Bell Gully advises its clients on a wide array of disputes, including class actions. The firm regularly appears at every level of the judicial system and is well-versed in arbitration cases. Its expertise includes construction, commercial, insolvency, IP, employment, and public law disputes. The team is led by Sophie East, an expert in class actions and arbitration, and Kirsty Dobbs, a specialist in contract and construction. Within the team, Tim Fitzgerald advises banks, corporates and insolvency practitioners. Jesse Wilson assists clients with regulatory cases, while Rachael Brown specialises in employment law and Māori legal issues. In January 2024, Sam Hiebendaal was promoted to the partnership. In November 2023 and March 2024 respectively, Jenny Stevens and David Friar left the firm to pursue careers at the Independent Bar.

Regarded by clients as ‘exceptional at what they do’, Chapman Tripp is experienced in growing areas of litigation: class actions and climate change. The firm is also well-versed in a diverse range of disputes areas beyond these, including white-collar crime, indigenous rights claims, energy, judicial review, and IP. Justin Graham spearheads the practice, bringing experience in appellate cases to the firm. Laura Fraser maintains a focus on public law, energy, and insolvency disputes. Nicola Swan and Tim Smith are especially active in climate change litigation, while Edward Scorgie is noted for his class-action experience.

‘A talented and no-frills firm’, LeeSalmonLong represents clients at all levels of the judicial system, including the Supreme Court and Privy Council, as well as in arbitrations. The firm is expert in product liability class actions and regularly advises in defamation, insolvency, and IP disputes. The ‘phenomenally intelligent’ Tim Mullins advises on commercial and regulatory disputes, while Michael Heard regularly represents clients in arbitrations. David Bullock brings Supreme Court representation experience to the team, and Rachel Keane assists with contractual and professional negligence matters. Daniel Nilsson is also noted within the department and is experienced in a broad range of civil litigation.

MinterEllisonRuddWatts boasts expertise in representing defendants against regulatory bodies, including the Financial Markets Authority, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, and the Commerce Commission. The firm’s expertise includes representing clients in disputes surrounding banking and finance, regulatory investigations, insurance, consumer protection, and white-collar crime. Practice head Richard Gordon specialises in contract law disputes. Within the wider team, Stacey Shortall specialises in regulatory investigations and criminal prosecutions, and Andrew Horne brings insight into financial services, insurance, and technology matters. Jane Standage is well-versed in arbitration cases, Nick Frith advises on insolvency issues, and Olivia De Pont is also a noted member of the team.

Simpson Grierson regularly represents clients in commercial, regulatory, and public law litigation, including judicial reviews. Beyond this focus, the firm’s expertise extends to financial, insurance, property class actions, and data protection matters. The practice is led by Helen Smith, who specialises in insurance conflicts. Jania Baigent is a noted team member, supporting clients with privacy and media disputes, while Sally McKechnie brings regulatory expertise to the team. Nina Blomfield focuses on financial issues. In January 2024, Nicky Hall was promoted to partner. Richard Lange and John Shackleton retired as partners in December 2023 and May 2024, with Lange staying on as a consultant within the firm. Anne Callinan left the firm in August 2023 to become Deputy Chair of the Commerce Commission.

Anthony Harper leverages its offices in Christchurch and Auckland to support clients across the country, with additional strength in cross-border disputes. The firm is experienced in a range of civil litigation matters, including contractual disputes, breach of trust claims, regulatory issues, and urgent interlocutory relief applications. Dan Hughes, on top of his work in insolvency litigation, leads the team. Lynne Van adds further expertise in restructuring and property disputes, while Richard Idoine is noted within the team as a sanctions law expert. In January 2024, Joey James was promoted to partner. In December 2023, Peter Woods  and Richard Smedley  retired.

The team at Buddle Findlay is regarded as ‘technically superb’, specialising in insolvency, property, public law, and breach of trust disputes. The firm frequently represents its clients in appellate hearings before the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. The team is led by Scott Barker, who specialises in commercial and insolvency litigation, and he is ably supported by David Broadmore, who brings experience in commercial litigation in both New Zealand and the UK to the firm. Kelly Paterson focuses on construction, insurance, and insolvency disputes, while Olly Peers brings expertise in company and shareholder disputes.

With ‘great international connections’, Dentons New Zealand, operating out of Auckland and Wellington, specialises in regulatory, administrative, infrastructure, and commercial disputes. The firm further advises on corporate, defamation, employment, insolvency, and IP matters. The team is jointly led by David Campbell, a competition and product liability specialist, and Hayden Wilson, an expert public law litigator. James McMillan brings restructuring and insolvency experience, while Patrick Glennie adds debt recovery and professional negligence expertise. Jeremy Bell-Connell is experienced in cross-border matters.

With litigators in over forty jurisdictions to utilise, DLA Piper New Zealand is well-placed to advise on disputes for international clients involving cross-border issues. The firm maintains expertise in commercial and regulatory expertise in contentious contexts. Iain Thain spearheads the practice, bringing significant arbitration and appellate-level litigation experience to the team. Emma Moran brings a regulatory and public law focus, while Cameron McCracken acts in commercial litigation matters. Daniel Street joined the team from Chapman Tripp in July 2023, and Alicia Murray departed in January 2024.

