'Very easy to work with, and always thorough and diligent', Bell Gully acts on disputes across corporate, banking and finance, regulatory, insolvency, and class action matters. Sophie East co-leads the team, focusing on commercial disputes, class actions, and banking and finance litigation, including regulatory investigations. Kirsty Dobbs co-leads and advises public and private sector clients on complex disputes. Tim Fitzgerald specialises in insolvency and regulatory matters. Jesse Wilson handles corporate, construction, contractual, class action, product liability, and competition disputes. Blair Keown focuses on financial markets, regulatory proceedings, and complex commercial investigations.

The dispute resolution team at Chapman Tripp is led by senior partner Justin Graham, who manages significant litigation. He is supported by Laura Fraser, who has expertise in public law, energy, and insolvency disputes, and Nicola Swan, who works on major corporate responsibility cases, including emissions-related litigation. Tim Smith also supports the team, specialising in public and competition law. The practice handles a broad spectrum of disputes, including class actions, climate change litigation, white-collar crime, restructurings, judicial reviews, and intellectual property matters.

LeeSalmonLong delivers an agile and intelligent approach to litigation, and this is represented by the advocacy skills of its partners. The firm regularly acts in major civil proceedings, class actions, and appellate matters, including appearances before the Supreme Court. Tim Mullins handles commercial, regulatory, and intellectual property litigation across all higher courts. David Bullock is an experienced appellate advocate with multiple Supreme Court appearances. Daniel Nilsson covers civil litigation across contract, tort, property, IP, and public law. Rachel Keane focuses on civil disputes, property, professional negligence, and land valuation issues. Michael Heard departed the practice in 2024.

MinterEllisonRuddWatts’ 'responsive and commercially astute' litigation team acts on complex, large-scale commercial and regulatory disputes, appearing at all court levels. Richard Gordon co-leads the team along with Gillian Service. Jane Standage is a high-profile regulatory litigator. Stacey Shortall advises financial institutions and public sector clients. Andrew Horne specialises in commercial, corporate, regulatory, and technology disputes, while Aaron Lloyd handles significant High Court and appellate matters. Nick Frith acts with leading silks in complex, high-value litigation, and Olivia De Pont is a commercial litigator with particular expertise in insurance law and regulatory matters.

Kirsten Massey chairs the litigation practice at Russell McVeagh and has expertise in class actions, financial services litigation and restructuring matters. Marika Eastwick-Field heads the insurance disputes practice and Malcolm Crotty acts across commercial litigation in all its forms, appearing in all courts and forums. Nathaniel Walker provides advice in disputes and high-stakes projects, while Chris Curran, deputy practice group chair, specialises in commercial and public law litigation in Wellington.

Simpson Grierson‘s litigation team handles complex disputes for both government and private clients. Nina Blomfield leads the national litigation practice group, advising on financial markets, shareholder disputes, class actions, and regulatory matters. Jania Baigent specialises in privacy, media, IT, and product liability disputes, often in urgent or cross-border matters. Sally McKechnie heads the government-facing public law practice, providing strategic advice on regulatory disputes and judicial review. Nicky Hall focuses on property, commercial, and trust disputes, as well as designing bespoke dispute resolution programmes. Nick Chapman was promoted to partner in 2025. Helen Smith departed in 2024, and John Shackleton retired the same year.

Anthony Harper handles a broad range of disputes with cross-border elements being a regular feature, with recent cases involving Europe, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Dan Hughes, head of practice, provides expertise in insolvency and general litigation. Richard Idoine is a senior associate in the Auckland team with a strong reputation. In Christchurch, Joey James co-leads with Jessica Hanning, both of whom acting across general commercial and appellate disputes.

Buddle Findlay's litigation practice is spread across Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, with nine partners leading. Scott Barker has led the Wellington team for over a decade and regularly acts for banks and insolvency practitioners. In Auckland, David Broadmore leads the team with a reputation for strong advocacy and commercial judgement. Christchurch partner Kelly Paterson specialises in construction, insurance, and class actions, and manages large-scale litigation. Olly Peers has wide-ranging experience, often acting in high-value matters.

Dentons New Zealand‘s dispute resolution team handles complex commercial and public law matters across New Zealand. Linda Clark leads the practice, with experience in insurance, earthquake-related and natural hazard claims. David Campbell specialises in commercial and civil litigation, focusing on competition law and liability insurance. Hayden Wilson co-leads the Wellington litigation team, with expertise in public, regulatory and commercial disputes and mediation. James McMillan advises on receiverships, liquidations, and insolvency matters. Patrick Glennie serves as special counsel in Auckland, while Jeremy Bell-Connell supports on contractual and trust disputes.

DLA Piper New Zealand's litigation practice is led in Wellington by Emma Moran, recognised for her disputes experience and sector knowledge. Daniel Street, dual-qualified in New Zealand and Australia, focuses on complex disputes in financial services and energy. Ian Thain is an trial advocate with a background in major regulatory and commercial disputes, including merger control litigation. Bridget Murphy, promoted to partner in March 2025, has over 20 years’ experience advising leading organisations on legal risk and dispute resolution.

