The firm strengthens its employment, commercial and litigation offerings
Duncan Cotterill has announced the promotion of six lawyers across the firm’s Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch offices.
Helen Pryde, Tim Adams, and Vanessa Ma were elevated to special counsel, while Emma Currie, Joe Williams, and Sean McIntyre were promoted to senior associate.
Pryde is based in Auckland and brings over 20 years of experience in employment and health and safety law. She is qualified to practise both in New Zealand and in England and Wales.
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She has handled WorkSafe investigations and prosecutions, performance management, and disciplinary matters and processes, with particular expertise in matters involving issues that may overlap with criminal law, the firm said. She is an accredited mediator.
Adams also operates from Auckland and has particular expertise in property and property finance transactions. He has worked in both New Zealand and the UK, providing guidance on all aspects of real estate requirements to institutional investors, developers, and corporates.
He has also assisted banks, non-bank lenders, and borrowers with property finance transactions and security arrangements.
Ma is part of the litigation team in Auckland and specialises in insurance law, representing major insurance companies in New Zealand. She has tackled matters related to fire and general, maritime, material damage, and earthquake claims, defective buildings, and subrogated recovery.
In her practice, she has collaborated with experts in marine surveying, engineering, and quantity surveying. She represented Duncan Cotterill in the Global Insurance Legal Connect Marine Special Interest Group.
Currie is based in Wellington and specialises in commercial litigation and dispute resolution. She has particular expertise in insolvency and represents large companies, small businesses and private individuals.
She has advised on litigation involving contractual claims, shareholder disputes, breaches of directors’ duties, negligence, construction disputes, and fair trading. In addition to her public law litigation experience, she has also provided guidance on insolvency issues like bankruptcy, receiverships, liquidations, and complex debt and asset recovery. She has appeared before the District Court, High Court, and specialist tribunals on proceedings such as injunctions.
Williams has advised on all aspects of employment and health and safety law. A former Crown prosecutor, he has assisted both employers and employees with disciplinary investigations, performance management, restructuring, and personal grievances. He has also handled issues related to regulatory compliance (including asbestos removal), licencing, and incident management, as well as WorkSafe investigations and prosecutions.
Christchurch-based McIntyre specialises in litigation and dispute resolution. He has advised on commercial and insurance disputes, regulatory investigations, and prosecutions. He has tackled matters involving damage caused by natural disaster, contractual liability and claims involving professional negligence such as lawyers and engineers.
He has advised and represented defendants in regulatory investigations under the Resource Management Act and the Health and Safety at Work Act. He has made appearances in the High Court, District Court, and specialist tribunals.