Grant Pearson

Experience in many areas of law has been one of the most satisfying aspects of my work. It has allowed me to meet a diverse range of clients and assist with various aspects of their family life, careers, and businesses.

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Working as a Crown Counsel, Partner in a National Firm and Barrister have been phases of my career. My legal work has included the role of counsel assisting the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification, acting for construction companies and owners in building disputes, the Crown and other parties in judicial review proceedings, insurers, professionals and their clients in professional negligence claims, and individuals in family, estate, and property disputes (regularly on pro bono basis).

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I have held part-time roles as a chair or member of tribunals for most of my time as a lawyer. In that work, I hear cases and make decisions on professional disciplinary, immigration, revenue, and social welfare matters. Until recently, I served as Deputy Chair of the Council of Australasian Tribunals, the Australian and New Zealand professional body that promotes professional standards and training for tribunals in both countries.

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In terms of courts, my work has been at all levels, including the Privy Council in London when it was New Zealand’s highest Court and the Supreme Court since it became New Zealand’s highest Court.

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Legal writing has also been a part of my career, as the lead author of GST in New Zealand, published by Thomson Reuters, and a contributor to Professor John Prebble’s text, Fundamentals of Income Tax, also published by Thomson Reuters.

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My legal work began in Timaru, where I worked in a small law office, performing tasks similar to those in our private client work at LegalFocus. One thing that has remained constant in my career is the need for people to access practical legal help. The continuous challenge is to understand what clients want, what we can potentially achieve, and how to make it happen with the tools available to us.

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