Duncan Cotterill's dispute resolution practice is broad-based, reflecting the firm’s national presence and diverse client base. The Wellington team is co-led by Jonathan Scragg and Ayleath Foote. In Nelson, Brian Nathan leads the litigation and dispute resolution team, focusing on health and safety, medico-legal, and maritime issues. Olivia Lund heads the Wellington employment, health and safety, and dispute resolution practice. Tanya Wood works in liability and recovery litigation, often managing particularly complex disputes. In April 2024, Nick Laing and Edwin Boshier were promoted to partner, adding further depth to the practice.

Gilbert Walker is a boutique litigation practice specialising in complex commercial and regulatory disputes. The firm is co-led by Martin Smith and Iva Rosic. Since their promotion to partnership in 2024, Hamish McQueen and Zoe Brentnall have strengthened the firm’s depth. McQueen acts in complex commercial and corporate disputes, with expertise in regulatory and construction matters. Brentnall advises on major construction and insurance disputes, alongside regulatory investigations and prosecutions, further consolidating the firm’s disputes capability.

Hesketh Henry's litigation group handles complex civil claims, regulatory investigations, and specialised sector disputes. Glen Holm-Hansen, elevated to partner in 2021, brings expertise in dispute resolution and co-leads the group with Jodi Sharman. Christina Bryant, a senior partner with nearly 30 years’ experience, focuses on construction, property, and insurance disputes. Melissa Russell joined as partner in October 2024.  The team's structure allows it to maintain expertise across multiple sectors while handling significant litigation.

Lauded as ‘a great strategic partner’ to clients, Wilson Harle is a specialist commercial litigation firm, based in Auckland with a national practice. Its work spans commercial, regulatory, and public law litigation, alongside strategic risk and compliance advice. Chris Browne has a broad practice covering corporate governance, insurance, liability, and regulatory disputes. Ian Denton focuses on contract, competition, and insurance litigation. Felicity Monteiro advises on regulatory, insolvency, and trust matters. Guy Tompkins specialises in complex contractual, company, insurance, and media law disputes.

Fee Langstone is a commercial litigation firm with a strong focus on insurance-related disputes. Philippa Fee has extensive experience in commercial litigation and dispute resolution, often acting for insurers and their insured clients. Craig Langstone has appeared frequently in the New Zealand courts as lead counsel and also works extensively in mediation. Virginia Wethey's practice centres on professional indemnity litigation. Russell Stewart and Matthew Atkinson have wide experience in defending negligence claims and handling disciplinary and regulatory proceedings involving professionals. Bradley Alcorn was promoted to partner in February 2025.

Lane Neave‘s dispute resolution team handles a broad spectrum of complex commercial disputes. Ben Russell advises on commercial litigation and insolvency. James Cochrane focuses on banking and finance and insurance matters. Mike King acts in commercial and civil disputes, including shareholder issues and insolvency cases. The team’s work spans both advisory and contentious matters, with experience representing clients in the High Court, Court of Appeal, and arbitration proceedings. The practice also provides guidance on regulatory and governance issues that intersect with commercial disputes. Lynne Van recently bolstered the team, bringing considerable experience in debt recovery and company liquidation proceedings.

Lindsay Francis & Mangan, formerly Lindsay & Francis, is a specialist disputes firm. The practice is led by Timothy Lindsay and Kim Francis, who both have international experience. The Auckland office has developed a reputation for handling corporate and commercial disputes, regulatory defence litigation and international arbitration. Its work spans sectors such as banking and finance, infrastructure, technology, energy, pharmaceuticals, real estate and automotive. In 2024 the firm opened in Singapore, followed in early 2025 by the launch of its Sydney office.

Tompkins Wake's team handles high-value and complex disputes, providing both advisory and advocacy services, and works across domestic and international matters, reflecting the team’s broad litigation and dispute resolution expertise. Kate Cornegé leads the team and has 20 years’ experience in corporate, commercial, property, public law, and competition disputes. Jessica Phillips joined as partner in 2024. Chen Jiang regularly appears in the High Court, advising on contract, trust and estate, company, property, insolvency, and insurance matters.

Wynn Williams' dispute resolution team acts on complex commercial, civil, and regulatory disputes across New Zealand. Joshua Shaw and Rebecca Saunders co-lead the team, with Shaw focusing on dispute resolution while Saunders specialises in construction, infrastructure, and project-related disputes. Greg Simms handles commercial disputes, insurance matters, and investigations, regularly appearing before courts. Josh Taylor focuses on civil and commercial disputes and insolvency. The team is known for its thorough approach, specialist sector knowledge, and handling matters that often become leading cases in their fields. Paul Comrie-Thomson and Shane Campbell departed in late 2024 and early 2025.

Mallett Partners' dispute resolution team specialises in complex, high-value litigation. The team works closely with the Bar and employs legal technology to manage cases efficiently. Ollie Gascoigne leads the team, advising on commercial disputes, including public law matters. James Danaher focuses on complex, often cross-border disputes, providing strategic guidance throughout proceedings.

Morrison Partners, which was established in October 2023 from the former Auckland office of Morrison Mallett, provides corporate and commercial legal services, including dispute resolution and litigation support. The firm handles complex commercial matters across a broad range of industries. Cameron Fraser leads the litigation team, bringing extensive experience in managing and resolving high-value disputes. Steffi Tindal, senior associate, is dual-qualified in New Zealand and Australia and advises on commercial disputes, trust litigation, joint ventures, and debt recovery.