I’ve had hundreds of hours on my feet in Court.

With Peter McKnight, I’ve appeared in three civil jury trials.

I’ve made numerous sole appearances at trials and interlocutory hearings in the High Court and District Court. I have extensive experience taking evidence from and cross-examining witnesses, and arguing complex issues.

At appellate level, I’ve made oral submissions as junior counsel in the Supreme Court. I’ve appeared nine times in the Court of Appeal, whether as sole or junior counsel, making oral submissions on several occasions.

I was the first lawyer in New Zealand to persuade a court to apply the Jameel principle, by which an otherwise valid claim of defamation may be struck out on grounds of disproportionality.

Beyond the courtroom, I’ve advised on several feature-length films and documentaries. I’ve vetted everything from newspaper articles, books, and website content, through to screenplays and theatre scripts.

Some work I’ve been involved in recently:

• Representing a district councillor against a newspaper over a defamatory letter-to-the-editor, for which my client received a published apology and financial redress.
• Representing an individual against a district council regarding disclosures of her personal information, for which my client received a financial settlement and public apology.
• Advising an overseas-based publisher threatened with defamation proceedings, with the intending plaintiff backing down.
• Representing an overseas-based plaintiff in a defamation claim relating to Instagram posts and podcasts, with a full settlement, including full take-downs, apology, undertaking and financial redress, being achieved within 100 days of the claim’s issuing.
• On an almost daily basis, advising individuals and companies seeking to bring and/or being threatened with prospective defamation claims over social-media comments, and website or Google reviews.
• Representing an individual suing over a slander at a sports event.
• Representing an individual accused of multiple slanders, with the intending plaintiff backing down.
• Appearing for a tribal leader in a formal-proof claim in the High Court regarding a defamatory letter sent via a pseudonymous Gmail account, for which my client was awarded $100,000 damages and increased costs.
• Appearing for a media company in the Court of Appeal, in which the High Court decision against my clients was overturned, and with it almost $300,000 in costs.
• Acting for an individual to obtain a permanent injunction against a media outlet for breach of confidence and invasion of privacy.
• Representing a student against a national entity in respect of a Privacy Act violation, for which my client received significant compensation.
• Appearing for an individual suing numerous media companies for defamation and invasion of privacy.
• Advising a production company in relation to a docudrama that screened on Television New Zealand.
• Appearing for an individual suing a parliamentarian for defamation, which led to a highly publicised settlement and permanent name suppression for my client.
• Appearing for an individual in the High Court suing family members for breach of fiduciary duty, for which my client was awarded equitable damages, including interest, of almost $750,000.

In 2020, I was named by LawFuel as one of New Zealand’s Emerging Litigators.