David Friar

David is the head of Bell Gully’s litigation department. He has more than two decades’ courtroom experience, and was named by Benchmark Litigation last year as New Zealand Litigation Lawyer of the Year.

David is known for his particular expertise in complex commercial disputes, class actions, insurance litigation, and corporate and insolvency disputes. He has a leading reputation for his strong courtroom advocacy and his strategic judgment.

David represents clients at all levels of the New Zealand court system, including the Supreme Court, as well as in alternative dispute resolution processes, such as arbitration. He regularly acts for banks and other financial institutions, for both insurers and insureds, for corporate clients, and for insolvency practitioners.

David also has particular experience in defending class actions. He acted in the Southern Response class action, and is currently acting in the Intueri class action.

David also advises clients on financial regulatory issues, including conduct requirements.

David was awarded New Zealand Litigation Lawyer of the Year by Benchmark Litigation in September 2020.

David writes and speaks extensively on a range of legal issues, including on contract law, class actions, insurance law, and corporate and insolvency issues. He is also an author of the chapter on directors' duties in a leading New Zealand text, Morison's Company Law.

David's international litigation experience includes six years at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in New York, where he was admitted to the New York bar. Prior to that, he received an LLM from Columbia University in New York, where he was a Fulbright Scholar.