Alex joined Gilbert Walker in 2025, having returned to New Zealand after nearly six years as a senior associate at the London office of the global disputes firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. Previously, he worked for eight years in the litigation team at Russell McVeagh.
Alex acts on a broad and varied range of civil and commercial disputes, with particular expertise in contractual claims (including warranty disputes), disputes involving fraud, and disputes arising out of complex insolvency and restructuring situations. As part of Quinn Emanuel’s highly regarded insolvency and restructuring team, he was listed as a “key lawyer” in both the 2023 and 2024 editions of the UK Legal 500. While in the UK, he was also a contributing author to the 2nd edition of International Asset Tracing in Insolvency (OUP, 2025).
BA / LLB (Hons) – University of Auckland, 2011
Admitted to the NZ High Court - 2012
Acting for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a United States government regulator, in proceedings against six of the world’s largest banks, in relation to alleged manipulation of the LIBOR rate during the Global Financial Crisis
Acting against a global professional services firm in an audit negligence action arising out of the collapse of Carillion Plc, then the UK’s largest construction company. At the time this case was filed, it was the largest ever audit negligence claim brought in England
Acting for the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer in a multi-billion dollar contractual dispute with a major global airline, in a dispute involving allegations of fraud
Acting for Fonterra in successfully defending a judicial review brought by one of its competitors, challenging the setting of the Milk Price and the Commerce Commission’s review of that price
Acting for a high yield noteholder in a complex contractual dispute arising out of the contentious restructuring of a German heating and cooling systems company. In addition to proceedings in England, this case involved strategic advice on ongoing proceedings in New York, Luxembourg and Germany
Acting for an Indian-headquartered multi-national conglomerate in defending multi-billion dollar fraud allegations, including successfully resisting the imposition of a worldwide freezing order in London. In addition to the UK proceedings, this case involved strategic advice on claims brought in New York, the Cayman Islands, Mauritius, and India
Acting for a hedge fund in a multi-billion dollar restructuring dispute arising out of the collapse of Steinhoff International, a South African retail conglomerate, in challenging the restructuring proceedings in England, the Netherlands, and South Africa
Acting for the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine in complex multi-billion dollar litigation adverse to the Russian Federation in respect of sovereign bonds issued by Ukraine in 2013
Acting for AerCap, the world’s largest aircraft leasing company, in a multi-million dollar dispute regarding the relationship between letters of credit and the UK’s Russian sanctions regime
Acting for the administrators in respect of New Zealand’s longest running voluntary administration, which involved numerous novel applications to the High Court, including acting in a leading case clarifying the powers of interim liquidators under New Zealand law
Acting for a major global hedge fund in an expert determination and associated High Court warranty proceedings against General Electric, arising out of the acquisition of a manufacturer of large gas engines
Acting on several successful New Zealand schemes of arrangement in respect of certain of New Zealand’s largest ever commercial transactions, including the acquisition of Trade Me, the demerger of Trustpower, and the corporate re-organisation of Heartland Bank
