Nikki Pender Barrister

Contact Nikki


Phone

+64 21 515 395

Email

nikki@nikkipender.legal

Address

Suite A, Level 3
88 The Terrace
Wellington 6011

Nikki Pender

BARRISTER

“The discipline of the law requires you to think from an equations perspective and then to find the human in it. Law isn’t law without both of those elements, and certainly judging isn’t judging without both of those elements”  ~  Sir Joe Williams, Justice of the Supreme Court of New Zealand | Te Kōti Mana Nui

Nikki is a fair but fearless advocate who treats clients and colleagues with candour, sensitivity and respect. Her key strengths are her analytical, interpersonal and advocacy skills; a sound judgement; open-mindedness; and keen problem-solving abilities.

For Nikki, law is a vocation and work has rarely been just a job.

Like other Kate Sheppard barristers, Nikki began her career at the Crown Law Office, where she appeared regularly for the Crown in judicial review and commercial-regulatory matters. She now practises primarily in public, regulatory and coronial law, acting for both public and private parties. She also contributes to policy development and law reform, particularly in the justice sector.

Nikki is the founding director of Legal Empowerment, which provides witness familiarisation and expert witness skills training in Australia and New Zealand. She also teaches and coaches advocacy skills.


Qualifications and certificates

LLB, Victoria University of Wellington, 1988
Master of Administrative Law and Policy, University of Sydney, 1999
200/300 level Commerce (finance) papers, Victoria University of Wellington, 2013-2014
Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand, 1989
Lawyer, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 1995
Certified NLP practitioner, 2005
Spiral Dynamics Integral – certificates, lvl 1 & 2, 2005-2006
Poupou Huia Te Reo – certificates, lvl 4 & 5 in Māori tikanga and language, Te Wānanga o Raukawa, 2020
ABA Appellate Advocacy Intensive Workshop – certificate, 2022

Professional activities and community involvement

Co-Chair, Education Committee, New Zealand Bar Association | Ngā Ahorangi Motuhake o te Ture
Member, NZLS Civil Litigation & Tribunals Committee (since 2019)
Member, Wellington Women Lawyers’ Association
Board Member, The Wellington Club (since 2021)

  • Judicial review and public law
  • Coronial inquests
  • Competition, economic regulation and consumer law
  • Professional disciplinary
  • General civil and equity litigation
  • Legal skills training:
    –  Co-director, NZBA Cross Examination Masterclass (since 2024)
    –  Co-director, NZBA Civil Oral Advocacy Masterclass (since 2025)
    –  Faculty, NZLS Advanced Litigation Skills (since 2023)
    –  Faculty, NZLS Litigation Skills (since 2007)
    –  Teacher, NZLS Introduction to Civil Litigation (2007-2022)
    –  Founder and trainer, Legal Empowerment expert witness competency skills and witness familiarisation (since 2015)
    –  Trainer, Bond Solon witness familiarisation (since 2015)

Judicial Review and Public Law

  • Dickson v Real Estate Agents Authority [2025] NZHC 50; [2024] NZHC 645; [2025] 2 NZLR 265
  • Greendrake v McConnochie [2023] NZHC 2166
  • Obiaga v Visiting Justice at Waikeria Prison [2022] NZHC 1197
  • Sharifi v University of Auckland [2021] NZHC 1955
  • Cosci v District Court at Tauranga [2017] NZHC 1907
  • Forsyth v District Court at Lower Hutt [2015] NZHC 2567; [2016] 2 NZLR 248
  • Northern Action Group Inc v Local Government Commission [2015] NZHC 805; [2015] 3 NZLR 538
  • Wellington International Airport Ltd v Commerce Commission [2011] NZHC BC201166709; (2011) 20 PRNZ 823
  • McVicar v District Court at Wellington [2011] NZHC 20
  • Boscawen v Attorney General [2009] NZCA 12; [2009] 2 NZLR 229
  • Boscawen v Attorney General [2008] NZHC 949; [2008] NZAR 468; [2008] NZAR 44
  • A v NZ Parole Board & McNamara [2008] NZHC 1072; [2008] NZAR 703
  • Nikoo v Removal Review Authority [1994] NZHC 2279; [1994] NZAR 509
  • Gholami v Minister of Immigration [1994] NZHC 1478; [1994] NZAR 257
  • Paulo v Minister of Immigration [1994] NZHC 2307
  • Singh v Refugee Status Appeal Authority [1994] NZHC 1715
  • Tavita v Minister of Immigration [1993] NZHC 2022
  • Rizki v Birch [1993] NZHC 2365
  • Sakaria v Minister of Immigration [1992] NZHC 2442
  • Kang v Attorney General [1992] NZHC 1653
  • New Zealand Fishing Industry Board v Attorney General [1992] NZHC 2023; (1992) 6 PRNZ 500
  • Empeno v Minister of Immigration [1992] NZHC 1568; [1993]  NZAR 20
  • Setefano v Maxwell [1992] NZHC 2480
  • Esau v Minister of Immigration [1992] NZHC 1562
  • Tulaepa v Minister of Immigration [1992] NZHC 2918
  • Vaematahau v Minister of Immigration [1992] NZHC 2871; [1993] NZAR 88
  • Ranchod v Birch [1992] NZHC 2214
  • Singh v Minister of Immigration [1992] NZHC 2428
  • Auelua v Minister of Immigration [1991] NZHC 1347

