Nicole Smith

FAMINZ (Arb)
LLB (Hons)
President of AMINZ

Nicole Smith a specialist in all aspects of arbitration, experienced dispute resolution lawyer, and the President of AMINZ as of August 2022. She joined the AMINZ Council in 2017 and held the Vice-Presidency from 2020-2022. 

Nicole sits as an arbitrator and adjudicator on New Zealand and international disputes and chairs the Investigating Panel of the NZ Registered Architects Board. Recent appointments have included disputes about the construction of a hotel, management of a sports facility, cross-lease disputes, and disputes involving issues of tikanga and whakapapa. 

 She has a strong interest in issues associated with climate change and is a member of the ICC Task Force on Disputes involving Climate Related issues and has worked with the IBA on climate change issues. She also recently authored a chapter on a claim before the Waitangi Tribunal on climate change issues. 

Nicole worked for four years in the litigation group at Simpson Grierson and 9 years in the international arbitration group of Clifford Chance in London. She set up as an independent arbitration consultant in 2006. She was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in New Zealand in 1993 and was admitted in the UK in 2000. She is a Fellow (Arb) of AMINZ and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (United Kingdom).

 She is the author of the NZ report on the Recognition and Enforcement of New York Convention Awards (ICC Special Supplement). 

Nicole is based in Tauranga and practices as a Barrister sole from Mauao Chambers.

Council Projects and Roles

Membership Admissions, Arbitration Subject Matter Specialist, International Arbitration Subject Matter Specialist, Review of the AMINZ Rules, Conference Committee, Developing College of Law Education Course