bankruptcy courts then frequently arguing civil and criminal matters across New Zealand’s courts. I have the rare distinction of arguing a case in the District Court, appealing to the High Court, and then to the Court of Appeal—and losing all three times! Thankfully, those losses were outweighed by enough successes to sustain my passion for courtroom advocacy. When I arrived in London in 1994, I quickly qualified as a solicitor advocate. It was after joining Freshfields’ arbitration group that advocacy truly became my passion, and my efforts were highly-regarded by clients, arbitrators, and peers. Soon, I was the lead advocate in major billion-dollar international disputes and began serving as an arbitrator alongside many respected figures in the arbitration world. Of course, this recognition and these success have only been possible with the incredible support of my team over very many years. Key among them in almost all of my big cases have been my friends and partners Dr Anthony Sinclair and Epaminontas Triantafilou, both of whom are among the finest strategists and advocates of their generation and well worthy of taking silk. I have been ranked among the top five international arbitration counsel globally and as one of the top 20 most sought-after arbitrators. At one point, I was recognised as one of the world’s notable “double-hatters,” a dubious accolade given the rising concerns over conflicts in the investor-state arena. Few experiences hone advocacy skills better than sitting as an arbitrator and deciding cases argued by esteemed contemporaries. My growing docket of case wins as well as my leadership roles at Allen & Overy and Quinn Emanuel led many to believe my skills would impress the (then) Queen’s Counsel Appointment Selection Panel, and I was encouraged to submit for consideration. Initially I resisted but as some peers took silk before me I worried people might assume I had been rejected. To avoid that speculation I took silk in 2015, with a memorable ceremony in 12 LAWYER MONTHLY OCTOBER 2024
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