Douglas Mitchell

Senior Associate

Douglas Mitchell joined Turner Hopkins in 2008 and has been in practice since 2000. He is a member of the litigation team and specialises in transport, insurance and civil litigation. He has extensive experience in all areas of transport litigation such as Land Transport Act prosecutions (including excess breath/blood alcohol and careless/dangerous driving offences), road user charges offences, Carriage of Goods Act claims, cargo claims, Maritime Transport Act, international carriage of goods by both sea and air and vessel arrests. He acts for a number of freight forwarders and transport operators. Douglas was made a Senior Associate of the firm in 2010.

Douglas has considerable experience in civil litigation including breach of contract and tort disputes. He has acted for insurers providing indemnity advice and pursuing recoveries.

He often defends Health & Safety in Employment Act and Resource Management Act prosecutions.

Douglas regularly appears at all levels of Courts and Tribunals from initial appearances through to defended hearings (trials), sentencing and appeals.

“I enjoy assisting clients in resolving disputes.  Litigation can be stressful, time consuming and costly. I aim to provide realistic, practical advice in a timely and economic manner. I thrive on dispute resolution whether through a negotiated settlement or with Court intervention.”

Douglas is a member of the Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand, the New Zealand Insurance Law Association and is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

Contact: douglas@turnerhopkins.co.nz