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Korero: Bar News
The Hon. Justice Paul Davison retires from the High Court bench
Justice Paul Davison is retiring at the end of August after almost eight years on the High Court bench. Details of his Honour's valedictory sitting are on our website
His Honour was admitted to the bar in February 1975. He began practice as a solicitor with Stuart Ennor at Glaister Ennor and Kiff. He moved to Keegan Alexander Tedcastle and Friedlander where he became a partner in 1978. There he undertook civil litigation and criminal defence work, and while at the firm he represented the estate of the Air New Zealand pilot, Captain Collins at the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Air New Zealand DC 10 accident at Mt Erebus in Antarctica.
Justice Davison was appointed as a foundation member of the Crown Solicitor’s Prosecution Panel in 1981 and conducted prosecutions on behalf of the Crown, helping the then Crown Solicitor David Morris in a number of notable criminal cases including R v Tamihere.
He commenced practice as barrister in 1990, and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1996. Paul Davison QC represented the Crown in several major criminal prosecutions including R v Watson and also undertook defence work including a series of prosecutions of finance company directors in the period following 2008, as well as maintaining a civil practice.
Justice Davison was a member of the SFO prosecutors Panel and also on the panel of lawyers engaged by the professional indemnity underwriters CE Heath in relation to civil claims against lawyers and accountants. He was appointed to the High Court in December 2015.
Following retirement from the Bench, Justice Davison will return to the profession to undertake mediations and consultancy work.
Justice Preston
The Bar Association warmly congratulates Lisa Preston KC, who has been appointed to the High Court Bench. Justice Preston was a barrister at Bridgeside Chambers. She joined the independent bar in 2014, specialising in criminal jury trials and appellate work receiving instructions on behalf of the defence and the Crown, medico-legal, professional indemnity and professional disciplinary litigation and acting in coronial inquiries.
She holds appointments to the Panel of Independent Legal Counsel to assist Te Kāhui Tatari Ture, the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the Commerce Commission’s Cartel Prosecutors Panel, and the Solicitor-General’s Senior Crown Prosecution Panel. Justice Preston was appointed King’s Counsel in 2022.
Justice Preston will take up her appointment on 16 October 2023, sitting in Christchurch. She will be sworn in on 17 October 2023.
Augusta Chambers
Having outgrown the Blackstone Chambers building, the chambers members have moved to a new, larger space at Level 9, 115 Queen Street, Auckland CBD (off Swanson Lane). The new chambers is called Augusta Chambers named after Dame Augusta Wallace, the first female judge in New Zealand, who was appointed in 1975. Dame Augusta worked in the Auckland District Courts in service to the community. Prior to this Dame Augusta worked as a lawyer, at a time when only 2% of lawyers were women. She worked when pregnant and with a young baby which was unprecedented at the time. She is survived by her daughter, also a lawyer, who gave her permission to the use of the name.
Julie-Anne Kincade KC and Emma Priest head the new chambers. The chambers continues to offer expertise in criminal, regulatory and appellate law with a civil offering also. Augusta Chambers has a commitment to access to justice, with all members taking legal aid assignments. Along with Julie-Anne Kincade KC and Emma Priest, you will find Nick Chisnall KC, Susan Gray, Nicola Manning, Scott Brickell, Shane Elliott, Devon Kemp, Oliver Troon, Susan Giles, Harry Redwood, Aeiyah Shendi and Lila Tui’i.
www.augustachambers.co.nz
Britomart Chambers
Yvonne Mortimer-Wang
Britomart Chambers is delighted to welcome Yvonne Mortimer-Wang into its busy collegial space. Yvonne is an excellent fit with Britomart’s group of top public law, regulatory and criminal experts.
Yvonne has over a decade’s experience in litigation, with particular expertise in commercial crimes, civil fraud litigation, proceeds of crime, regulatory and professional disciplinary proceedings. She acts for clients in criminal and civil proceedings at all level of courts, and is equally experienced in acting as the sole or lead counsel on matters, or working together with senior counsel from across leading sets in New Zealand.
Prior to Britomart Chambers, Yvonne was most recently held tenancy at Shortland Chambers. She also worked previously as a Crown prosecutor in criminal prosecutions and acted for government clients in civil proceedings.
Yvonne is a co-chair of the Advocacy Committee and a member of the Diversity Committee of the New Zealand Bar Association. She is a board member of the New Zealand Asian Lawyers, and a co-chair of its Litigation Committee. She is bilingual in English and Chinese.
