Paul David KC
Paul David KC BA (Hons) LLM (Cantab) is a highly experienced leading counsel who accepts instructions in civil, commercial and criminal proceedings. While his practice now generally centres on commercial cases, Paul maintains a broad practice and has advised and represented clients in most areas of New Zealand law.
Paul started his legal career at the Bar in England where he worked for 7 years before joining Russell McVeagh, a leading New Zealand firm. He was a partner at that firm until 2002 when, with others, he founded the litigation specialist firm Wilson Harle. He has been at the independent bar since 2006 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2014.
Paul has appeared as counsel in all New Zealand Courts and in overseas jurisdictions in a wide variety of disputes. He has developed two leading specialist practices in maritime law and sports law. He is the author of two leading texts reflecting his specialist interests – Halsbury’s Laws of New Zealand Maritime Law and A Guide to the World Anti-Doping Code (CUP). The third edition of this guide to the World Anti-Doping Code was published by Cambridge University Press in January 2017.
Paul also accepts instructions as an arbitrator and mediator in commercial, maritime and sporting disputes. He is an arbitrator with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Legal News
Recent News
Paul has been elected President of the New Zealand Bar Association. His two-year term of office will start in October 2024. Paul looks forward to serving the profession and the law in this role. His practice will continue in full swing, and he will be busy!
In 2023-24 in addition to work on commercial proceedings in the New Zealand courts and in arbitration, Paul has been instructed in a broad range of matters – counsel for a defendant in the criminal trial arising from the Whakaari eruption; counsel assisting the independent tribunal established under the Constitution of Fiji to inquire into allegations of misbehaviour by the former Chief Justice; counsel on appeal to the Supreme Court of Fiji in an admiralty case on limitation.
Contract Law
For many years Paul has presented Contract Law seminars for the NZ profession. In March/ April 2024 Paul presented his latest seminar Contract Law update. A published booklet for the seminar is available from the NZLS. The slides are attached here. Paul also presented to the Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand on safe port obligations in charter parties and the recent UK Supreme Court decision in The Polar (see slides here).