Commercial / Regulatory 

  • O’Connor v Wellington Standards Committee 2 [2023] NZHC 1615
  • Wellington Standards Committee 2 v O’Connor [2023] NZLCDT 17, 18, 21, 25
  • Central Standards Committee 3 v Sawyer [2022] NZLCDT 38
  • Wellington Standards Committee 2 v Collins [2022] NZLCDT 22
  • Wellington Standards Committee 2 v McDonnell [2022] NZLCDT 18
  • Otago Standards Committee v Copland [2019] NZLCDT 29
  • Capital Liquor Ltd v NZ Police [2019] NZHC 1846; [2019] NZHC 2817
  • CAC 403 v Licensee B [2017] NZREADT 21
  • Tucker v Real Estate Agents Authority [2017] NZHC 54, [2017] NZAR 264; [2017] NZHC 1894
  • CAC v Gollins [2015] NZREADT 26; [2015] NZREADT 2
  • Wellington International Airport Ltd v Commerce Commission [2013] NZHC 3289 – counsel for Major Electricity Users’ Group in appeals against input methodology determinations
  • Customs Agents Wellington Ltd v Comptroller of Customs [1994] NZHC 1283; [1994] 2 NZLR 759

Civil Litigation

  • Peka v Te Hei [2025] NZCA 32; [2025] 2 NZLR 353
  • Greendrake v McConnochie [2023] NZHC 2166
  • Te Hei v Hawkins [2022] NZHC 3170; [2023] NZHC 553, 1707
  • Jacomb v Jacomb [2020] NZHC 1764
  • M v S [2015] NZFC 2200; [2013] NZHC 615; [2012] NZCA 574; [2012] NZHC 1709

Coronial

  • Inquiry into death of Laisa Waka Tunidau (ongoing)
  • Inquiry into death of Malachi Subecz (ongoing)
  • Inquiry into death of Rachel Molloy (ongoing)
  • Christchurch Masjidain Attack Inquiry (ongoing)
  • Inquest into deaths of Nicole Tuxford and Gary Schroder (2022-2024)
  • Inquest into death of Jade Cummings (2023-2024)
  • Milner v R [2019] NZCA 619; [2019] NZHC 1471
  • Inquest into death of Christie Marceau (2017-2018)
  • Inquest into death of Stephen Dudley (2016 – 2017)
  • Inquest into death of Kesho Sharma (2016)
  • Inquest into death of Debbie Ashton (2008- 2012)
  • Inquest into death of Karl Kuchenbecker (2007-2008)

Junior Counsel

  • Air New Zealand v Commerce Commission [2004] NZHC 1951; [2004] NZHC 1952; [2004] NZHC 1953; [2004] NZHC 1954; [2004] NZHC 1010; (2004) 11 TCLR 347
  • Commerce Commission v Grenadier Real Estate Ltd [2003] NZCA 254; [2004] 2 NZLR 186
  • Brambles NZ Ltd v Commerce Commission [2003] NZHC 1144; (2003) 10 TCLR 868
  • Singh v Refugee Status Appeal Authority [1993] NZHC 1900; [1994] NZAR 193
  • Comptroller of Customs v Martin Square Motors Ltd [1993] NZCA 390; [1991] NZHC 2011; [1993] 3 NZLR 289
  • M v the Queen [1993] NZCA 529
  • Minister of Immigration v Kang [1993] NZCA 267; [1993] NZAR 456
  • Chiu v Minister of Immigration [1992] NZAR 514
  • Welgas Holdings Ltd v Attorney-General [1991] NZHC 2680; (1991) 3 PRNZ 33
  • Isaac v Minister of Consumer Affairs [1990] NZHC 606; [1990] 2 NZLR 606
  • Wellington City Council v Attorney-General [1989] NZHC 1229; [1990] 2 NZLR 281