Our people

Michael Thornton

Barrister & Solicitor · Principal · Admitted 1987

Michael was admitted to the bar in 1987 and has commercial litigation experience gained in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. He established his own litigation practice in 2005. Before that he was a partner at a commercial law firm, in charge of its litigation department, and before that practised for eight years at a leading insurance law practice.

His principal areas of expertise are building and construction litigation, landlord and tenant law, and insurance litigation. He has dealt with building defect and leaky building cases since 1996, acting for owners of leaky houses, stand-alone dwellings and multi-unit complexes, and defending claims against developers, architects, vendors, builders, plasterers and other tradespeople.

Michael has represented clients at mediations and settlement conferences since alternative dispute resolution developed in New Zealand in the mid-1990s. He appears regularly in the courts and appeared regularly in the Weathertight Homes Tribunal before it closed to new claims.

He has discussed building law on The Resident Builder podcast with Peter Wolfkamp. Read Michael's articles →

Lisa Douglas

Litigator · Admitted 1988

Lisa was admitted to the bar in 1988 and has practised as a commercial litigator in New Zealand and England. Over more than 30 years she has helped businesses, regulatory authorities and individuals resolve disputes, from smaller claims to complex, multi-party actions.

Her recent focus has been building defect claims. She spent around 10 years exclusively representing parties in leaky building claims, in both the High Court and the Weathertight Homes Tribunal.

Lisa is a strong proponent of alternative dispute resolution and resolves many claims through mediation, negotiating settlements outside the courtroom where she can.