The award-winning barrister is also an active business advisor and independent director
Top barrister Paul Sills once led an international superyacht construction business as CEO for two years.
The award-winning mediator, who was named among NZ Lawyer’s Most Influential Lawyers for 2021 and was victorious at the 2020 New Zealand Law Awards, does more than legal work – he is also an active business advisor and independent director in the international freight, infrastructure, construction, marine, healthcare, industrial design, retail, leadership and technology sectors, among others. Before he went into the legal profession, he was a successful navigator in RNZAF.
Since heading into the legal profession almost 30 years ago, Sills has built up an impressive resume in the New Zealand market and beyond. He is a fellow of the following organisations: the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, AMINZ (arbitration and mediation), International Academy of Mediators, Resolution Institute, Prime Disputes London (certified educator status and panel appointments) and the Malaysian Arbitration Institute.
In addition, he served as AMINZ’s deputy director of professional studies (mediation), and oversaw the organisation’s 2021 Fellowship programme. He also has full rights of audience at the Astana International Finance Centre (AIFC Court).
Sills is on the panel of the Athens-based Maritime Mediation Centre and the mediation panel of the Franchise Association of New Zealand. He is a mediator for the Marine Industry Association and the New Zealand Law Society.
He also chaired the Netball New Zealand disciplinary committee and the New Zealand Master Builders Association Code of Conduct committee. Moreover, he was part of the Resolution Institute’s determination and arbitration committee and the diversity, equality and inclusion committee.
Sills nabbed the Prime Disputes (London) leadership award for equality and diversity in dispute resolution in 2020. Presently, he is based in London.
The list of winners for the 2022 Most Influential Lawyers award will be unveiled this month.
