Qualifications
David Friar is an Auckland barrister specialising in commercial litigation. He has particular expertise in insurance, corporate and insolvency law, as well as property, contract and class actions.
David has 30 years’ experience spanning all aspects of commercial disputes and advice.
Before joining the bar, David was a partner at Bell Gully for 11 years, where he was head of the litigation department.
This page contains details of David’s:
- Experience
- Bar Admissions
- Qualifications
- Memberships
- Appointments
David’s experience and qualifications
Experience
- Mills Lane Chambers (Auckland), barrister (April 2024 to date)
- Bell Gully (Auckland), litigation partner (2013 to 2024)
- Bell Gully (Auckland), litigation senior associate (2011 to 2012)
- Paul Weiss (New York), litigation associate (2004 to 2010)
- Kensington Swan (Wellington), litigation solicitor and then senior associate (1996–1999 and 2000–2003)
Bar Admissions
- New Zealand (1996)
- New York bar, state and federal courts (2005)
Qualifications
- LLB (Hons) and BA, University of Otago (1996)
- Law Society Prize (First equal in the graduating class)
- LLM, Columbia University (New York) (2000)
- Fulbright Scholar
- James Kent Scholar
Memberships
- New Zealand Law Society
- New Zealand Bar Association
- New Zealand Insurance Law Association
- Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association New Zealand
Appointments
- Member, New Zealand Law Society Auckland Standards Committee 1 (2025 to date)