PAYING YOUR BARRISTER
*Urgent work will incur premium fees and retainers
*All Engagement Letters have a strict 5 calendar day expiry period unless otherwise expressly agreed
LEGAL FEES
(August 2023 to June 2024)
FAMILY COURT LITIGATION
Care of Children Act 2004
Family Violence Act 2018
Oranga Tamariki Act 1989
$600 per hour + GST & disbursements
For care and protection matters under the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989, I am happy to nominate a fixed monthly fee which will be dependent on complexity, parties, travel, time, capacity etc. Please note fixed fees start from a base of $5,000 per month plus GST and disbursements.
I am an expensive barrister to use in the Family Court, please ensure you have adequate funding for private counsel before you accept my proposal for engagement. I am contacted often about representation in the Family Court. I take on very few cases in that Court for various reasons. If I do not think I can assist you with your matter, please visit the NZ Law Society's Family Law Section webpage where you can search for specialist family law barristers. *
Family Violence Act 2018
Oranga Tamariki Act 1989
$600 per hour + GST & disbursements
For care and protection matters under the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989, I am happy to nominate a fixed monthly fee which will be dependent on complexity, parties, travel, time, capacity etc. Please note fixed fees start from a base of $5,000 per month plus GST and disbursements.
I am an expensive barrister to use in the Family Court, please ensure you have adequate funding for private counsel before you accept my proposal for engagement. I am contacted often about representation in the Family Court. I take on very few cases in that Court for various reasons. If I do not think I can assist you with your matter, please visit the NZ Law Society's Family Law Section webpage where you can search for specialist family law barristers. *
PUBLIC LITIGATION
1. CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION
2. PUBLIC LITIGATION
3. JUDICIAL REVIEW
2. PUBLIC LITIGATION
3. JUDICIAL REVIEW
$390 per hour + GST & disbursements
CIVIL LITIGATION
1. CRIMINAL PROCEEDS DEFENCE
2. TRUST LITIGATION
3. GENERAL CIVIL LITIGATION
$490 per hour + GST & disbursements
I will consider acting on legal aid or on a fixed fee in criminal proceeds and related civil matters i.e. civil claims against police for breach of Bill of Rights 1990, Human Rights 1993, Policing Act 2008, and Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 itself. See my Proceeds of Crime webpage for further information.
CRIMINAL LITIGATION
1. CRIMINAL DEFENCE
2. REGULATORY DEFENCE
3. CIVIL ISSUES RELATING
TO GANG MEMBERSHIP
$400 per hour + GST & disbursements
Practice area where legal aid will be considered.
TEST LITIGATION
The fee will be as agreed between client and counsel upon engagement, and recorded in the proposal for engagement. With all test litigation there is an experimental aspect to it, and this is reflected in the advisory provided and the corresponding fee.
If you are happy with my fees, next steps are:
I will give you a personalised Engagement Package consisting of:
- my Proposal for Engagement
- Client Care Sheet
- Anti-money Laundering information (AML)
-Terms of Engagement
If your matter requires an instructing solicitor, then the solicitor's fees are in addition to my fees as your barrister every month. If further barristers are added to your litigation team, their fees will be in addition to mine, and my instructing solicitors.
NB: For larger matters that require 2 or more barristers, the legal fees of additional barristers will be subject to their own rates, terms, and conditions of engagement. You will need to sign separate engagements for each barrister added to your team.
Retainers are paid to the instructing solicitor's trust account.
1. A solicitor is the legal professional who holds a trust account.
2. The solicitor on a matter provides another check & balance as to the advice and approach of Counsel.
3. The solicitor conducts AML (anti-money laundering procedure)
4. All invoices of Counsel are sent to both the client and the solicitor
2. The solicitor on a matter provides another check & balance as to the advice and approach of Counsel.
3. The solicitor conducts AML (anti-money laundering procedure)
4. All invoices of Counsel are sent to both the client and the solicitor
How I workI work in chambers, at home, and remotely. Technology allows me this flexibility. I work regularly from Auckland, Northland, Taranaki, and the East Coast of New Zealand.
I perform a large amount of work in the afternoons and evenings. It is not unusual for my colleagues or clients to receive emails after 5.00pm. If you do not wish to receive emails in the evenings for whatever reason, you must tell me upon engagement. |
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Payment Terms
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I operate a 2 to 4 weekly billing cycle for most matters. All Invoices consist of my legal fees, office fees, and disbursements.
Payment Terms are strictly 7 days. I calculate my legal fees based on the reasonable fee factors found here.
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Helpful Websites and Information
Conduct Rules
All lawyers (Barristers & Solicitors and Barristers Sole) must follow rules and regulations set by Parliament. The Conduct and Client Care Rules 2008 are found here.
New Zealand Law Society Website
The NZLS operate a very user friendly service for both lawyers and clients. If you require my help navigating the site, please let me know. You can visit their website here.
Find a Case
The Ministry of Justice publish many decisions of the the courts and tribunals online. Please visit this website here.
Ministry of Justice
You can find plenty of information about the New Zealand court system, enforcement, and general information about procedure in the courts and tribunals on this website. Please visit it here.
Litigation Funders in New Zealand
For large value commercial litigation (more than $1,000,000), litigation funding may be an option. Please see the law society's brief article on litigation funders present in the New Zealand market here.