Bankside Chambers
New members
Anna Adams was warmly welcomed to Bankside. Previously a partner with Meredith Connell for more than 15 years, Anna is a national-level expert in public, health and regulatory law with over 25 years’ experience in advisory work and litigation, from largescale public cases through to small, personal matters. Anna’s experience includes public, administrative and local government law (particularly Auckland’s legislation and infrastructure), judicial review, medicolegal proceedings and health law, coroners’ inquiries, human rights and vulnerable persons’ law, education law, privacy and information law including online safety issues. She has a particular skill in medical evidence and healthcare-related matters including concerns arising from patient, practitioner and hospital, professional discipline, medicines, mental health and capacity, and the treatment environment.
Bankside also recently welcomed juniors Eden (Jedi) McCarthy and Te Uranga Royal. Te Uranga is employed by Brian Dickey and Kingi Snelgar. She attended the University of Waikato where she was a Russell McVeagh scholar and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours). In 2022, she also completed a Diploma in Te Pīnakitanga ki te Reo Kairangi (Level 7) from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Before joining Bankside, Te Uranga clerked for the Chief District Court Judge, Judge Heemi Taumaunu. Te Uranga is from Ngāti Maahanga (Waikato), Ngāti Whanaunga and Ngāti Raukawa. Jedi is a barrister employed by Sarah Jerebine and Kingi Snelgar. Graduating from The University of Auckland, with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Health Sciences, Jedi was admitted to the bar recently in July 2023. Her whakapapa includes Ngāti Wai, Ngāpuhi, and the villages of Sala’ilua and Falealili in Samoa.
Bankside Singapore
Bankside Singapore members Hon Paul Heath KC, Dr Anna Kirk, Jeremy Johnson, and Lauren Lindsay have been selected to deliver a seminar on Insolvency and Arbitration at 2023 Hong Kong Arbitration Week: how to navigate disputes with an insolvent party. Coming to its 12th year, Hong Kong Arbitration Week is one of the key events on the global international arbitration and dispute resolution calendar. Bankside Singapore is a proud bronze sponsor of Hong Kong Arbitration Week, which will take place at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, 16–20 October.
Awards
We congratulate Mark Kelly for being recognised as one of New Zealand's 26 Most Influential Lawyers. NZ Lawyer's Most Influential Lawyers of 2023 showcases how lawyers can be a positive force for good within the profession, as well as in their own communities and across the country.
Appointment to High Court – Laura O’Gorman KC
Laura O'Gorman KC has been appointed as a Judge of the High Court. Justice O’Gorman will take up her appointment on Monday 23 October 2023, sitting in Auckland. She will be sworn in on Thursday 26 October 2023. Laura will be missed by all of us at Bankside. Laura shares, “I have loved my time as a barrister sole at Bankside Chambers. I have enjoyed four years of wonderful collegiality, flexibility and independence. It is therefore with some trepidation that I take this next step. I know there will be a steep learning curve, but I am looking forward to the new challenges ahead." We wish Laura all the best in this exciting new challenge ahead.
Maria Austen joins Kānuka Chambers
Maria Austen has recently joined Kānuka Chambers where she will continue to specialise in employment law and risk management as a trusted advisor for private entities and public sector organisations throughout New Zealand.
Maria provides strategic and pragmatic advice on complex and high value matters for employers and acts for clients through all stages of dispute resolution within the specialist employment jurisdiction. Maria is regularly appointed to undertake high profile independent investigations, holds the AWI-CH distinction and sits on the NZBA Employment Law and Privacy Committee.
Masons Lane Chambers - Wellington
Barristers Asher Emanuel, Hunter de Groot, Matt McKillop and Oliver Neas have joined to form Masons Lane Chambers based in Wellington. Members of Masons Lane Chambers are available to accept instructions as lead or junior counsel.
Asher Emanuel has expertise in public and administrative law, the Treaty of Waitangi, professional disciplinary processes, and government inquiries. Previously Asher worked as a judges' clerk at the High Court, an investigator in the Office of the InspectorGeneral of Intelligence and Security, and a junior barrister at Clifton Chambers.
Hunter de Groot is an experienced criminal barrister with expertise at the appellate level, appearing mostly as lead counsel in the Court of Appeal. Before joining the independent bar in 2018, Hunter spent five years at John Miller Law specialising in medico-legal litigation.
Matt McKillop has expertise in administrative law, human rights law, discrimination, medico-legal and disability issues, and general civil litigation. Before joining the bar in 2022, Matt worked at Crown Law in the Constitutional and Human Rights team for nine years.
Oliver Neas has a broad range of litigation experience, with a focus on criminal law, commercial litigation, and administrative and public law. He joined the bar in 2021, after working in commercial litigation at Chapman Tripp and as a legal aid criminal defence lawyer at the Public Defence Service.
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