Litigation and dispute resolution

Our lawyers are expert advocates with extensive courtroom experience who provide strategic commercial advice across a range of sectors.

Our team has significant expertise and experience in dealing with complex and contentious disputes in a wide range of commercial and public fields, including:

• Arbitration
• Banking and finance disputes
• Class actions
• Commercial and contract disputes
• Insurance and professional liability disputes
• Commercial and contract disputes
• Commissions and inquiries
• Corporate and securities disputes
• Defamation and media disputes
• Public law matters and disputes
• Product and consumer disputes
• Property disputes
• Regulatory investigations

We have extensive experience acting in trials and on appeal at all levels of the New Zealand court system. We also regularly represent clients in arbitrations, mediations and other forms of dispute resolution.

In addition, we have substantial experience and expertise representing clients in regulatory investigations and proceedings, criminal proceedings, commissions and inquiries, including matters involving:

• Commerce Commission
• Department of Internal Affairs
• Financial Markets Authority
• Serious Fraud Office
• Commissions of Inquiry

^{Chambers Asia Pacific 2025 Dispute resolution and litigation, 'Band 1'.}

^{The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025 Dispute resolution and litigation, 'Tier 1'.}

^{Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific 2024 Dispute resolution and litigation, 'Tier 1'.}

^{Benchmark Litigation 2024 New Zealand Litigation Firm of the Year for the third time.}

Class actions

Defence counsel acting for: Johnson & Johnson in a proposed cold and flu medication class action; ANZ Bank in a class action concerning disclosure to home loan customers; AWN Holdings in a large securities class action regarding the IPO of Intueri Education Group; and 3A Composites in a building products class action.

Novel climate change claims

Appearing in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in defending a climate change claim involving novel private law duties of care and public nuisance.

Fire at New Zealand International Convention Centre

Acting for a client in relation to one of the most significant insurance events in recent years – the NZICC fire. A number of different legal proceedings have followed as a result of the fire.

Regulatory investigations and proceedings

Acting for bank and insurer clients in regulatory investigations and proceedings including by the FMA in terms of the correct application of product discounts and benefits, and by the Commerce Commission in terms of compliance with the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA).

SkyCity DIA proceedings

Acted in response to penalty proceedings brought by the Department of Internal Affairs under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009. Acted for various NZX-listed companies in relation to inquires by the market regulator, NZ RegCo.

Commercial contract disputes

Acting for an energy company in High Court and arbitral proceedings relating to supply under a long-term gas supply agreement; acted for a listed company in a dispute over a supply agreement with a key customer; and for INEOS Industries Holdings in a dispute with New Zealand Rugby over a sponsorship agreement.

Shareholder disputes

Acting in High Court proceedings combining a derivative action and oppression proceedings under the Companies Act on the diversion of a corporate opportunity in the carbon afforestation space.

China Animal Husbandry Group shareholder dispute

Recently acted for China Animal Husbandry Group in defending High Court proceedings brought by a minority shareholder alleging oppression under the Companies Act.