Rebecca Rose

• LLM - University of Cambridge
• BMS(Economics)
• LLB(Hons) - University of Waikato

Rebecca specialises in general civil, corporate/commercial and public law. She has acted as counsel in all of New Zealand’s higher courts and in numerous leading cases. As a results-focused barrister, Rebecca is experienced at resolving complex and high value matters as well as smaller disputes in a practical and efficient way.

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Rebecca’s practice spans a broad field of areas and industries including contract, property, corporate/commercial, insolvency, tax disputes, wills, trusts, equity, public and administrative law, judicial review, overseas investment, resource management, negligence, fair trading and insurance.

In recent years, Rebecca has led approximately 30 cases as sole or lead counsel in the Environment Court, High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court of New Zealand. She has also represented clients in numerous mediations, negotiations and major commercial arbitrations. Additionally, Rebecca has substantial junior counsel experience. She accepts instructions for both junior and senior roles.

In 2018, Rebecca won Young Private Practitioner of the Year (under 36) at the New Zealand Law Awards.

Rebecca is a previous winner of the Cleary Memorial Prize (for New Zealand’s most promising young legal practitioner) and a past Pegasus scholarship recipient. From 2010-2011, Rebecca took her LLM at Cambridge University as a WM Tapp scholar.

Before joining Bankside Chambers, Rebecca worked at Bell Gully and Chapman Tripp in Auckland (2011 – 2019) and for the Solicitor-General, David Collins QC, at the Crown Law Office, Wellington (2010). From 2008-2010, Rebecca clerked for the Rt Hon Justice Blanchard at the Supreme Court of New Zealand.

Rebecca is of Dutch and Te Atiawa (Ngati Te Whiti and Ngati Tawhirikura) descent. She is a permanent member of the Cook Islands bar. She is also a full (TEP) member of the international Society of Trust Estate Practitioners (STEP). Rebecca has written numerous writes articles in her areas of interest and regularly speaks at seminars and conferences. She is also a contributing author of Gault on Commercial Law.

Addleman v Lambie Trustee Ltd [2020] NZSC 14

Trust information disclosure proceeding regarding significant commercial assets, trustee duties, further evidence application and legal advice/litigation privilege issues.

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Commissioner of Inland Revenue v Chatfield & Co Ltd [2019] NZSC 84; [2017] NZSC 48; [2017] NZSC 118; [2019] NZCA 73; [2017] NZCA 148; [2016] NZCA 614; [2017] NZHC 3289; [2016] NZHC 2289; [2016] NZHC 1234; [2015] NZHC 2099.

Judicial review of x15 s 17 Tax Administration Act 1994 notices seeking production of wide-ranging information further to Korea/New Zealand double tax agreement; discovery and legitimate expectation issues; confidentiality of DTA request materials between states; Evidence Act 2006 and “state secrets” and public interest immunity issues.

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Framhein v Attorney-General [2018] CKCA 1

Fisheries, law of the sea, public international law and customary rights issues related to establishment by Cook Islands government of new purse seine tuna fishery.  Leave to appeal and cross-appeal to Privy Council granted.

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‍‍Speargrass Holdings Ltd v van Brandenburg [2019] NZCA 684

Property Law Act 2007, judicial review and appeal under s 120 of the Resource Management Act 1991; relief issues and interrelationship of PLA 2007 and judicial review issues with RMA 1991; non-notification of resource consent application for large-scale earthworks by QLDC; appeal, rehearing and further appeal of Environment Court decisions.

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‍Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Ltd [2014] NZHC 1616.

Court-approved scheme of arrangement effecting $240m distribution in specie and parallel IPO and listing on Singapore Stock Exchange of First Sponsor Ltd.  This transaction won both International Deal of the Year and NZ Capital Markets Deal of the Year at the 2015 Law Awards.

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Major commercial arbitrations (details confidential)

Stride Property Ltd and Stride Holdings Ltd v Westgate Town Centre Ltd (an entity connected with NZRPG) – arbitration proceedings about how large one of Stride’s four NorthWest Two buildings opposite the NorthWest shopping mall was required to be in context of Stride’s 200m+ investment in area; contract interpretation; specific performance and resource management issues.

Todd Petroleum Mining Company Ltd v Shell (Petroleum Mining) Company Ltd [2014] NZCA 507, [2015] 2 NZLR 180 (CA) – interpretation and operation of certain provisions of the Arbitration Act 1996 and their relationship with international arbitration provisions.

New Zealand Local Government Insurance Corporation Ltd (Civic Reinsurance) v AIG Insurance New Zealand Ltd (2013-2014) – various reinsurance treaty interpretation and liability and quantum issues related to Council assets covered by the LAPP programme following the Christchurch earthquakes.

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Rebecca is ranked as a Leading Barrister Sole in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific Rankings 2024 for commercial disputes: “Rebecca is amazingly astute, and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law.”

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Rebecca was ranked in the Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific 2024 Dispute Resolution – The Bar in both the High Net Worth and Tax: The Bar categories: "She is an extremely competent lawyer who provides us with not only sound legal advice but also walks us through the implications of the available options, and offers pragmatic and practical solutions."

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Rebecca was the only ranked junior/non-KC in the High Net Worth: The Bar – New Zealand practice area in Chambers Global 2021 and Chambers Asia-Pacific 2021.  

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According to the Chambers Global 2021 and Chambers Asia-Pacific 2021 guides, Rebecca “maintains a broad and highly varied practice, a unifying characteristic of many of her cases – including estate, property, tax and trust-related disputes – being that they involve high-profile individuals or high stakes. One interviewee calls her "a versatile and clever barrister with plenty of experience" while another reports: "She has a remarkable technical knowledge of a wide range of legal subjects, an incredibly high attention to detail and a court manner that demands attention."

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The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2020 recommends Rebecca for litigation and advocacy. Client comments in earlier editions note her ability to “plan and execute arguments beautifully” and that she is “exceptionally hardworking”.

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Best Lawyers 2020 and 2021 also recommends Rebecca for litigation.

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