ABOUT
Polly has particular expertise in commercial, construction, insolvency, and financial regulatory law. Polly has been instructed to act in matters in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, as well as arbitrations, adjudications and mediations. Polly is frequently appointed to resolve disputes as an arbitrator and adjudicator.
She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Ciarb) and the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ). (See Polly’s Expertise page for a full list of her credentials and appointments.)
Polly undertakes pro bono work with Community Law Centres through Te Ara Ture. She has been a member of the Faculty of the NZ Law Society CLE’s acclaimed Litigation Skills course since 2015, and co-founded Women in Restructuring and Insolvency. Polly is a member of Global Women. Outside of the office, she can be found at the Piha Surf Lifesaving Club.
Polly moved to the independent bar after over a decade as a partner at leading commercial law firm Russell McVeagh, including a term as Chair of the Partnership. This experience allows her to bring a highly commercial and strategic approach to her work. She thrives on being in the courtroom, but her focus is on outcomes for her clients.
QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours, University of Otago
Masters of International Relations with Distinction, Victoria University of Wellington
Barrister sole, New Zealand
Solicitor, England and Wales
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK)
Fellow (Arb), Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ)
Mediating the Litigated Case, Pepperdine University, California
CAREER HISTORY
2012–2023 Partner, Russell McVeagh
2020: Elected Partnership Chair
2023 Barrister sole from 1 December 2023
2009–2012 Senior Solicitor then Senior Associate, Russell McVeagh
2005–2009 Senior Associate, Clifford Chance LLP, London
2003–2005 Solicitor then Senior Solicitor, Russell McVeagh
2001–2003 Associate, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, London
1999–2001 Solicitor, Russell McVeagh
AWARDS AND RANKINGS
2023–2026 Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific and Global Guides – ranked in 2023 for both Dispute Resolution and Insolvency and Restructuring.
2026 Doyle’s Guide – recognised as a Preeminent Construction and Infrastructure Law Barrister and Leading Insolvency and Restructuring Barrister in New Zealand.
2022 and 2025 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guides – ranked as a Leading Individual in Restructuring and Insolvency, and Real Estate and Construction in the 2022 Guide. In 2025 she was recognised for her expertise in commercial, insolvency, construction, and financial regulatory enforcement disputes and investigations, and excellent client manner.
2023 IFLR1000 – ranked as ‘Highly Regarded’ for Restructuring and Insolvency.
2024 Best Lawyers® Guide – for Litigation, Insolvency and Reorganisation.
2023 Benchmark Litigation Guide – recognised as a ‘Litigation Star’.
2021 Asia Women in Business Law Awards – awarded Best in Insolvency and Restructuring.
2018 Received the Sir Ronald Davison Award for Excellence in Arbitration Fellowship.
CASE HIGHLIGHTS
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Lead counsel for Aotearoa Disability Law Inc (ADL) in the Supreme Court. These appeals, heard together, considered the employment status of two parents who care for adult disabled family members in their family homes. Key issues on appeal were the tests to be met under the definition of “homeworker” in the Employment Relations Act 2000 constituting an employment relationship, and the meaning of “work” in the context of a homeworker working overnight in the home.
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Counsel for AMINZ in the Court of Appeal. AMINZ was granted leave to intervene in this appeal. This case is significant as the first consideration by the appellate courts of the power to order parties to engage in mediation and/or arbitration under s 145 of the Trusts Act 2019.
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Lead counsel for two former directors in proceedings brought by shareholders alleging oppressive conduct and breach of directors’ duties, and seeking relief claimed to be worth up to US$4.6 billion.
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Lead counsel for Garcha Brothers Limited in a case concerning misrepresentation by a commercial landlord.
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AMINZ’s intervention assisted in establishing that the possibility of alternative dispute resolution can be a relevant consideration in ordering that questions of law be determined before trial.
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Instructed by ASB to lead the solicitor team acting for ASB in the Simons v ANZ & ASB class action proceedings brought under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003.
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Lead counsel for AIA New Zealand Ltd in one of the first civil proceedings brought under the fair dealing provisions of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013.
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This case has been the subject of academic commentary for its consideration of the application of consumer protection statutes to overseas companies (for instance [2022] NZLJ 201).
