Sophie East

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Sophie is the head of Bell Gully's market-leading litigation and dispute resolution practice. She is ranked as a leading lawyer in global directories Chambers Asia-Pacific 2023 and The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2023. Sophie has particular expertise in commercial disputes, banking and finance litigation, class actions and companies and securities law.

She regularly advises clients facing regulatory investigations and proceedings, including by the Commerce Commission, the FMA, NZX and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand/NZICA.

Sophie has acted as defence counsel in several high profile class action proceedings. She co-authors the New Zealand chapter of the Class Actions Global Guide, published by Thompson Reuters.

Sophie holds a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School and worked for four years as an Associate in the international arbitration team at White & Case in New York. She has extensive international arbitration experience including acting for international organisations, military and defence contractors, and sovereign states.

Sophie is a leading lawyer for dispute resolution in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023, with clients describing her as "calm and directive" and say that "she has the ability to look outside the square when problem solving". Sophie provides "clear and pragmatic advice." In previous editions clients described her as a “safe pair of hands". Sophie is also ranked as a leading dispute resolution lawyer in Chambers Asia Pacific 2023. In previous editions clients noted that Sophie is "a really excellent lawyer".

In both 2020 and 2021, Sophie was named in Benchmark Asia-Pacific's Top 100 Women in Litigation which recognises leading female litigators who have participated in some of the "most impactful litigation matters in recent history". Sophie was named runner up for New Zealand Litigation Lawyer of the Year at the Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific Awards 2021. Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2021 also ranks Sophie as a leading "Litigation Star".

Sophie also featured in NZ Lawyer's Elite Women list for 2022.

Watch Sophie's interview with Newsroom on the New Zealand Law Commission's review of the law relating to class actions and litigation funding.

Work highlights

Bank disclosure class action
Acting for a major New Zealand bank in defence of a class action brought by customers alleging errors in disclosing loan details.

Asia Pacific Village Group and Metlifecare proceedings
Acted for APVG in a dispute over APVG’s termination of a NZ$1.5 billion transaction to buy the Metlifecare retirement village business as a result of the emergence and spread of COVID-19.

Feltex Carpets class action
Defence of the former directors of Feltex Carpets in a class action proceeding brought by a group of investors and funded by a professional litigation funder. This was the largest prospectus liability claim ever brought in New Zealand and the first class action.

Bank fees class action
Acted for a major New Zealand bank in defence of a class action brought by customers over the charging of certain account and credit card fees.

Reinsurance arbitration
Acting for an insurer in a claim for NZ$18 million under a reinsurance policy.

CCCFA compliance
Regularly advises lenders on compliance with the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003, including in several ongoing inquiries by the Commerce Commission.

FMA/NZX inquiries
Acted for several listed companies in regulatory inquiries relating to continuous disclosure obligations and the content of disclosure documents.

High Court earthquake claims insurance litigation
Counsel for Southern Response in a number of High Court cases concerning claims for insurance cover as a result of damage caused by the Canterbury earthquakes.

Air New Zealand Commerce Commission proceedings
Acted for Air New Zealand in relation to the Commerce Commission proceedings alleging price fixing in the air cargo market.

Carter Holt Harvey Commerce Commission investigation
Acted for Carter Holt Harvey in the Commerce Commission investigation of the commercial building supplies merchant market in Auckland.

Feltex Carpets Directors' defence
Acted for the former directors of Feltex Carpets in their successful defence of charges of breaching the Financial Reporting Act, and in the subsequent appeal to the High Court on costs.

Pernod Ricard contract warranty claims
Acted for Pernod Ricard in the High Court in a successful claim against Lion Nathan, and successful defence of Lion's counterclaims, arising from the sale of Montana, Lindauer and other wine brands to Lion. The findings of the High Court were upheld on appeal to the Court of Appeal.

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Work highlights

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