Rowan is a highly regarded advocate with nearly 25 years of litigation experience. He has a broad range of expertise covering: contract, construction, property, negligence claims, defamation and regulatory cases. Rowan has a proven pedigree at the Bar having undertaken multiple trials, appeals, arbitrations, inquests and appearances before specialist tribunals. Cases of note include:
Attorney-General v Sanctuary Community Organic Garden Mahi Whenua Incorporated [2025] NZCA 691
Successful Court of Appeal hearing acting for the Attorney. The case involved contractual interpretation of a sale and purchase variation, caveatable interests in land, whether a clause was capable of creating an easement in gross or profit à prendre in favour of a third party, and third-party enforcement under s 17 of the Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017.The appeal arose in the context of Treaty of Waitangi collective redress obligations and housing development.
Haast Energy & Electric Kiwi v The Electricity Authority [2024]NZHC 195
Successful High Court appeal over-turning the Authority's first instance findings that the imposition of Scarcity Pricing, under the Electricity Code, did not give rise to Pricing Errors. The appellants also successfully sought interim relief (seeking to prevent the wholesale electricity prices being finalised for the relevant Trading Periods) and increased costs against the Authority (see [2023] NZHC 408).
Sidey v Ngatapa Limited [2025]NZCA 609
Court of Appeal hearing concerning competing conditional contracts for the sale of farm land on ADLS/REINZ terms, involving the operation of due diligence conditions, affirmation and election to cancel, and caveatable interests in land.
Body Corp 406198 v Argon Construction & Auckland Council [2023]NZHC 3034; [2025] NZCA 684
Counsel for the plaintiff body corporate and unit owners in aHigh Court trial spread across eight weeks (Bianco Off Queen). Rowan was principally responsible for the liability claims against both defendants (the head contractor and Auckland Council), both of whom were found liable in tort for defective construction and inspection. On appeal ([2025] NZCA 684), the Court of Appeal upheld the liability findings and addressed issues relating to the scope of non-delegable duties, the appropriate measure of remedial damages, and Calderbank offers and their impact on costs.
R v Clarke (AucklandDistrict Court, 2025)
Successful application for a discharge without conviction under s 106 of the Sentencing Act 2002 in a high-profile District Court sentencing involving charges of failing to stop for police and dangerous driving.
Manaia Media Limited v Cato [2025]NZCA 233
Court of Appeal hearing in a significant defamation case raising issues about the application of the public interest defence (Durie vGardiner), evidence admissibility and jury trial procedure, judicial directions on meaning, and the assessment of compensatory and punitive damages.
Stone v Stone [2025]NZHC 622
Recent High Court trial regarding implied terms and contractual mistake (under the Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017).
Alexandra Trotting Club v Canam Construction Ltd
Lengthy construction arbitration before Hon R Hansen QC, acting for the principal in a 13-week hearing on issues of termination and defective building work.
Detection Services Ltd & Ors v Pickering & Anor [2019]NZCA575
Successful claims involving breach of fiduciary obligations. The claim involved two High Court trials and two successful hearings in the Court of Appeal ([2018] NZHC 3310; [2019] NZCA 575; [2020] NZSC35 (application for leave only); [2020] NZHC 35 (quantum); and [2021] NZCA382).
GHL v Jet Trustees [2013]NZHC 1013
A shareholder's dispute under s 174 of the Companies Act resulting in a seven-week High Court trial before Gilbert J.
R v Petricevic & Ors [2012]NZHC 665
Multi-week Judge Alone trial before Venning J related to breaches of the Securities Act and Crimes Act.
BFW v Shi [2022] NZHC 2136
Successful application for summary judgment acting for the defendant in defamation proceedings. The application was brought first in the District Court and was subsequently upheld on appeal in the High Court.
Rowan is a highly regarded advocate with nearly 25 years of litigation experience. He has a broad range of expertise covering: contract, construction, property, negligence claims, defamation and regulatory cases. Rowan has a proven pedigree at the Bar having undertaken multiple trials, appeals, arbitrations, inquests and appearances before specialist tribunals. Cases of note include:
Attorney-General v Sanctuary Community Organic Garden Mahi Whenua Incorporated [2025] NZCA 691
Successful Court of Appeal hearing acting for the Attorney. The case involved contractual interpretation of a sale and purchase variation, caveatable interests in land, whether a clause was capable of creating an easement in gross or profit à prendre in favour of a third party, and third-party enforcement under s 17 of the Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017.The appeal arose in the context of Treaty of Waitangi collective redress obligations and housing development.
Haast Energy & Electric Kiwi v The Electricity Authority [2024]NZHC 195
Successful High Court appeal over-turning the Authority's first instance findings that the imposition of Scarcity Pricing, under the Electricity Code, did not give rise to Pricing Errors. The appellants also successfully sought interim relief (seeking to prevent the wholesale electricity prices being finalised for the relevant Trading Periods) and increased costs against the Authority (see [2023] NZHC 408).
Sidey v Ngatapa Limited [2025]NZCA 609
Court of Appeal hearing concerning competing conditional contracts for the sale of farm land on ADLS/REINZ terms, involving the operation of due diligence conditions, affirmation and election to cancel, and caveatable interests in land.
Body Corp 406198 v Argon Construction & Auckland Council [2023]NZHC 3034; [2025] NZCA 684
Counsel for the plaintiff body corporate and unit owners in aHigh Court trial spread across eight weeks (Bianco Off Queen). Rowan was principally responsible for the liability claims against both defendants (the head contractor and Auckland Council), both of whom were found liable in tort for defective construction and inspection. On appeal ([2025] NZCA 684), the Court of Appeal upheld the liability findings and addressed issues relating to the scope of non-delegable duties, the appropriate measure of remedial damages, and Calderbank offers and their impact on costs.
R v Clarke (AucklandDistrict Court, 2025)
Successful application for a discharge without conviction under s 106 of the Sentencing Act 2002 in a high-profile District Court sentencing involving charges of failing to stop for police and dangerous driving.
Manaia Media Limited v Cato [2025]NZCA 233
Court of Appeal hearing in a significant defamation case raising issues about the application of the public interest defence (Durie vGardiner), evidence admissibility and jury trial procedure, judicial directions on meaning, and the assessment of compensatory and punitive damages.
Stone v Stone [2025]NZHC 622
Recent High Court trial regarding implied terms and contractual mistake (under the Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017).
Alexandra Trotting Club v Canam Construction Ltd
Lengthy construction arbitration before Hon R Hansen QC, acting for the principal in a 13-week hearing on issues of termination and defective building work.
Detection Services Ltd & Ors v Pickering & Anor [2019]NZCA575
Successful claims involving breach of fiduciary obligations. The claim involved two High Court trials and two successful hearings in the Court of Appeal ([2018] NZHC 3310; [2019] NZCA 575; [2020] NZSC35 (application for leave only); [2020] NZHC 35 (quantum); and [2021] NZCA382).
GHL v Jet Trustees [2013]NZHC 1013
A shareholder's dispute under s 174 of the Companies Act resulting in a seven-week High Court trial before Gilbert J.
R v Petricevic & Ors [2012]NZHC 665
Multi-week Judge Alone trial before Venning J related to breaches of the Securities Act and Crimes Act.
BFW v Shi [2022] NZHC 2136
Successful application for summary judgment acting for the defendant in defamation proceedings. The application was brought first in the District Court and was subsequently upheld on appeal in the High Court.