Clarendon Chambers

 

While Clarendon Chambers has a commercial and civil litigation focus, its members have wide-ranging experience in arbitrations, mediations, disputes and issues relating to companies, insurance, professional liability, professional discipline, liquidations and receiverships, rental reviews, judicial review, trusts and equity, partnership, family protection, testamentary promises, relationship property, Coroner’s inquests, Commissions of Inquiry, medical law, care of children and human rights.

 

Clarendon Chambers was formed when Nick Davidson and Willie Young, formerly litigation partners at Young Hunter and then barristers, moved to Clarendon Tower in Oxford Terrace, Central Christchurch in 1988. They were joined in 1990 by Austin Forbes and Ed Wylie. Austin had been a litigation partner at Duncan Cotterill and Ed likewise at Lane Neave.  Soon after Catherine Cull joined, before moving on to northern climes. Subsequently, Tom Weston joined from Brookman Stock, where he had been a litigation partner.

 

Willie Young was appointed a QC in 1992, a judge of the High Court in 1999, a judge of the Court of Appeal in 2004, President of that court in 2006 and a judge of the Supreme Court in 2010. In 1996 Austin and Nick were appointed QCs.  Tom was appointed a QC in 1999 and Ed was similarly appointed in 2002.  Dale Lester then joined the Chambers from Saunders and Co. Tom and Ed moved on and Ed was subsequently appointed a judge of the High Court in 2008. Tony Hughes-Johnson, who had been a barrister, joined the Chambers in 1996 and was appointed a QC in 1998.

 

James Wilding, previously a member of Riverlands Chambers, joined the Chambers in 2000. In 2008 Kevin Clay joined. He had been a litigation partner of MDS Law. Nick Davidson and Dale Lester moved on in 2007. Nick was appointed a High Court Judge in 2015 and Dale was appointed an Associate Judge in 2018. Tony Hughes-Johnson QC left after the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, which resulted in the demolition of Clarendon Tower.

 

In July 2014 new premises for both Clarendon Chambers and Atticus Chambers were established at 184 Durham Street South, previously a brick warehouse, situated close to the new Justice and Emergency Services Precinct, where the new High, District, Family, Youth, Environment and Maori Land Courts are housed. The premises had been purpose strengthened and converted into offices, including a boardroom, meeting room, video-conferencing facilities and space for juniors. Clarendon Chambers, along with Atticus Chambers, were the first barristers to move back to the CBD after the Christchurch earthquakes on 2010 and 2011.

 

Tony Greig joined Clarendon Chambers at the new premises in 2014.  He was subsequently appointed a District Court Judge in 2020 and Angela Corry moved from Atticus Chambers to Clarendon Chambers to take his place.

 

The members:

 

Austin Forbes KC

James Wilding KC

Kevin Clay

Angela Corry