Claire Paterson

About

Claire (Ngāti Raukawa) is a Crown prosecutor who has specialised in serious sexual violence jury trials in the District Court and High Court, and the Court of Appeal. In addition, Claire has led many trials involving culpable homicide and other serious offences. She has particular expertise in the law of evidence, and facilitates training and mentoring for MC’s junior prosecutors on pre-trial issues.

Claire is also an experienced prosecutor of regulatory offending. She has acted for Maritime New Zealand in health and safety prosecutions; for the Commerce Commission, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, and Real Estate Authority in regulatory prosecutions before the District Court; and for Crown entities in judicial review proceedings and before the Human Rights Review Tribunal.

Claire’s broader litigation experience has focused on professional discipline, providing advice to numerous regulatory agencies on disciplinary matters, and has appeared before many specialist tribunals. She has also appeared in appeals from these tribunals through to the Court of Appeal.

In terms of civil matters, Claire has acted for plaintiffs and defendants before the District Court and High Court.