Charlene Fairnie

Charlene is a senior associate in the commercial litigation group. She specialises in commercial and construction litigation.

Her commercial litigation experience includes debt recovery, contract, insurance, negligence, and property disputes. She also has experience in all types of dispute resolution, including court hearings, adjudications, mediations and negotiations.

Charlene has extensive experience in 'leaky building' litigation. Her experience includes the management and conduct of complex proceedings involving multi-unit (residential) developments. She has also had sole conduct of more than 50 mediations as well as assisting in others.

Examples of Work

• Home-owners (including owners of multi-unit developments), developers, architects, builders or project managers - "leaky building" claims both in the High Court and Weathertight Homes Tribunal
• Local authorities (both insured and self-insuring) - "leaky building" litigation
• Tax avoidance litigation concerning cross-border structured finance transactions
• Arbitrations involving compensation claims in respect of a number of significant Public Works Act land acquisitions

Other Credentials

• Laws of New Zealand Building and Construction - Co-author
• Building Law in New Zealand - Co-author