Paul McKendrick

Joint Managing Partner

I provide legal and tactical advice, and I represent clients to resolve a diverse range of disputes and litigation. My team and I can work on large multi-party disputes, because we have the agility and experience to act urgently to protect your interests, manage your risks, and achieve great results.

You are not in the “business of litigation” so I am here to manage and resolve disputes for you. I want you to be able to focus on your core business activities.

I advise on negligence actions, insolvency, joint ventures, shareholder and director disputes, commercial and residential property matters, deceased estates, trusts, debt recovery, emergency relief, and many other related matters.

When acting for plaintiffs, I aim to drive the dispute to the point where the defendants are educated as to the risks they face; so that, they, the defendants, become more willing to pay the appropriate level of compensation.

When acting for defendants and where there is a real risk of a judgment against them, I will seek to minimise that risk by extricating clients for the minimum sum possible.

While most commercial disputes are resolved in this way, sometimes court hearings are required if the other party is not commercially pragmatic, or it is a matter of significance.

Examples of disputes I have resolved:

• banking, insurance, and finance company claims
• residential property purchasers’ class actions
• leaky building claims for both owners and contractors
• sale and purchase of substantial businesses’ significant warranties claims
• residential and commercial property disputes
• complex trust and estate disputes
• professional negligence claims
• real estate related disputes
• charitable trust investigations and proceedings
• defamation
• valuation arbitrations involving town planners, geotechnical engineers, valuers, and archaeologists
• Unit Title Act disputes; and
• joint venture and partnership disputes.

I always work closely with clients to achieve the best possible outcomes.