The barrister will begin sitting in Auckland next month
Nischal Hasmukhlal Malarao has been appointed to the High Court bench as an associate judge.
The Richmond Chambers barrister begins sitting in Auckland on 8 June. His swearing-in ceremony will be held at the Auckland High Court on 10 June.
He has 24 years’ of experience in litigation tackling civil, commercial, tax and regulatory disputes. He is an expert on matters involving company and insolvency law, particularly directors’ duties.
Malarao has appeared in and overseen over 100 directors’ duties proceedings in High Court. He has also supervised liquidation and bankruptcy cases.
In 2019, he was involved in the first substantive directors’ duties case in New Zealand that went before the Supreme Court. He also helped pursue and secure outstanding debts in matters involving Companies Act 1993 and Property Law Act 2007.
Malarao has acted for Inland Revenue in complex civil disputes and prosecutions. In 2018, he was appointed to the government’s tax working group, which was chaired by Michael Cullen, to help review improvements to the country’s tax system.
He started his legal career at Chapman Tripp before making the jump to Meredith Connell in 2000. He then relocated to London to work with Lloyd’s of London’s litigation department.
In 2003, Malarao returned to Meredith Connell. He appeared in trial and appellate courts on civil and commercial matters and prosecuted criminal trials, making partner at the firm in 2010. He then became a senior litigation partner, headed up the regulatory and insolvency practice group, and served on the management board.
He joined the independent bar in July 2024. The New Zealand Law Society authorised him to accept direct instructions from clients, which have included individuals, insolvency practitioners, public and private companies, and government agencies.
Malarao has held offices in the Kshatriya Society of New Zealand. He is fluent in Hindi and Gujarati.
His appointment was announced by attorney-general Chris Bishop earlier today.
