Jane is a first-class litigator who acts on large scale commercial disputes. Recognised by leading legal directory Chambers Asia-Pacific, Jane is identified by sources as “a clearly talented lawyer with an increasingly high profile” – Chambers Asia-Pacific 2022.
Jane has also been recognised as a member of The Legal 500 Arbitration Powerlist for Australasia 2022 for practitioners with arbitration expertise.
Jane’s clients include large corporates, banks, insurance brokers and other financial institutions. She has particular expertise in banking and financial services litigation, consumer law, class action disputes, complex contractual disputes, arbitration, insurance, Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA), professional negligence claims, and disputes involving issues of companies and securities law.
She routinely acts for clients in relation to investigations and prosecutions by regulators such as the Financial Markets Authority, Commerce Commission and Reserve Bank. Jane also has significant CCCFA expertise including having been involved on the insurance side of the Sportzone case and advising many banks and financial institutions on CCCFA risk mitigation and liaising with the regulator.
Jane has completed a Master of Laws at New York University on a Fulbright Scholarship and Hauser Global Scholarship. In the early part of her career, Jane was a Judge’s Clerk at the New Zealand Court of Appeal for Justice Glazebrook and worked as a junior barrister for David Goddard QC (now Justice Goddard). She then went on to become an associate in the litigation team in London at Allen & Overy LLP.
Jane is a board member of INFINZ, a member of the CPA Disciplinary Tribunal and, up until December 2020, she was the deputy co-convenor of the New Zealand Law Society Law Reform Committee.
Career highlights
Acting for a major bank on a significant Fair Trading Act inquiry regarding fees.
Successfully defending a large energy company in a contractual dispute regarding carbon emissions worth approximately $150 million.
Defending a prosecution by the Commerce Commission on charges laid regarding a “Made in New Zealand” claim.
Advising major banks and financial service providers in relation to the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003 and Commerce Commission investigations into lending.
Acting on a significant contractual dispute in the agricultural sector regarding termination of a large number of growers’ contractual arrangements.
Affiliations
- Board Member, Institute of Finance Professionals New Zealand Inc (INFINZ)
- Lay Member, Disciplinary Committee, CPA Australia
Achievements and recognition
- Recognised, Dispute Resolution, Chambers Asia-Pacific
- Recognised, Dispute Resolution, Chambers Global
- Recognised, The Legal 500 Arbitration Powerlist - Australasia
- Tier 1 team, Dispute Resolution, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific
- Recognised, Litigation Law, Best Lawyers