Partner - Auckland
Nick Flanagan
Nick is one of New Zealand’s foremost Plaintiffs’ lawyers. He has successfully argued cases against almost every major New Zealand corporate.
Nick is one of New Zealand’s foremost Plaintiffs’ lawyers. He has successfully argued cases against almost every major New Zealand corporate.
Expertise
About
Nick primarily acts for government departments and agencies, private equity funds, closely held companies, and high-net-worth individuals. He has unparalleled experience in bringing large and complex cases against well resourced defendants.
Nick has likely argued more leading cases under the Fair Trading Act and Financial Markets Conduct Act than any other lawyer in New Zealand. He also has extensive experience in competition law, contested shareholders disputes and novel commercial claims in contract and tort. Examples of the latter include successful claims to do with the seismic performance of commercial buildings, and the marketing of primary produce overseas, both involving causes of action used for the first time in such a context.
Nick has argued cases at all levels of New Zealand’s courts and appeared as Junior Counsel in the Privy Council. As a Principal Crown Prosecutor, he has led trials for charges including murder, blackmail, and perjury. He is a Member of the Solicitor-General’s Prosecution Panel for Cartel Offences, and former member of that for the Serious Fraud Office.
He is a Harvard Law School graduate and former Fullbright scholar.
Recent Cases & Achievements
Acting for the Ministry of Education in its successful claims against James Hardie and Carter Holt Harvey for faulty building products, likely the largest civil case in New Zealand.
Acting for the Commerce Commission in multiple high profile claims, including those involving Ribena, Viagogo, Jetstar, Nurofen, Vodafone, Godfrey Hurst, Nelson pharmacists, and Spark.
Acting for the FMA against a variety of banks, funds and insurance companies.
Acting for various private equity funds in shareholders disputes and commercial disputes.
Acting for Kāinga Ora in large scale commercial disputes.
Acting for various tightly held companies in claims for breaches of the Commerce Act, Fair Trading Act, and contractual obligations.
Advised the Crown and Ministry of Social Development on recovery of large wage subsidy payments from corporates.
Credentials
Admitted as NZ Barrister and Solicitor, 2000
LLM, Harvard Law School
LLB(First Class Honours)/BA, University of Canterbury
Fulbright Scholar
Speaker at Conferences organised by Auckland District Law Society, International Bar Association, and Competition Law and Policy Institute of New Zealand