Connect with meSean is an experienced and trusted advisor who clients turn to when they are faced with medical/legal issues, disciplinary processes, employment disputes and commercial disputes. Sean’s Healthcare Practice requires him to represent the interests of Healthcare providers before a range of disciplinary tribunals and courts including The Medical Council, Coroners Court, and the High Court.
Sean understands the strategic issues critical to the efficient and appropriate resolution of any disciplinary process. He provides a wealth of technical knowledge and negotiation experience to assist clients to get the right results in resolving their disputes.
Sean also advises clients on collective bargaining and employment law matters and is mentioned and is listed as a leading lawyer in Arbitration and Mediation in The Best Lawyers 2021 and 2022 and in the Labour and Employment section in The Asia-Pacific Legal 500 2018. He is as at home delivering training on occupational health and safety procedures and as he is representing clients in judicial and investigative proceedings. He also has a wide range of experience in the resolution of commercial disputes, particularly in property litigation.
Sean leads our relationship with the Medical Protection Society and is also actively involved in pro bono initiatives.
Healthcare + Medico-legal
- Instructed by the Medical Protection Society on a wide range of healthcare, medico-legal and disciplinary law issues, with regular court appearances — including before the Coroners Court and High Court.
Workplace, Health + Safety
- Appearing for employers in personal grievance and employment contract disputes in the Employment Tribunal, Employment Court, Court of Appeal and in arbitrations.
- Acting for a local council in the Employment Court and Court of Appeal in claims brought by public transport workers for redundancy following the transfer of their employment to a local authority trading enterprise.
- Advising a local authority about a senior management restructure.
- Advising and acting for School Boards of Trustees, on instructions from insures on Personal grievance proceedings claims and assisting with restructuring and performance management processes.
- Bringing the first claim in New Zealand on behalf of the estate of an employee who committed suicide following termination of his employment. This was successful and was upheld in the Court of Appeal.
Property + Real Estate
- Representing a property developer client in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court on issues relating to the obligations of a vendor to meet subdivision consent requirements under a conditional sale and purchase agreement.
- Acting for landlords and tenants on arbitrations and expert determinations following disputed rent review processes, including enforcing obligations under a lease against guarantors when the tenant had defaulted.
- Employment Practices Liability
- Healthcare + Life Sciences
- Professional Liability
- Healthcare + Life Sciences
- Industrial + Commercial Property
- New Zealand Law Society
- Lawyers Engaged in Alternative Dispute Resolution Mediators
- Previous Wellington District Law Society (Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee)
- Past Convenor of the Civil Legal Aid Committee, Wellington