Simon Mount KC

• LLB(Hons), LLM - University of Auckland
• LLM (Columbia)
• Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand, Cook Islands, and Pitcairn Islands

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Simon Mount KC practises in Auckland and Wellington. He specialises in public law, criminal and regulatory law including health and safety, professional discipline and public inquiries.

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Simon began his career as a Judges Clerk in 1995, received a Fulbright Scholarship in 1997, and an LLM degree from Columbia Law School in New York in 1999. He was a Crown Prosecutor for 10 years before joining the independent bar and working primarily in the fields of public law, inquiries, regulatory law, criminal law and professional discipline. He is admitted to practise in the Cook Islands and is the Attorney-General for the Pitcairn Islands. He is an updating editor of Cross on Evidence, and a frequent author and presenter in the areas of public law, inquiries, evidence, criminal and medical law.

His expertise includes:

• Public and administrative law
• Medical and coronial law
• Civil litigation including judicial review
• Health and Safety
• Professional Discipline
• Regulatory law and fraud
• Criminal law and procedure
• Public inquiries and inquests
• Appeals
• Media law
• Privacy and official information
• International criminal law and extradition

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EQC Inquiry  

Counsel for Earthquake Commission in Dame Silvia Cartwright’s Public Inquiry into the Earthquake Commission

Commercial judicial review                      

Counsel for Heinz Watties Ltd in judicial review of MBIE tariff decision

Criminal appeal in Privy Council

Representing the Crown in complex criminal appeal in the Privy Council arising from the Pitcairn Islands.

Public Inquiries and Inquests                  

Counsel to two Royal Commissions, several Inquiries Act inquiries, non-statutory inquiries including Dame Margaret Bazley’s review of Russell McVeagh, and numerous Coroners’ Inquests. Acting as inquirer/reviewer in inquiries.

Regulatory and criminal defence            

Acting for and advising the defence in criminal and regulatory prosecutions, for example under Biosecurity Act, Immigration Act and others including fraud and extradition.

Health and Safety                                        

Counsel for defence and prosecution in many health and safety cases; advising boards and individuals about their obligations.

Professional discipline                              

Counsel for Professional Conduct Committee of New Zealand Medical Council in Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal cases.

Civil Litigation                                              

Acting and advising in various forms of civil litigation including media law, contractual disputes, public and administrative law / Treaty of Waitangi.

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• Updating author, Cross on Evidence
• Editor, The Promise of Law (2019) with Max Harris
• Consulting editor and updating author, Introduction to Advocacy (NZ Law Society 2008 and 2014)
• LegalWise Conference, “Public Law”, 2018
• Asia Pacific Coroners’ Conference, “The Intersection of the Criminal and Coronial Processes”, 2019
• NZ Bar Association, “Public Inquiries”, 2018
• LegalWise Conference, “Update on Judicial Review”, 2017
• Crown Law Seminar, Public Inquiries, 2016
• “Public Inquiries”, New Zealand Law Society, 2015
• “The use of classified information in legal proceedings”, 2015
• Presenter and/or member of organising committee, NZLS Criminal Law Symposium, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2020
• Presenter, National Crown Prosecutors’ Conference, 2010
• “Implications of the Amended Crimes Act”, Paediatric Society of New Zealand Child Protection Special Interest Group conference, 2012
• Regular presenter at Meredith Connell in-house CLE programme, 2000 – 2010
• “Criminal Appeals”, Legal Research Foundation Seminar, February 2009
• “A Criminal Cases Review Commission for New Zealand”, NZ Law Society 2008
• “Freedom of Expression”, Bill of Rights Intensive, NZ Law Society 2008
• “Freedom of Expression in the context of a criminal trial” LexisNexis 2007
• “The prosecutor and the media: balancing free speech and freedom of the press” NZ Law Society 2006
• “The Interface Between the Media and the Law”, [2006] NZLRev 413
• “The Role of the Prosecutor in New Zealand Criminal Law” Criminal Bar Association, 2005
• “Parole in New Zealand”, NZ Law Society 2004
• R v Shaheed: The Prima Facie Rule Revisited [2003] NZLRev 45