutions to clients within a short timeframe. Ralph has been a litigation partner since 1992.

Ralph regularly appears as counsel on major commercial matters in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and on occasions the Supreme Court. He handles court proceedings and regulatory investigations brought under the Companies Act 1993, the Securities Act and Securities Markets Act, the Fair Trading Act 1986, the Commerce Act 1986 and the Telecommunications Act 2001.

He has considerable experience in restructuring large corporations and other entities including property companies, unit trusts, and reinsurance companies, by court-approved arrangements. This included the two very significant corporate restructurings to effect the separation of business units within the Fletcher Challenge and Fisher & Paykel groups.

Ralph has been a valued adviser to TelstraClear for a number of years, representing them in numerous proceedings before the Commerce Commission, the High Court and the Court of Appeal involving regulatory proceedings and litigious disputes. He provides advice on telecommunication regulation and competition law issues.

He has also acquired in-depth experience in forestry litigation, having represented the country's largest forestry companies (Carter Holt Harvey and Tenon) in disputes over the establishment, management and harvesting of forests and the conversion of logs into forest products.

Ralph is a member of the government-appointed External Reporting Board, previously the Accounting Standards Review Board.

Chambers Global 2011 ranks Ralph as a leading lawyer and he is praised for being "incredibly smart and savvy." In previous editions he is recognised for performing "standout work" and is hailed as "exceptionally experienced." Ralph is recognised as a leading individual in dispute resolution in Asia Pacific Legal 500 2010, 2011 and 2012 where he is described as a "very sharp, savvy and strategic litigator" and "very clinical and precise."