About

I believe in justice and fairness and treating everyone I encounter with respect. I completed my law degree while working fulltime in the police and started law as a Crown prosecutor. In these roles I learnt calmness under pressure and to think quickly on my feet. I also gained a practical working knowledge of evidence, the process of gathering it and how to present it in court. Having been extensively cross examined myself over many cases, I understand better than most the importance of helping witnesses feel at ease in front of juries and judges.

As a civil/commercial lawyer since 2008, I have acted for insurers, individuals and SMEs. I spent three years in-house at one of NZ’s largest fire and general insurers as a trusted adviser to the executive and senior claims management teams. As a former in-house lawyer, I understand the commercial and reputational risks and realities that come with litigation. I have attended dozens of judicial settlement conferences and mediations, both as an advocate and as a client (as in-house counsel).

My extensive background in insurance, the criminal justice system and the corporate legal sector enable me to evaluate the risks and the advantages of different approaches. There’s a time to mediate. And a time to pursue.  Timing, money, risks and goals decide actions.

As a commercial litigator, I fully understand the pressures that decision makers are under and the need to always act prudently. If you have a situation that needs to be resolved with insight and understanding, empathy and practicality, please contact me.