Top: Harriet Farquhar, Sean McCusker, Luke Claasen, Mark Shaw, Aishwarya Bagchi and Shelley Deng
Middle: Lauren Eastlake, Mitchell Heslip, Nicole Jamieson, Tamara Jenkin, Victoria Squires and Wilber Tupua
Bottom: George Fitzgerald, Anuja Mitra, Joseph Corbett and Madeleine Story

Luke Cunningham Clere is pleased to announce the following promotions:

Harriet Farquhar  to Principal – Kaihautū
Harriet has particular experience in public law litigation and advice. She regularly advises public bodies on their powers and obligations and has acted in a number of judicial review proceedings. In addition, she has experience in coronial inquests, regulatory matters and professional discipline. Harriet also acts for the Crown in criminal proceedings, appearing regularly in the District Court and High Court.

Before joining Luke Cunningham Clere, Harriet was a Judge’s Clerk at the Supreme Court and an Assistant Crown Counsel in the Constitutional and Human Rights Team at the Crown Law Office. She graduated with an LLM from New York University in 2020.

Sean McCusker to Principal – Kaihautū
Sean has extensive experience in advising and representing clients in public law, commercial, and disciplinary proceedings.

Sean is also experienced as a civil and public litigator acting for a broad range of public and private sector clients in judicial reviews, commercial litigation, claims for damages under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, and proceedings for the Commissioner of Police under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.

He routinely appears in courts and tribunals of all levels, including the District and High Courts, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court.

Before joining our team, Sean started his career as a Judge’s Clerk of the Employment Court, and worked for a boutique administrative and public law firm.

Luke Claasen to Senior Associate – Kaiwawao Mātāmua
Luke is an experienced litigator who regularly appears in the District and High Courts.  Before joining LCC, Luke worked on an independent Royal Commission inquiry.  Prior to that, Luke worked in the UK as a public lawyer in central Government, professional practice, financial and energy regulators.  Luke began his career as a criminal defence lawyer in Manukau and prior to that worked as a family lawyer in Hamilton.

Luke provides bespoke advice on a range of issues regarding the intersection of tikanga and the law, particularly in litigation and alternative disputes resolution.  Luke has worked as a cultural advisor in UK and Europe including advising New Zealand High Commissions and Embassies, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Defence Office (UK) and British High Commission (NZ).

Luke is a member of Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa (Māori Law Society), the Māori Prosecutors’ Network.  Luke is fluent in te reo Māori having attended Kōhanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa and Kura Paerangi and is an active member of a kapa haka who regularly compete at Tamararo and Matatini.

Mark Shaw – Senior Associate – Kaiwawao Mātāmua
Mark has appeared in the District Court, the High Court, and the Court of Appeal for Crown prosecution matters. Mark has also assisted in prosecutions for various central and local government organisations. He also provides advice to clients on regulatory and professional disciplinary matters. Mark also has also spent time seconded to both the Real Estate Authority and the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. Prior to joining Luke Cunningham Clere in 2018, he worked as a Research Counsel at the Wellington District Court.

Aishwarya Bagchi – Associate – Kaiwawao
Aishwarya is experienced in regulatory prosecutions and compliance-advisory work for public and private sector clients.

Before joining LCC, Aishwarya worked in one of New Zealand’s largest corporate law firms, acting for insurers and specialising in health and safety and earthquake litigation. She also completed a doctoral degree in public law from the University of Canterbury in 2019. In addition to her legal practice, Aishwarya is a legal tutor and guest lecturer in law at the University of Canterbury.

Shelley Deng – Associate – Kaiwawao
Shelley is experienced in public and administrative law, judicial review proceedings, and immigration and refugee law. She also appears in criminal and regulatory prosecutions and has acted for a number of government departments. Shelley has appeared as lead and junior counsel in the High Court and Court of Appeal. Prior to joining the firm, Shelley was an Assistant Crown Counsel in the Public Law team at the Crown Law Office. She has also worked as a legal adviser at the Ministry of Justice and as a refugee status decision maker on behalf of the New Zealand government. Shelley holds a Master of Public and International Law from the University of Melbourne, with first class honours.