Duncan Cotterill is experienced in injunctive relief applications, judicial reviews, and regulatory challenges. The firm is instructed by clients on environmental, health and safety, competition, and IP matters. The team is led by insurance and public law specialist Jonathan Scragg and trust advisor Ayleath Foote. Brian Nathan is noted for his work on maritime and health and safety matters, while Olivia Lund brings regulatory investigation and prosecution experience. Tanya Wood is well-versed in class actions and criminal cases.

Gilbert Walker offers boutique litigation advice to clients across a range of dispute types, including health and safety, insolvency, and fraud matters. Its clients come from an array of industries, such as banking and finance, tourism, energy, insurance, and infrastructure. The practice is run by experienced mediator Martin Smith and Iva Rosic, who advises on regulatory investigations and proceedings. Hamish McQueen and Zoe Brentnall, who were both promoted to partner in April 2024, regularly represent clients in complex construction disputes. Matthew Harris left the firm in October 2023.

The ‘formidable’ team at Russell McVeagh is well-versed in class action matters relating to banking, insurance, and product liability. The firm is regularly instructed by clients on business sensitive disputes as well as investigation and enforcement proceedings. The team is overseen by Kirsten Massey, a class action specialist. Within the team, Marika Eastwick-Field focuses on insurance disputes, whilst Malcolm Crotty brings alternative dispute resolution experience. Nathaniel Walker is well-versed in injunctive relief applications. In November 2023, Polly Pope left the firm to pursue a career at the Independent Bar.

The specialist litigation firm, Wilson Harle, advises on commercial, regulatory, and public law disputes. The team is experienced in a range of industry sectors, including the media, technology, insurance, telecoms, and shipping sectors. The firm is also well-versed in class-actions. Chris Browne appears at all levels of the justice system, including the Supreme Court. Ian Denton adds competition and insurance dispute expertise, while Felicity Monteiro advises on regulatory and trust matters. Guy Tompkins is noted for his work on complex contractual litigation. Allison Ferguson stepped back to a consultancy role in April 2024.

Fee Langstone brings ‘excellent insurance capabilities’ to its clients as well as professional negligence and insolvency experience. Overseen by insurance experts Philippa Fee and Craig Langstone, the team is well-versed in appellate cases, including at the Supreme Court level. Pauline Davies specialises in maritime and aviation law, while Matthew Atkinson advises on professional negligence cases. Russell Stewart and Virginia Wethey are also noted members of the team.

Hesketh Henry represents clients in construction, insurance, transport, employment, and property disputes. The firm is able to leverage its partner’s experience within the UK, US, and Middle East to advise on multi-jurisdictional disputes. Jodi Sharman and construction litigation specialist Glen Holm-Hansen lead the team. Christina Bryant is another key name within the team, advising on regulatory investigations within the property and insurance sectors.

Possessing ‘a talented versatile team of litigators’, Lane Neave represents a wide range of clients, from major corporations and public bodies to small businesses and individuals. The firm is highly knowledgeable in negligence and liquidation claims. Ben Russell, an insolvency and restructuring expert, leads the team. James Cochrane advises clients on disputes in the fields of banking and finance, insolvency, and insurance. Mike King, who was promoted to partner in January 2024, is experienced in both litigation and arbitration. Rebecca Scott exited the firm in December 2023.

Adding a Singapore office to the firm’s network, Lindsay & Francis has strengthened its international arbitration offering. The firm regularly handles disputes in the infrastructure and project finance, technology, energy, real estate, and automotive industries. The practice is led by veteran shareholder dispute advisor, Timothy Lindsay, and insolvency and regulatory expert, Kim Francis, out of Auckland. Within the team, Sam McNae is experienced in financial disputes, whilst Thomas Westaway advises on international arbitrations.

Mallett Partners supports clients with litigation and arbitration matters across the entire spectrum of disputes, including corporate, commercial, technology, and energy disputes. Ollie Gascoigne manages the team, advising on class actions and trust disputes, as well as public law litigation. He is also well-versed in ADR, such as arbitration and mediation.

Forming from the Auckland office of Morrison Partners following its demerger, Morrison Partners advises major corporates, public organisations, family offices, funds, and individuals. The firm specialises in corporate and commercial disputes, and is led by Cameron Fraser, who has experience before the High Court and Court of Appeal, with additional experience on interlocutory applications.

Tompkins Wake maintains particular expertise in agribusiness, insurance, energy, telecoms, IP, property, and aviation. The firm regularly advises local governments, as well as nationally recognisable companies. The ‘outstanding’ practice head James MacGillivray specialises in disputes within aviation, local government, and the dairy industry. Kate Cornegé represents clients in public law, IP, and competition litigation, and Chen Jiang is also noted as an expert on trusts, property, and insolvency issues.

Wynn Williams maintains a deep bench of litigators with which to advise its clients, who include banks, financial institutions, public bodies, and private companies. Regulatory expert Joshua Shaw and construction specialist Rebecca Saunders guide the team. ‘One of the best of his generation’, Shane Campbell specialises in compliance and contentious trust matters, while Josh Taylor brings further expertise in construction and insolvency disputes.