Rhys joined Gault Mitchell Law in April 2026. He was previously a commercial partner at a Lower Hutt firm.
Rhys is a specialist commercial and property lawyer. He has a particular interest in working with supermarket owners, and does a lot of work with property developers. Rhys takes a practical, client-centric approach to his work. His judgement is his biggest strength, and he strives to make things easy for clients he works with.
Rhys brings an international perspective to Gault Mitchell Law, having spent 5 years working in London. He worked on mergers and acquisitions and equity and capital markets transactions at Norton Rose. Prior to his return to New Zealand, Rhys worked for the U.K.’s financial services regulator on a trans-Atlantic insider trading investigation.
Rhys has held a governance role in a charitable organisation and sits on the board of a primary health organisation.
Rhys has spent two ski seasons in North America, where he became an avid follower of American sports. Most of his spare time is spent with his young family. Rhys grew up on a farm in West Otago.
Qualifications
Rhys studied at the University of Otago, where he graduated with degrees in law and commerce (economics). Rhys was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 2005.
Rhys also holds a Level 4 Diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust in London, which is a precursor to Master of Wine study.
Main areas of practice
- Business sales/purchase and structures (including shareholders agreements and limited partnerships)
- Commercial contracts
- Franchising
- Commercial sale and purchase of property
- Subdivisions and property development
- Commercial leasing
- Business finance
