James Cowan was promoted to partner at Anderson Lloyd's Dunedin employment team after more than eight years with the firm. He holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, politics and economics from the University of Otago, and spent six years in Auckland at a large commercial law firm before moving into a specialist forensic and financial crime role at Deloitte. He returned to Dunedin in 2018 and has since built a practice spanning workplace investigations, health and safety, restraint of trade, restructuring, privacy and protected disclosures. In this interview, Cowan makes a direct case for regional legal practice, describing the Otago business environment, the discipline required in investigation work and the career advice he would give any lawyer weighing up life outside the main centres.
James Cowan, partner at Anderson Lloyd's Dunedin office, says Dunedin offers strong career opportunities alongside a lifestyle the main centres cannot match. His commute is four minutes by car or 15 minutes on foot, and his family can reach Central Otago, the Maniototo or the Otago Peninsula on weekends. He is direct about the quality of the work: 'It certainly doesn't feel like we are missing out on interesting high-quality work by working in a smaller city.' For Cowan, regional practice is a genuine professional path rather than a compromise.
Cowan graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in philosophy, politics and economics, then spent six years in Auckland, first at a large commercial law firm and then at Deloitte in a specialist forensic and financial crime role. He returned to Dunedin in 2018 to re-enter legal practice at Anderson Lloyd, broadening both his client base and the scope of his work. 'I moved back to Dunedin because this is where I wanted to spend my time and live my life,' he says. He was promoted to partner after more than eight years with the firm.
Anderson Lloyd's Dunedin employment team consists of seven lawyers, led by Cowan and fellow partner John Farrow, and works closely with the Christchurch employment practice led by AJ Lodge. Cowan's own work spans workplace investigations, health and safety, restraint of trade, restructuring, privacy and protected disclosures. His clients range from individual employees and small local businesses to some of Otago's largest employers by headcount, giving the team a broad spread across the region's economy.
Cowan conducts and advises on investigations involving allegations of fraud, bullying, harassment, conflicts of interest and corruption. He says the discipline the work demands is often underestimated: 'Workplace investigation work requires real discipline to be efficient, objective and to make useful findings, and good-quality interviewing in particular takes a lot of practice.' He also stresses the importance of reading broader organisational context, because investigations ripple into culture, reputation and relationships well beyond the immediate parties involved.
Cowan says lawyers should choose where they want to live before they choose the role, and that regional practice rewards those who build a broad skill set early in their careers. 'For those considering life outside Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch, it's also worth thinking about maintaining a breadth of experience, particularly in the earlier stages of your career,' he explains. In smaller centres, a wider range of competencies directly serves clients whose legal needs do not fit neatly into a single specialism, making generalist depth a practical advantage.
Anderson Lloyd traces its origins to the South Island, and Cowan argues that heritage shapes how the firm operates day to day. The Dunedin team values humility, directness and practical advice over theoretical analysis. 'We are not flashy down here, and you would not get far in Dunedin without humility,' he says. Team stability reinforces that culture: many of Cowan's employment colleagues have been with the firm as long as or longer than he has, giving the practice a consistency that clients notice.
Cowan describes the Otago business community as collaborative and punching above its weight, anchored by the University of Otago and a growing technology and innovation sector. Anderson Lloyd acts for a number of the region's home-grown success stories. Networking operates at a scale where professional connections form quickly and local achievements are recognised. 'There is a real sense in Otago that you can build something genuinely world-class here,' Cowan says, pointing to the region as fertile ground for lawyers who want close client relationships and a tangible stake in local growth.
James Cowan, LLB, BA (Philosophy, Politics and Economics), University of Otago — partner, Anderson Lloyd (Dunedin employment team). Grew up in Dunedin; studied law and arts at the University of Otago; spent six years in Auckland at a large commercial law firm and subsequently at Deloitte in a specialist forensic and financial crime role; returned to Dunedin in 2018 to re-enter legal practice at Anderson Lloyd; promoted to partner after more than eight years with the firm; specialises in workplace law, employment investigations, health and safety, restraint of trade, restructuring, privacy and protected disclosures.
