Tim Clarke

Tim leads the firm’s Government Public Law & Policy practice and has over 20 years’ experience providing public law and policy advice to major national and international corporates, key government departments, state owned enterprises and crown entities.

He is also a leading advisor on regulatory law matters (including economic regulation) across a range of industry sectors including finance, transportation, health, fisheries, food, water, ports, airports and energy.

Tim’s understanding of the political context and the machinery of government gives his clients an extra dimension to legal advice, which inspires confidence. Tim brings both a breadth of knowledge and an appreciation of complex detail to deliver innovative solutions for his clients.

Tim has advised a long list of major public entities during his career, including: Auckland Airport, Vector, Ports of Auckland, Spark, Meridian Energy, Westpac New Zealand, Pfizer, Credit Agricole and the International Rugby board to name a few.

His recent work includes advising:

• The Auckland Transition Agency on a range of legislative issues through its creation and operation.
• Watercare Services on a range of regulatory, legislative and policy issues, including the recent reforms to local government in Auckland arising from the Royal Commission.
• Ministerial Review into the electricity sector and the associated industry and regulatory reforms, and from the Mixed Ownership Model process.
• Mr and Mrs Allan Hubbard on a range of issues arising from their statutory management from 2010.
• Drafting Bills for various Members of Parliament and Political Parties.

LLB (Hons), BCom (Economics), University of Otago.
LLM (Hons), Cambridge University.

Tim is a member of the New Zealand Law Society's Continuing Professional Development Committee, and a member of the Institute of Public Administration of New Zealand, the Law and Economics Association of New Zealand, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in New Zealand, the Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation, Transparency International and the Energy Law Association of NZ.

Tim is recognised as New Zealand's Most Influential Lawyer for Government, Non-profits and Associations in the NZ Lawyer Most Influential Lawyers 2023 list and is a listed lawyer by Chambers and Partners 2022. He is a contributing author of leading text, Brookers’ Equity and Trusts in New Zealand, and is ranked as a leading public lawyer by Chambers Asia Pacific 2023. He was named 'Lawyer of the Year' by the Best Lawyers® 2022 New Zealand Guide in Public Law and is recognised in the 2024 Guide for Public Law and Government Practice. The ILO Client Choice Awards named Tim 'Public Lawyer of the Year' in 2013 and 2014. Tim is described by one of his clients as being "​one of the most connected lawyers in Wellington’s government and bureaucratic circles". 

Tim has served on the Russell McVeagh board. Prior to joining Russell McVeagh in 2005, he established and led the Public Law & Policy practice of another major New Zealand law firm.