Our People

Susan is the Managing Partner of Dundas Street.

With over 25 years of experience as a specialist employment lawyer, her experience and formidable reputation combine to make her a respected advocate and adviser, whether around the bargaining table, acting in disputes or appearing before the Court.

Susan is seen as the "go to" lawyer for complex and strategic high profile matters and her work is largely at Chief Executive / Board level.

Susan is ranked as one of the top two employment lawyers in New Zealand by international ratings agency Chambers and Partners.

Susan is regularly quoted in the media and writes a column for Stuff / DominionPost. She is the editor of the leading employment law publication, the Employment Law Bulletin.

Blair has over 20 years' experience as a specialist employment lawyer and was a founding Partner at Dundas Street. 

Having spent time working in-house, including in the public sector, he understands organisational drivers and how to use them effectively in the employment arena.

It is this depth of practical experience that enables him to provide valuable strategic and business focused advice.

Blair is consistently engaged in high-profile work in a range of sectors. He has developed particular expertise in the areas of Privacy and Health and Safety.

A sought after trainer and speaker at industry conferences, Blair is also regularly quoted in the media.

International rating agency Chambers and Partners recognises Blair as one of a select group of Band 3 Practitioners.

Ros' significant experience both within the firm and in-house gives her a highly practical approach and allows her to deliver strategic and business focussed outcomes for clients in a way that recognises and manages risk.

This is invaluable to the Dundas Street practice where she leads a number of key public and private sector relationships.

Ros has considerable Industrial Relations experience which supports the strong leadership position that Dundas Street has in this space.

In addition her attention to detail and ability to write succinctly makes Ros a highly respected investigator.

Ros is a skilled trainer and leads the advanced level "Termination of employment " course for Human Resources practitioners on behalf of the HRINZ.

She is individually rated by international agency Chambers and Partners as a Band 4 practitioner.

David has significant experience working as a specialist in all aspects of employment law.

He works with a number of private and public sector agencies including conducting complex investigations and providing strategic advice.

David is pragmatic and solutions focused and works closely with his clients to understand their circumstances and deliver the outcomes they require.

David is a skilled trainer and leads the "Practical Employment Law" course for Human Resources professional development on behalf of Human Resources Institute of NZ.

David is recognised by international ratings agency Chambers and Partners as an Up and Coming leader in his field.

Chloe is a specialist employment lawyer and has worked exclusively in this area throughout her career.

She has significant experience acting for both employers and employees and is well versed in the legislation affecting the application of employment law.

Chloe builds and maintains strong relationships with her clients, is pragmatic and analytical and has an unswerving commitment to excellence.

Chloe is recognised by international ratings agency Legal 500 as a "Rising Star" of New Zealand employment law.

She regularly provides expert commentary in the media, designed professional development in employment law at conferences, presents seminars and webinars and is on the editorial board of the Employment Law Bulletin.

Megan is a highly skilled lawyer and has significant experience in all aspects of employment law. She has a special interest in pay equity and has become the “go to” lawyer in the areas of pay equity and equal pay. She is a recognised subject matter expert in this specialised and complex area.

She has worked both within the firm and in-house in both central and local government.

Megan’s approach is both practical and academic, providing straightforward advice on all aspects of employment law with the ability to delve more deeply into emerging issues when necessary.

Barnaby is a highly qualified and experienced lawyer who has expertise across a broad range of areas, and advises his employer and employee clients on a wide range of issues. Prior to joining Dundas Street in 2017, Barnaby developed several years of valuable public sector experience, and this in-house experience means he knows how to partner with managers to deliver the right outcome for the business.

Barnaby regularly attends mediation and achieves successful outcomes for his clients. Barnaby has valuable litigation skills, and has appeared in courts at all levels, including appearances in the Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

Ngāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha

Alice joined the Dundas Street whānau in 2019 and quickly progressed into an Associate role, reflecting her technical and strategic abilities. She builds strong relationships with clients and successfully navigates complex issues; Alice intuitively adapts to provide advice that is legally sound but also tailored to the unique circumstances of every case. 

Alice has become a trusted advisor due to her unique approach to practice which is underpinned by manaaki and empowering clients to make informed decisions.  Alice is an active member of Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa (Māori Law Society) and was recently engaged as co-counsel by the Society to provide submissions to the Employment Court on the role of tikanga in employment law on their behalf.

In 2022, Alice returned to Te Waipounamu to embrace her Ngāi Tahutanga and work with her iwi as they work toward achieving intergenerational aspirations.  Alice remains with Dundas Street as a Consultant and is available to be engaged on specific matters.  

Jack Rainbow – Associate

Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa (Tapuika)

Jack has a strong interest in employment relations, dispute resolution and providing high-level, strategic advice. He partners closely with his clients, providing advice and assistance from end to end on a range of complex matters.

Jack is a skilled problem solver, and tailors his approaches to ensure he gets the right outcome for his clients.

Prior to joining Dundas Street, Jack worked for a specialist Māori legal firm focusing on issues relating to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Waitangi Tribunal claims. 

Experience

• Secondment to the Technical Advisory Services, now Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand: provided legal assistance across a range of areas including collective bargaining, industrial action, restructuring and pay equity.
• Secondment to the Department of Corrections: provided legal advice, support and representation on a range of employment issues, including in relation to collective agreements, restructuring and Holidays Act 2003 compliance.
• Co-counsel for Te Hunga Roia Māori o Aotearoa, the Māori Law Society in Employment Court proceedings, provided submissions on behalf of the intervenor on the place of tikanga Māori in employment law in the context of non-publication orders.
• Acting as an external investigator to investigate allegations of serious misconduct.

Publications

Jack is a board member of the Employment Law Bulletin, and regularly writes articles for the Employment Law Bulletin and Human Resources Institute of New Zealand, as well as co-ordinating the topics and other authors.  

He also regularly appears in the news media commenting on employment law issues.

Prior to setting up the firm with Susan, Helen had a commercial background as an Account Director primarily in the IT&T sector.

She is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the marketing and commercial side of the business leaving the Partners to focus on the legal team and the quality of the work they produce.

Esther is responsible for the day to day running of the firm. It's a big responsibility keeping everyone in line!

Esther is the first port of call into our business - any query big or small she will either be able to assist you or find someone who can.

Annalise joined Dundas Street in August 2023 and shares the role of Office Manager with Esther. You will usually find her on duty Thursday and Fridays.

With extensive experience in medical administration, as well as running her own small business, Annalise delivers a positive boost to our team.