Let’s not repeal reference to the rule of law

Supreme Court judges aren’t known for their political activism. Nor are former Solicitors General. So when a man like retired Justice McGrath uses his final sitting to challenge a Bill before Parliament, you can know it’s worth a listen. So what is my concern? It is that this statutory provision affirming our nation’s commitment to […]

Aotearoa New Zealand Human Rights Lawyers Association Condemns Killing of Filipino Lawyer

The following statement appeared on the website of the Human Rights Lawyers Association of Aotearoa/NZ. Attorney Rodolfo R. Felicio, a member of the National Union of Peoples Lawyers, was gunned down while working on a land dispute in Rizal, east of Manila. Two caretakers of the disputed land were also injured in the attack. Attorney […]

Profiled in LawTalk

Issue 848 of LawTalk just published a very flattering profile of me and the work I do with the New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education. You can read it online here or in the full magazine. Young lawyer David Tong spreads himself across a plethora of different causes. Perhaps unsurprisingly one which he feels very […]

Helen Clark

Photos from last month’s Helen Clark lecture are up on the Aotearoa New Zealand Human Rights Lawyers Association Facebook page now.

Staff Solicitor, Auckland Community Law Centre

2014 – 2015 After returning to New Zealand after the Warsaw climate talks, I worked for two years as a solicitor at the Auckland Community Law Centre – which used to be called the Grey Lynn Neighbourhood Law Office. The Centre gives free legal advice to people who can’t afford it. It’s a great way to […]

In LawNews: ‘The law weighs in on animal welfare matters’

Recently the Ministry for Primary Industries released a paper for public consultation entitled “Animal Welfare Matters”, designed to provide an overview of the future direction of animal welfare standards in New Zealand. Its release coincides with a review of the existing Animal Welfare Act 1999which will consider what changes in the Act are necessary to […]

Minter Ellison press release: Lawyers pro bono work obtains animal welfare conviction

Lawyers pro bono work obtains animal welfare conviction for SPCA Aaron Lloyd and David Tong of Minter Ellison Rudd Watts yesterday obtained a conviction on behalf of the Auckland branch of the SPCA as part of the firm’s commitment to pro bono work. The District Court at Manukau convicted Alison Freemantle-Pilkington, 57, of Papakura for […]

USADA v Lance Armstrong: Reasoned decision released

As a cyclist and a lawyer, I’ve been cursorily following the USADA case against Lance Armstrong. In August, despite maintaining (falsely) that he had never failed a drug test,* Armstrong dropped his defence. Now, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has released its decision. And it’s pretty damning. This Reasoned Decision includes a summary of […]

Editor, The Solution

In 2009, soon after I graduated, lecturer Peter Sankoff and a group of University of Auckland law students established the Society of Legal Veg(etari)ans, or SoLVe. I offered to create a website and animal law blog for the society: The Solution. When SoLVe was wound up in 2010, my co-editor Vernon Tava and I agreed […]

Litigation Solicitor, Minter Ellison Rudd Watts

2010-2013 I worked as a litigator at Minter Ellison Rudd Watts for two and a half years. In that time, I did most of my work under partners Zane Kennedy and Aaron Lloyd. We secured several meaningful wins for a wide range of clients. Junior solicitor in successful appeal to Court of Appeal and successful opposition […]