Fine tune your advocacy skills and receive insights from experienced barristers and litigation specialists. Understand how to improve your written and oral advocacy and develop winning advocacy skills for interlocutory and urgent applications. Gain an in-depth understanding of the challenges of a re-examination and receive a detailed update on privilege and inadvertent disclosure.

Presenters

Damian Chesterman, Forty Eight Shortland Chambers
Damian is a senior commercial and civil barrister and arbitrator based in Auckland and Queenstown. Throughout his career Damian has been entrusted with complex and difficult litigation by his clients. Since his first jury trial as lead counsel in 1996 he has led numerous High Court trials and appeals including in the Supreme Court. Damian’s qualifications include an LLM (Hons) from the University of Cambridge, England; an LLB with First Class Honours; a B.Com; New Zealand’s highest qualification in arbitration (FAMINZ (Arb)); admission to the New York Bar and admissions in Australia and England.

Jacqueline Lethbridge, Partner, Martelli McKegg
Jacque Lethbridge is a senior litigation partner and heads up the Disputes Resolution team at Martelli McKegg Lawyers. With over 20 years of experience across complex commercial litigation, financial services disputes, regulatory investigations and trust and property litigation, Jacque brings a deep understanding of both the courtroom and boardroom dimensions of legal practice. A trusted advisor to clients navigating high-stakes disputes, Jacque’s expertise spans High Court and appellate work, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. Jacque is recognised for her expertise in contentious litigation, restructuring and insolvency work and has held various industry board positions including with the Restructuring and Insolvency Turnaround Association of New Zealand and The Law Association of New Zealand. She is actively involved in promoting and encouraging diversity in the legal profession and insolvency area and was a founding member and co-chair of Women in Restructuring and Insolvency. Jacque has been a regular speaker at seminars and conferences including for Legalwise Seminars, The Law Association, The New Zealand Law Society Litigation Skills and the College of Law.

Rob Latton, Barrister, FortyEight Shortland Barristers 
Rob Latton is a barrister practicing from 48 Shortland Barristers, Auckland. He is a practitioner with over 30 years’ experience in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Commenced practice as a barrister sole in 2016, Rob specializes in civil and commercial advice and litigation, and has been involved in extensive estates and trusts work in recent years. In particular, he has acted for many executors and trustees in claims alleging breaches of duty, as well as challenges to wills and general estate disputes, including Burgess & Another v Monk & Others (No. 6).

Martin Dillon, Barrister, Thackeray Chambers
Martin began practising in 2007. He has worked in private practice, as in-house counsel and as a Crown Prosecutor. These roles have involved a range of clients and cases, from relatively minor disputes to large-scale litigation. He joined the independent bar in 2018. Access to justice is a particular concern: Martin is a legal aid provider, published CourtKeys.com and wrote Civil Litigation for Non-Lawyers.

Kelly Paterson, Partner, Buddle Findlay
Kelly specialises in commercial litigation. She advises on a wide range of commercial litigation issues, with a particular focus on construction, insolvency and insurance disputes. Kelly has appeared in the courts at all levels, as well as Tribunal and arbitration hearings. Kelly regularly acts for public entitles in pursuing and defending large and complex disputes, as well as banks, insurance companies, receivers and liquidators. Kelly has a particular interest and experience in class actions, having acted for Southern Response with Tom Weston KC in the Ross v Southern Response class action, a proceeding that helped define procedure for class actions in New Zealand.