Gareth Lewis

Partner
BA, LLB, AAMINZ
Admitted 1996


Cellphone: +64 27 475 6418
DDI: +64 9 375 2376
Email Gareth Lewis

Profile:
Gareth is a Partner at Grimshaw & Co with experience in construction claims, body corporate disputes and employment law.
 
Gareth is a specialist in leaky home cases, recently acting for the Spencer on Byron owners in their successful appeal to the Supreme Court and the Byron Avenue/Sunset Terraces owners in successfully opposing appeals by the North Shore City Council to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
 
He has represented leaky home owners in trials before the High Court, District Court and Weathertight Homes Tribunal ("WHT") and regularly attends mediations and judicial settlement conferences in these forums.
 
Gareth also represents clients in adjudications under the Construction Contracts Act, building dispute arbitrations and body corporate disputes.
 
His expertise in employment law spans performance management, disciplinary processes, dismissals, redundancies, OSH prosecutions and Holidays Act issues.
 
Gareth uses various forms of dispute resolution, including mediations and arbitrations. He has appeared in the Employment Relations Authority, WHT, District Court, High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, including interlocutory applications, trials, appeals, interim injunction applications and insolvency matters.
 
Gareth is proactive in his approach to legal issues, ensuring common goals are clearly understood & expectations managed. He takes a commercially realistic, pragmatic approach with clients. Gareth holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts.



Areas of Expertise:
Leaky Building, Leaky Homes and other Building Disputes
Employment Law
Professional Negligence Claims
Investment Claims

Experience:
Construction Law
Commercial litigation
Employment Law
Building Act, Construction Contracts Act
Leaky Buildings
Body Corporate Disputes

Professional Activities and Appointments:
Employment Law Institute (2001 present) Associate, Arbitrators & Mediators Institute of New Zealand (2003 present) Past President - Three Kings Toastmasters

Recent Judicial Decisions:
Body Corporate 207624 v North Shore City Council SC 58/2011 [11 October 2012]

North Shore City Council v Body Corporate 188529 (Sunset Terraces) & Ors SC 27/2010 [17 December 2010]

North Shore City Council v Body Corporate 189855 & Ors CA CA506/2008 [22 March 2010]

Body Corporate 189855 & Anor v North Shore City Council & Ors HC AK CIV-2005-404-005561 [25 July 2008]

Creak v Body Corporate 180838 & Ors HC AK CIV-2005-404-445 [21 April 2008]

Standen v Waitakere City Council & Ors DC WAIT CIV:2657/04 24 April 2007

Dicks v Hobson Swan Construction Ltd (in liquidation) & Ors HC AK CIV-2004-404-1065 [22 December 2006]

De Wet v North Shore City Council & Ors WHRS No. 2109 2 October 2006

Atkins v North Shore City Council & Ors WHRS No. 5105 2 October 2006

Articles:
The leaky building legacy

The mixed-use conundrum

Payment Claims & Payment Schedules Revisited

Leaky school adds another piece to non-residential puzzle

Law Commission to reconsider joint and several liability

Supreme Court divided on damages and contribution as water rights case concludes