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Beacham European Ltd v 491 GSR Ltd [2025] NZHC 3059 (property, costs)
Wagner v B Property Group Limited [2024] NZHC 1305; [2023] NZHC 3230; [2023] NZHC 1898 (shareholder dispute; non party costs)
Talleys Group Ltd v Biomex Trustees Ltd [2022] NZHC 86 (non-party discovery)
Fisk v BW Offshore Singapore PTE Limited [2020] NZHC 1134 (receivership)
Open Country Dairy Limited v Commerce Commission [2020] NZHC 334 (judicial review, regulation)
Reserve Bank of New Zealand v CBL Insurance Limited [2018] NZHC 2969 (insolvency)
Thode v Turners and Growers Horticulture Limited [2018] NZHC 2234 (discovery, tort)
Heartland Bank Ltd v Heartland Group Holdings Ltd [2018] NZHC 2725 (demerger)
Fiordland Discovery Limited v Challenge Marine Limited [2017] NZHC 1376 (arbitration, construction)
Whittman v UCI Holdings Limited [2016] NZHC 1228 (cross border insolvency)
Re Nuplex Industries [2016] NZHC 1677 (takeover by scheme of arrangement)
Re Salamanca Investments Ltd; Wellington City Council v Registrar of Companies [2015] NZHC 572; [2015] 3 NZLR 411 (insolvency, building)
Legends of Bathurst Limited v Hobbs [2014] NZHC 2080 (cross border insolvency)
TFG Society Incorporated v Chief Executive of Land Information New Zealand [2014] NZHC 1196 (judicial review, regulation)
TFG Society Incorporated v Chief Executive of Land Information New Zealand [2014] NZHC 604 (judicial review, regulation)
Lion – Beer, Spirits & Wines (NZ) Ltd v Pernod Ricard New Zealand Ltd [2013] NZCA 625 (contract, mergers and acquisitions)
Body Corporate 85978 v Wellington City Council [2013] NZHC 2852 (limitation of actions, building)
Pernod Ricard New Zealand Limited v Lion – Beer, Spirits & Wine (NZ) Limited [2012] NZHC 2801 (contract, mergers and acquisitions)
Re Telecom [2012] (scheme of arrangement)
Eagle v Petterson HC Auckland [2011] NZHC 1796 (insolvency)
Pernod Ricard New Zealand v Lion-Beer Spirits & Wine (NZ) Limited HC Auckland [2011] NZHC 1770 (discovery)
Queenstown Community Strategic Assets Group Trustee Limited v Queenstown Lakes District Council [2011] NZHC 231 (discovery, judicial review)
Alexander v Wetherell [2010] NZHC 1441 (insolvency)
Alexander v Wetherell [2010] NZHC 1281 (insolvency)
Braemar Lodge 2004 Limited (in rec) v Qwers [2010] NZCA 300; (2010) 10 NZCLC 264,703 (securities)
PUBLICATIONS
Co-author, “New Zealand”, IBA Toolkit on Arbitration and Insolvency (International Bar Association, 2026) (forthcoming).
Updates Editor, Arbitration, Sim’s Court Practice, online (LexisNexis, 2016 – 2023).
Polly Pope “Pay a little later: Shundi Customs Ltd v Green and relief from adjudication determinations” [2025] NZBldLaw QJI 11; (2025) 58 BuildLaw 4.
Amelia Cina and Polly Pope "Arbitration: Challenging jurisdiction and anti-suit provisions in New Zealand" (Practice Note, LexisPSL, 2023).
Amelia Cina and Polly Pope "Arbitration: State immunity in New Zealand" (Practice Note, LexisPSL, 2023).
Polly Pope, “Arbitration and iwi disputes: Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu v Attorney- General”, [2022] NZReSoln 26; (2022) 33 ReSolution.
Kirsten Massey, Chris Curran and Polly Pope, “Collective Redress and Class Actions – New Zealand” (Chambers and Partners, 2022).
Cameron Hassall and Polly Pope, “International Commercial Arbitration Practice in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands” in Horacio A. Grigera Naon and Paul E. Mason (eds), International Commercial Arbitration Practice: 21st Century Perspectives (LexisNexis, 2021).
Polly Pope, Emmeline Rushbrook and Kylie Dunn, “New Zealand”, in Judith Seddon and others, Practitioners’ Guide to Cross Border Investigations (Global Investigations Review, 2020).
Polly Pope, Sharnika Leleni and Lily Leishman, “Arbitration and Access to Civil Justice in Aotearoa” (2021) 27(2) Auckland U L Rev 67.
Anna Crosbie and Polly Pope, “Construction – Case Law Update” (NZLS CLE Seminar, 2020).
Polly Pope and Lauren Lindsay “Confidentiality in Commercial Litigation and Arbitration” (NZLS CLE Seminar, 2019).
Polly Pope and Emmeline Rushbrook, “Consumer Credit”, in Laws of New Zealand (LexisNexis, 2017).
Polly Pope and Catherine Marks, “Advising Clients in Public Inquiries – New Challenges”, LawTalk 864, 2015.
Angela Goodwin, Sally Fitzgerald, Polly Pope, Camille Butters, “Privilege: boundaries and beyond”, (Auckland District Law Society Inc Seminar, 2015).
IN THE MEDIA
The articles below include some of Polly's achievements, work, and opinion pieces.
"Polly Pope is a highly experienced, Auckland-based disputes practitioner with an impressively varied track record of work in fields as diverse as agribusiness, construction and financial services." – Client testimonial, Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific Guide