About Nick Williams

Thanks for visiting my website.  Below is an outline of my career to date.  You will find more information on my areas of expertise in the expertise pages.  I am available to take instructions from solicitors, but I am also approved to take direct instructions in certain circumstances.

After completing my LLM at the University of Chicago, I began my career in 1997 working as a prosecutor in the Office of the Crown Solicitor in Auckland.  Since then, I have developed my advocacy skills through regulatory prosecutions and numerous jury trials involving serious criminal offences, including murder, and more recently as defence counsel. 

In 2000, I moved overseas and worked in Switzerland, first at the Claims Resolution Tribunal for Dormant Accounts in Zurich, and then as a Private Banker at Citibank (Switzerland) in Geneva, where I studied for and gained the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. 

Returning to New Zealand in 2004, I worked for several years at First NZ Capital (now Jarden) as an investment advisor.  But I missed the advocacy and constant feedback cycle of the law, particularly in litigation, so I returned to law, just in time for the start of the GFC and the finance company collapse and, among other things, began advising the Securities Commission (now FMA) on its expanding portfolio of finance company cases, in both criminal and civil proceedings.

Over the years I have managed to translate the courtroom skills gained from my criminal and regulatory cases into civil commercial litigation, particularly where issues of probity/dishonesty are at the fore.  Before joining Britomart Chambers, where I am now, I was a partner at Meredith Connell in its commercial and regulatory litigation team for over a decade. 

I have developed particular specialties in financial markets and securities law, as well as in the area of trusts and off-shore trusts.  In addition to being admitted in New Zealand, I am admitted as a barrister in the Cook Islands. I regularly advise trustees, settlors, and beneficiaries on New Zealand foreign trust issues and the application of the Trusts Act 2019 (NZ), as well as acting in offshore trust disputes, which often involve multiple jurisdictions and AML, proceeds of crime, asset freezing, or forfeiture issues.

  • 2020 – Present

    Barrister, Britomart Chambers

  • 2010 – 2020

    Partner, Meredith Connell

  • 2012 – Present

    Lecturer in Financial Markets Law, University of Auckland

  • 2011 – 2012

    Acting Head of Enforcement, Financial Markets Authority

  • 2006 – 2009

    Associate, Meredith Connell

  • 2004 – 2006

    Investment Advisor, First NZ Capital

  • 2004

    Chartered Financial Analyst, CFA Institute

  • 2002 – 2003

    Private Banker, Citibank (Switzerland), Geneva, Switzerland

  • 2000 – 2001

    Staff Attorney, Claims Resolution Tribunal for Dormant Accounts in Switzerland, Zurich, Switzerland

  • 1997 – 1999

    Solicitor, Meredith Connell

  • 1996

    LLM, University of Chicago

  • 1994

    BA/LLB (Hons), University of Auckland

  • Barrister, High Court of New Zealand

    Barrister, High Court of the Cook Islands

    Member of the Serious Fraud Office Panel of Prosecutors

    Member of the Auckland and Tauranga Crown Solicitor Crown Panels (Principal prosecutor)

    Member NZLS Auckland Standards Committee 1

    Member TLANZ Trust Law Committee

    Board Member, CFA Society of New Zealand (2011 – 2019)

    NZX Adviser

    Full Member (TEP) Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners

    STEP Foundation Certificate in International Trust Management (Distinction awarded)

    STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust Creation Law & Practice (Distinction awarded)

    Editor-in-Chief, Auckland University Law Review

    Senior Prize in English (University of Auckland)

  • Acting for Cook Islands international trustee company in multi-jurisdiction litigation involving asset freezing orders and allegations of fraudulent/insolvent transfer.

    Acting for NZ-based trustees in relation to US$700m asset forfeiture proceedings arising out of the Malaysian 1MDB scandal.

    Walker v Forbes: acting for liquidators in c$300m claim against valuers, auditors, and directors of a property development company.

    Appearing as counsel in Court of Arbitration for Sport (football list) appeal proceedings.

    Acting for Cook Islands international trustee company in litigation involving allegations of fraud and money laundering, and related asset restraint.

    Advising a District Health Board on an internal investigation into allegations of procurement fraud and other financial irregularities.

    Acting for Oceania Football Confederation in civil proceedings relating to the Home of Football development.

    FMA v Honey & FMA v Sansom: counsel for FMA in first criminal insider trading cases in NZ.

    FMA v Warminger: counsel for FMA in first market manipulation case to go to trial in NZ.

    FMA v Prince & Partners: obtaining $4.5m settlement for FMA in civil claim against trustee of failed finance company.

    Ports of Auckland v Bainbridge: obtained freezing orders for Ports of Auckland in relation to employee fraud.

    Cook Islands Commissioner of Police v Bishop: successfully prosecuted first bribery and corruption case initiated against a Minister of the Crown in Cook Islands.

    SFO v Rose & Rose: counsel for SFO in the Mighty River Power procurement fraud trial.

    FMA v Henry: counsel for FMA in first market manipulation case in NZ.