Lauren Eastlake – Associate - Kaiwawao
Lauren acts for clients in regulatory and professional disciplinary matters, with a particular focus on health and safety. Prior to joining Luke Cunningham Clere in early 2023, she worked at a commercial law firm specialising in health and safety advice and litigation. Lauren began her career as a criminal defence lawyer at the Public Defence Service and has also worked at the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry.

Mitchell Heslip – Associate – Kaiwaowao
Mitchell conducts criminal prosecutions as well as advising and representing public regulatory bodies. He appears regularly in the District Court as well as undertaking appeal work in the High Court for the Crown and New Zealand Police.  He has also been seconded to the Accident Compensation Corporation and to the Coroner for the Christchurch Masjidain Attack Inquiry.

Before joining the firm in 2020, Mitchell was a Judge’s Clerk at the Court of Appeal.

Nicole Jamieson – Associate – Kaiwawao
Nicole appears regularly in the Youth Court, District Court and High Court, and has appeared in the Court of Appeal. Prior to joining LCC in 2023, Nicole worked for the Northland Crown office.

Tamara Jenkin – Associate – Kaiwawao
Tamara acts for, and provides advice to, a variety of government clients and professional disciplinary bodies. Her experience includes working on regulatory prosecutions, disciplinary proceedings, civil enforcement and penalty proceedings, and class action proceedings. Tamara also acts on behalf of the Crown in criminal prosecutions. She regularly appears in the District and High Courts. Prior to joining the firm in 2022, Tamara was a Judge’s Clerk at the Court of Appeal and worked at another Crown solicitor firm, doing criminal prosecution, and commercial and public litigation.

Victoria Squires – Associate – Kaiwawao
Victoria acts for, and provides advice to, a variety of government clients and professional disciplinary bodies.  Her experience includes working on civil litigation matters involving judicial review, tort and human rights claims.  Victoria also acts on behalf of the Crown in criminal prosecutions. She regularly appears in the District and High Courts.  Prior to joining the firm in 2023, Victoria was a Judge’s Clerk at the Court of Appeal and worked at another Crown solicitor firm, doing criminal prosecution, and public law litigation.

Wilber Tupua – Associate – Kaiwawao
Wilber specialises in criminal and regulatory prosecutions.  He acts for, and provides advice to, a variety of public sector clients on enforcement and public law issues.  His experience includes advising and acting for government bodies and crown entities. In 2023, Wilber was seconded on a part-time basis to the Environmental Protection Authority, where he advised on environmental enforcement work, resource management and public law issues.

Wilber also acts on behalf of the Crown in criminal prosecutions and appeals. He regularly appears in the District and High Courts, and has appeared for the Crown in the Court of Appeal. Wilber is also experienced with Parole Board proceedings where he is regularly instructed to appear on behalf of the Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections.

Prior to joining the firm in 2021, Wilber worked as a criminal defence lawyer in Auckland.

George Fitzgerald – Senior Associate – Rōia Mātāmua
George regularly appears in the District Court on Crown prosecutions. He also provides advice to public and private sector clients on regulatory and public law matters. Prior to joining the firm in 2023, George worked as a Judges’ Clerk at the Christchurch High Court. George has also had an article published in the New Zealand Universities Law Review on developments in Te Tiriti o Waitangi law.

Anuja Mitra – Senior Solicitor – Rōia Mātāmua
Anuja acts for and provides advice to clients on regulatory and professional disciplinary matters. She has also assisted in criminal matters and work for pro bono clients and government bodies. Prior to joining the firm in 2023, Anuja was a Judges’ Clerk at the Auckland High Court, where she worked on a range of civil and criminal matters.

Joseph Corbett – Senior Solicitor – Rōia Mātāmua
Joseph joined the firm in 2023, having previously worked at large commercial law firms in Wellington and Dunedin. He graduated from the University of Otago in 2020.

Joseph has been credited for articles in New Zealand Law Journal and Trusts and Trustees on developments in trust law.

Madeleine Story – Senior Solicitor - Rōia Mātāmua
Madeleine is a criminal prosecutor who regularly appears in the District Court and has appeared in the High Court. She also assists in a range of regulatory and disciplinary prosecutions. Madeleine joined the firm in 2021 as a law clerk, having graduated from the University of Canterbury in 2020.