Profile

Luke specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration.  He acts on a wide range of matters, including major commercial disputes (including class actions), insolvency and credit, complex civil fraud matters, judicial review, regulatory issues, and negligence.  

Legal directories describe Luke as "phenomenally smart" and a "really good communicator who provides really good guidance", noting his "exceptional intellect" and strong reputation, with clients saying he is ideal for "complicated cases."  He is recognised as a "future star" in Benchmark Litigation and a "rising star partner" in the IFLR1000 (for restructuring and insolvency).

Luke has a BA/LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland and an LLM from Columbia University in the City of New York, where he graduated as a James Kent Scholar.

Luke is a contributing author to Sim's Court Practice (Lexis Nexis) and is also an editor of Guarantees and Indemnities in Thomson Reuters Practical Law.  He has published a range of peer-reviewed publications on commercial law topics.

Market recognition

Market recognition

Clients describe Luke as "phenomenally smart" with an ability to "distil large amounts of complex information" and a "really good communicator" who provides "really good guidance" - Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyers
"Luke is a rising star in the fraud and insolvency disputes field. Luke’s calm and considered approach and extensive technical knowledge makes it a pleasure to work with him" - Partner of leading Advisory and Restructuring firm
"Luke has a unique ability to be fully across the details of matters while maintaining a clear sense of the desired strategic outcomes – as a client, this gives me confidence both that he fully understands what we are trying to achieve, and that all relevant information has been considered in developing a pathway that will lead to the best potential outcome" - General Counsel of a major New Zealand company
Recognised by IFLR1000 as a 'rising star partner' for restructuring and insolvency, and a 'future star' by Benchmark Litigation
James Kent Scholar (Columbia University in the City of New York)
Dean of Law’s Award of Academic Excellence (University of Auckland)

Client Choice Award for New Zealand Lawyer of the Year - Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2026 Awards

Work highlights

Work highlights

Acting in the SkyCity online gambling class action

for a Maltese based defendant in a case seeking to test the legality of offshore online gambling in New Zealand

Acting for Zespri Group

in a 'first of its kind' case in New Zealand to obtain novel Norwich Pharmacal disclosure orders in aid of allegations of international infringements of rights in the world leading golden kiwifruit variety (Gold 3) ([2025] NZHC 496)

Acting for Toyota New Zealand

in opposing a putative representative action (class action) relating to alleged defects in the Hilux, Fortuner, and Prado makes (see [2024] NZHC 2483, successfully striking out the proposed inclusion of certain Toyota dealers)

Acting for PricewaterhouseCoopers

as liquidators of Ruapehu Alpine Lifts in an urgent priority dispute (Gibson v Platt [2024] NZHC 351)

Acting for Zespri Group

in the High Court and Court of Appeal to obtain freezing orders and subsequently a $12m judgment for breaches of the Plant Variety Rights Act 1987 and contractual obligations, involving novel issues of user-damages, extra-territoriality, and jurisdiction, and successfully opposing an application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court (Gao v Zespri Group Ltd [2021] NZCA 442, [2022] 2 NZLR 219, (2021) 165 IPR 161; [2022] NZSC 13)

Acting for the New Zealand Blood Service

in the High Court successfully to oppose orders requiring it to provide directed donation of blood sourced from donors unvaccinated with the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, which was sought in a high profile and urgent guardianship proceeding (Te Whatu Ora v C and S [2022] NZHC 3283)

Experience

Experience

Sector/Expertise

Alternate contacts

Alternate contacts