‘Top litigation boutique’ Gilbert Walker is praised by clients for its ’uniform high quality amongst its partners and associates’. The team serves a diverse roster of clients, comprising major corporates, banks, professional firms, and insurers. Matthew Harris, Iva Rosic, and Martin Smith collectively lead the practice from its Auckland office. The ‘commercial and robust’ Harris regularly appears as lead counsel in first instance and appellate hearings, including against parties represented by Queen’s Counsel, while the ’outstanding’ Rosic has particular expertise in large-scale commercial disputes, regulatory investigations and insurance litigation. Smith is a key port of call for clients seeking assistance at trial and in other defended hearings and appeals.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Gilbert Walker is the top litigation boutique in the country with an exceptionally strong team of partners and associates.’
'They are a fantastic team in the thoroughness of their preparation, their grasp of the facts and the issues and the relevance of the litigation in New Zealand to parallel litigation in other jurisdictions, their willingness to pull out every stop, and the speed and accuracy of their work.’
Key clients
- ANZ Bank
- Genesis Energy Ltd
Work highlights
- Acted for a2 Milk in a ground-breaking application to have a New Zealand class action stayed in favour of an existing Australian action.
- Acting for the distributor of an aluminium composite panel product that is one of three defendants to a proposed class action alleging the product is “combustible”, failed to comply with fire safety standards, and is not fit for purpose.