Chris specialises primarily in litigation and dispute resolution. As such, I have chosen to practice from the independent bar as a barrister rather than as both a barrister and solicitor.
All barristers are required, by the regulations that govern the legal profession, to be instructed by a solicitor. Barristers generally, there are some exceptions, cannot be instructed by clients directly. As such, a solicitor is usually required to instruct Chris in conjunction with the client – such a solicitor is commonly referred to as an ‘instructing solicitor’.
An instructing solicitor can be a solicitor that the client uses or has used in the past for other matters (for example commercial advice, conveyancing, drafting wills etc). Alternatively, Chris can provide a new client with recommendations as to potential appropriate instructing solicitors. Chris is able to provide further information about this process and the associated costs, if any, on request.
In circumstances other than those where proceedings have been commenced in the Court, Chris is able to accept direct instruction without the need for an instructing solicitor. Chris was one of the first barristers approved by the New Zealand Law Society to be able to accept direct instruction. He can be directly instructed on certain matters before a Court provided the matter relates to a criminal charge (other than an SFO or Commerce Commission prosecution), legal aid, will or could have been commenced in the Family Court.