Grant Nicholson
Partner
- Grant Nicholson
- Partner
- Auckland
- Health & Safety | Litigation
Widely regarded as one of New Zealand’s leading health and safety lawyers, Grant has extensive experience in all aspects of health and safety law.
He advises New Zealand and international businesses including construction and infrastructure companies, Crown entities, distributors, insurance companies, manufacturers, producers, retailers, territorial authorities, utilities companies and others on their health and safety needs.
Grant is an active member of the health and safety community, encouraging clients to go beyond compliance and rather deliver outstanding results. He regularly advises on legal compliance, safety management systems and processes, leadership and culture development and, most commonly, serious incident investigations and representation during interactions with regulators and the courts. Grant also has extensive experience in insurance and commercial litigation.
Awards
- Grant is recommended in the 2019 - 2020 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guides where clients noted him as 'having great compassion when dealing with workers involved, and providing excellent support'. He is regarded as 'extremely easy to work with'.
- Grant is ranked in the Chambers & Partners 2019 and 2020 Directories. The directory regards him as 'sought after to advise on safety'.
- Grant was ranked as a Preeminent lawyer in the 2019 Doyles Guide. This ranks him as one of only two lawyers at the top of their profession in the country.
Experience
- Advising Fletcher Steel in relation to two fatalities after separate accidents involving cranes
- Represented Linfox Logistics in the first appellate case considering interpretation of the duties in the Health and Safety at Work Act
- Advised Downer on an investigation by WorkSafe, subsequent prosecution, and agreement of an enforceable undertaking after a worker suffered a serious eye injury during roading remediation works.
- Advised McConnell Dowell on health and safety and regulatory issues arising out of the Pike River Coal Mine tragedy, including appearing as counsel in the Royal Commission of Enquiry
- Advised HEB Construction in relation to a high-profile water pipe explosion in Auckland that killed a worker from Watercare Services, and the fatal shooting of one of its workers doing 'stop and go' traffic management on State Highway 1
- Advised Hawkins Construction on regulatory investigations after a 'weather bomb' in West Auckland killed three subcontractors when pre-cast concrete panels were blown
- Advised Broadspectrum on one of the first principled considerations of legal liability for future economic loss when assessing reparation at sentencing after a workplace fatality.
- Advised an international insurer on claims against a major travel tour provider, following an accident in Asia where a tour participant was killed.
- Advised a Council Controlled Organisation on health and safety governance and how to engage with contractors
- Advised another Council Controlled Organisation on systems verification and how to manage risk in projects works.
- Advised a major hazard facility operator on the regulatory issues arising from a potential sale of its business
- Advised St John on the need for double crewing of all ambulances to improve patient and staff safety and legal compliance. This work supported St John to provide a compelling case for change to the Governments Ambulance funding review and subsequently will allow St John to commit, with the Governments increased funding, the implementation of double crewing of ambulances throughout New Zealand
- Advised an international building product supplier on how to deal with the discovery of asbestos at one of its sites, including the need for sensitive communication with affected workers and contractors and co-ordination of remedial efforts to remove the asbestos.
- Advised a major property development partnership on health and safety management and the relationship between the public-private partnership owning the development, the property managers overseeing the project and the building contractors acquiring particular blocks and building new homes
- Advised an international winemaker on its health and safety compliance activities, including Board reporting and gap analysis for additional interaction with workers and contractors.
Credentials
- LLB (HONS), University of Auckland
Admitted
- 1994 (New Zealand)
- 2002 (England and Wales)
Professional Associations
- Member of the independent Advisory Board to the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management
- Member of Auckland Standards Committee for the New Zealand Law Society
- Member of the ADLS Inc Health and Safety Law Committee
- Member of the ADLS Inc Property Disputes Committee