Lawyer profiles

• Leading litigator and the legend of the leg-chucking Viking

  Regarded as an expert in complex litigation and appellate work, who has represented some of New Zealand’s biggest organisations, Jared Ormsby may have “the Force” with him – but his name has a grisly history.Until recently the national managing partner of Christchurch-based firm Wynn Williams, and its senior litigation…

• Law was the logical choice for the 'argumentative child'

  Lawyer, politician, diplomat and lawyer again, Paul East QC says he had the ideal childhood of being brought up by a country solicitor – his Dad.Paul followed his father Edwin into the Rotorua-based firm of East Brewster, from 1973 to 1978, before winning the Rotorua seat for National in…

• Cheese on toast and convict wine sharpen QC’s taste for crime

  Teased by his teenage daughters for being a “cheese on toast” Ashburton boy, Christchurch-based…

• The secret gangsta rapper ‘pushed’ into law to help others

  Kiriana Tan laughs a lot when recounting her childhood in the back of a…

• From baggage handler to award-winning chief executive

  As a trumpeter in an oompah band teenager Jon Calder got paid a bit…

• More channel surfing in store for garden lover

  A love of shopping and a canny eye for business has enabled Dunedin lawyer…

Obituaries

• Christopher John Devonport, 1954 - 2019

  Coroner and former Gisborne lawyer Chris Devonport died on 23 January 2019 following an accident at his family home.Mr Devonport was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in 1976 following the completion of his LLB(Hons) at the University of Canterbury. He grew up in Christchurch and attended St Bede’s…

• John Andrew Tannahill, 1938 - 2018

  Wellington criminal lawyer John Tannahill - known affectionately as Rumpole, due to his walrus moustache which struck a resemblance to the British fictional barrister of the same name - died on Christmas Day 2018, at the age of 80.Admitted as a barrister and solicitor on 9 February 1962, he…

• Maurice James Knuckey, 1931 - 2018

  Maurice Knuckey died in Hamilton on 21 November 2018 aged 87.Maurice came to Hamilton…

• Frank George Opie, 1903 - 1990

  This tribute to the late FG Opie by Manawatu District Law Society President Chris…

• Charles Henry (Harry) Arndt, 1905 - 1985

  Harry Arndt died in Wellington on 16 August 1985. There was a special sitting…

• Neville Clarke Jaine, 1939 - 2018

  The former acting Chief District Court Judge and head of the Police Complaints Authority,…