General Background
Rodney is a mediator, arbitrator and former High Court judge. He retired from his role as judge in 2014 and has since established a practice in the specialist areas of mediation and arbitration. His extensive background experience - and the insights and wisdom gained - as a former barrister and judge also make him particularly suited to provide expert determinations, evaluations and, for individual parties, opinions and strategic litigation advice. He undertakes these roles for the resolution of a wide range of disputes including commercial and contractual, relationship property, trusts, and commercial and residential property.
Prior to being appointed as a High Court Judge, Rodney operated an extensive civil litigation and family law practice. For most of his 14 years as judge he served as a divisional member of the Court of Appeal and as a Commercial List Judge. This included some years as the supervising judge of the Commercial List. As a judge he exercised criminal and civil jurisdiction at first instance and on appeal.
Rodney draws on this wide range of experience to assist in dispute resolution:
- An accounting qualification as well as an honours degree in law.
- Experience as a practising accountant and in business.
- 25 years practice as a litigation partner, barrister and Queen's Counsel.
- 14 years as a High Court Judge and Divisional Judge of the Court of Appeal.
- Specialist experience and qualifications in dispute resolution including Fellowship of the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand.
- Completion of the Bond University mediation course.
His specialties include: alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration, dispute and conflict resolution, legal and litigation consulting, expert determinations, commercial disputes, civil disputes.
Rodney views mentoring as a way of life. His mentoring has ranged from providing informal expert advice to colleagues to regular mentoring of junior barristers.
Outside work Rodney's interests include reading, music, theatre, gardening and yoga.
Professional Activities
Memberships
Other offices and memberships include:
- 2014: Fellow, Arbitrators' & Mediators' Institute of NZ (AMINZ)
- 2014: Fellow, Legal Research Foundation
- 2014: Judge of Tonga Court of Appeal
- 2014: Judge of Pitcairn Court of Appeal
- 2014: Member, NZ Law Society
- 1999-2006: President, Legal Research Foundation
- 1996-1999: President, Commonwealth Lawyers Association
Honours and Awards
- 2014: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the judiciary.