Mary specialises in civil and commercial litigation, insolvency and debt recovery, insurance litigation, estate litigation, PPPR Act applications and employment disputes.   She is particularly interested in the fields of insolvency and commercial litigation and regularly acts for receivers and liquidators, large corporate and finance clients. 

Mary has over 10 years’ experience in litigation and has acted for clients in a wide range of forums including disciplinary meetings, mediations, arbitrations and litigation in the District Court, High Court and the Court of Appeal.  She spent almost 3 years working in London, initially in the field of complaints and professional conduct and then in the financial service sector where she was a key member of the Financial Services Authority team that undertook the largest insider dealing prosecution in the United Kingdom, at that time.

Mary is currently a member of the Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association of New Zealand (RITANZ) and the New Zealand Credit and Finance Institute (NZCFI). 

Recent projects / work  

• Appearing as Counsel in a complex commercial case in which the value of shares, sold between related parties during the Christchurch Earthquake sequence, is in issue. 
• Assisting the liquidators of various companies in the exercise of their statutory powers of recovery.
• Advising a large corporate client in respect of disputes that have arisen around their distribution agreements and negotiating a resolution in respect of the same.
• Acting on behalf of beneficiaries to a will who allege undue influence on the part of the person employed to care for the deceased.
• Representing clients (both employer and employee) in employment disputes.
• District and High Court proceedings for the recovery of debts. 

Articles

• Personal Grievances and Personal Liability under the Employment Relations Act 2000
• Important Change to Employee Entitlements - Sick Leave
• Covid-19 and Annual Leave
• Beware the Disciplinary Process
• Enhanced Foundation Repair for Earthquake Damaged Homes - Insurance
• Getting Settlement Agreements Right