Counsel
Jessica May Matheson
杰西卡. 马西森
Ms Matheson is the APAC region's civil litigation barrister of the year for two years' running 2022 and 2023. (APAC Insider) |
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Jessica has quickly become a trusted confidant to her clients in New Zealand, Australia, China, Singapore, and the islands. She was a litigation solicitor in 3 Auckland firms for a short time before she was granted a rare early approval to go to the independent bar in New Zealand.
Half Samoan on her Father's side and half Taranaki Farmer on her Mother's, she embodies and is diversity in action. She has one 18 year old daughter who assists with this practice from time to time. Jessica's work in the Oranga Tamariki jurisdiction made waves in 2021 onwards, she is one of a few lawyers (and journalists) who made headway for change in relation to the uplifting of babies and young children in New Zealand. Some might say Jessica single-handedly changed the NZ criminal proceeds jurisdiction in 2022 and 2023, when she began a consistent and brave social media campaign aimed at improving defence services in this area and staging a "civil takeover" as she boldly put it. We are pleased to see this campaign worked well throughout the country and there is now a greater awareness among clients (and solicitors) that criminal proceeds is an area of civil specialty NOT criminal defence. See Criminal Proceeds Defence Group. Jessica has acted for the under-dog against government departments, universities, the police, and the Commissioner of Police in criminal proceeds matters. She is a test litigator who is comfortable with risk and backlash. Jess is rare in the sense that her first cases in sole practice were almost exclusively test litigation and high risk. Her upbringing in the law has therefore not been 'sheltered' like many of her peer group. This has self-evidently given her a competitive advantage. Jess is trusted by many prominent criminal proceeds litigants in New Zealand. She is known to go into bat (both in and out of court!) for her clients against an aggressive unit of the police, the asset recovery unit, their lawyers, and hangers on at the Official Assignee. Nearly all clients become like family to this practice and a friend of Jessica's. Jess is down to earth and has experienced significant tragedy in her life. This has given her a joyful and child-like appreciation of the good and bad that life and litigation have to offer. We look forward to meeting you! |
Administrator (part-time)
Christine
Christine is a reliable jack of all trades to Jessica.
General Assistance with clients, social media, admin
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Ava (based in Queensland, Australia in 2024)
Many clients of Ms Matheson's who have engaged her since she was a solicitor will know who Ava is. Ava assists with this practice when she feels like it. Ava is Ms Matheson's daughter with the late great NZ sports journalist, author and producer, John Matheson, who died in 2014. John's teachings about media, marketing, and public relations remain alive and many friends of the late journalist pick up 'Mathoisms' in Ms Matheson's practice media. :) |
Counsel assistance
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When assistance is required for large civil or criminal matters, Ms Matheson will recommend a variety of barristers to you. These will be barristers that we can see ourselves working with. Team fit is very important.
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Private Detectives (PDs) and Investigators
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Ms Matheson uses a variety of licensed private detectives to assist clients with civil and criminal litigation. All PDs Ms Matheson uses are ex-senior detectives from the New Zealand Police who have at least 10 years' experience, and experience in specialist units generally.
For financial crime, financial regulatory, fraud, and criminal proceeds matters, we will prefer a specific type of investigator or detective who has experience in AML matters, cryptocurrency, criminal proceeds or confiscation of criminal assets regimes in NZ, Australia, or Canada. We use detectives for surveillance, tracking, service of documents on volatile subjects, and for expert opinions on the conduct of police (sworn and non sworn). We also contract Australian investigators and have contacts for commonwealth located investigators also. Code of conduct for surveillance here. Code of conduct for The New Zealand Institute of Private Investigators Incorporated (NZIPI) here. |