Experience:

Richard heads the MACTODD Litigation team with Dale Lloyd.  Prior to joining MACTODD he was a Litigation Partner in the Christchurch office of national law firm Buddle Findlay.  He spent 12½ years at Buddle Findlay (with four years of those as a litigation partner).

Richard graduated in law in 1994 from the University of Canterbury with first class honours winning a University Prize for academic excellence.  He also has an honours degree in engineering.  Prior to commencing his law studies in 1990, he was farming on the West Coast.

Richard has extensive experience in commercial litigation specialising in insurance (professional indemnity and statutory liability claims), construction contract disputes, employment and alternative dispute resolution.  He has appeared extensively in the District and High Courts, Court of Appeal, Employment Court and Employment Relations Authority and before various professional disciplinary bodies.  Richard also has local body experience having acted for local councils in and around the Canterbury and South Canterbury regions.

Richard has acted for a number of nationally based insurers and also London-based underwriters.  He has acted extensively on professional indemnity claims against other solicitors, valuers, accountants and real estate agents.  He has considerable experience in relation to professional liability issues, in particular in the context of construction contracts and consultants’ terms of engagement.  He is familiar with the NZS 3910 Conditions of Contract for building and civil engineering.  He advises employers and employees on all aspects of employment relations including drafting employment agreements, advising on disciplinary matters, performance issues and redundancies and the Holidays Act 2003.  He has considerable experience in alternative dispute resolution and in particular mediations.

Richard also has experience in Public and Local Government Law and in the “not for profit” sector, advising clients on the impact of the Charities Act 2005 and the Retirement Villages Act 2003.  He has experience acting in professional disciplinary proceedings.

Richard is a keen tramper and mountain biker.  He has a wife Leanne and four teenage and adult children.

Education:

Areas of Practice:

• Litigation
  - Commercial

  - Civil

  - Alternative Disputes Resolution

  - Mediation & Negotiation

  - Insurance & Professional Liability

  - Employment

  - Public & Local Government Law

  - Resource Management
• Resource Management