Profile
Susan specialises in litigation, local government, insurance, industrial relations and health and safety.
Susan's insurance practice includes advising local authorities, public sector, corporate and individual clients on a range of claims. Susan acts for Southern Response Earthquake Services Limited and previously advised the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority.
She represents a range of local authorities on local government matters, including decision-making, governance, conflicts of interest, bylaws, judicial review and requests for official information and personal information.
Susan leads the Christchurch employment and health and safety team and has over 20 years' experience advising on industrial relations issues. She appears for clients in the Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court, High Court, appellate courts and in the Coroners Court.
Susan is ranked as a Notable Practitioner for dispute resolution by Asia Law and described as a key name among Christchurch employment lawyers who "leaves nothing to chance".
"Susan is responsive, knowledgeable, reliable and very relatable (not an attribute always found in lawyers)”
Asialaw Profiles 2020
Susan "leaves nothing to chance"
Legal 500 2017
- Member of the New Zealand Society of Construction Law and NZILA
- Convenor of a New Zealand Law Society General Standards Committee
- Member of the Film and Literature Board of Review
Experience
Work highlights
Advising Southern Response Earthquake Services Limited
in relation to a significant class action currently before the courts
Advising the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority
on matters arising out of the exercise of its powers under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act including; advising and appearing in the High Court on injunction proceedings and advising in relation to construction contract disputes arising out of demolition (Hampton v CERA)
Advising Christchurch City Council, Selwyn District Council, Ashburton District Council, Hurunui District Council and Waimakariri District Council
on a range of local government and disputed issues
Advising and acting for Christchurch City Council
on judicial review proceedings
Acting for the Ministry of Social Development
in the successful defence of proceedings brought in the Employment Relations Authority (Bartram v Ministry of Social Development)
Advising individual, corporate and local authority clients on civil litigation issues
relating to commercial contract disputes, fair trading, construction contracts, insurance and applications for judicial review