Oliver Neas Barrister

Oliver Neas

+64 27 3701333
oliver@oliverneas.co.nz

Oliver has a broad range of litigation experience, with a particular focus on criminal, human rights, and administrative and public law. He appears in the District Court and High Court frequently for clients facing criminal charges, assists clients seeking compensation on human rights matters, and has appeared as junior counsel in the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and in specialist tribunals.

Before joining the bar in 2021, Oliver worked in commercial litigation at Chapman Tripp and as a legal aid criminal defence lawyer at the Public Defence Service. He is approved to take direct instructions and to provide legal aid services for civil claims and for criminal matters to a PAL2 level.

Areas of expertise

  • Examples of Oliver’s experience in civil litigation include:

    • Appeared as junior counsel for the plaintiffs (purchasers) on a negligence and misrepresentation claim against a major real estate company in proceedings before the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court (Routhan v PGG Wrightson Real Estate Ltd [2021] NZHC 3585, [2023] NZCA 123, [2025] NZSC 68).

    • Appeared as junior counsel for a claimant seeking recognition orders at the High Court under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 (Re Taueki (Ngāti Tamarangi) & Ors [2025] NZHC 1488).

    • Obtained compensation for a climate activist who was unlawfully detained by police.

    • Acting for a non-governmental organisation in declaratory judgment proceedings before the High Court regarding public access rights and roading law.

    • Acting for the plaintiffs in a claim in public nuisance relating to obstructions of a public road.

    • Appeared as junior counsel in declaratory judgment proceedings before the High Court and Court of Appeal regarding the Department of Conservation’s powers to authorise shark-cage diving under the Wildlife Act 1953.

    • Assisted senior counsel in a significant contract law case before the High Court involving a US$40m debt claim.

    • Assisted senior counsel in an application before the Māori Land Court for the exercise of the Chief Judge's special powers in relation to rights in the Titi Islands.

  • Oliver’s experience in criminal law include:

    • Acting for clients at all stages of criminal proceedings, including successfully defending clients at trial facing serious offending.

    • Representing clients in the High Court on successful appeals against conviction and sentence.

    • Assisting senior counsel on complex criminal trials and appeals, including on high-profile murder and drug-supply cases.

    • Advancing successful applications for discharge without conviction (s 106 of the Sentencing Act 2002), substitution of mandatory driving disqualification with community-based sentence (s 94 of the Land Transport Act 1998), cancellation of alcohol interlock sentence, and name suppression.

  • Examples of other matters Oliver has worked on include:

    • Assisted senior counsel in advising various public entities and professional bodies.

    • Advised, alongside senior counsel, a national sporting body on its obligations in relation to athletes under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

    • Assisted senior counsel in investigating complaints about a public body on the instruction of a government minister.

    • Acted as junior counsel for an Olympics non-selection challenge before the Sports Tribunal.