Nicole Smith
Bay of PlentyNew Zealand
Arbitration | Arb-Med
Nationality: Irish, New Zealander
Area of Expertise: Banking and Finance, Building and Construction, Commercial, Consumer, Energy, Environmental, Financial Services, Mining, Oil and Gas, Property and Property Planning, Real Estate, Treaty
Legal System of Expertise: Common Law, International Law
Languages: English
LLB (Hons) | FCIArb | FAMINZ (Arb)
Nicole Smith is a Barrister practising in New Zealand. She is also a solicitor (admitted in England and Wales) acting as a consultant to Keystone Law (UK). She specialises in arbitration and dispute resolution, sitting as an arbitrator and also acting as an advocate. She spent 12 years in London, including 9 years in the international arbitration group at Clifford Chance. Many of her cases involve an international element; acting for NZ based companies with an international presence.
She has a particular expertise in the energy industry and has acted for a number of international energy companies on supply disputes and disputes relating to operational issues. She has acted on a number of shareholder and commercial investment disputes, many of which involve former CIS states. Nicole specialises in cross-border trade disputes, finance, energy and environmental issues and is currently representing the Mataatua District Maori Council in a claim before the Waitangi Tribunal in relation to climate change issues. She is also a member of the ICC Taskforce on Arbitration of Climate Change Related Disputes.
She is a member of the AMINZ Council, a Fellow of AMINZ and also of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.