The Honourable David Goddard KC

Resolving Disputes

David Goddard KC is available to assist people to resolve disputes as a mediator, arbitrator, adjudicator or expert adviser, drawing on four decades of experience in the law and dispute resolution.

David was appointed direct to the New Zealand Court of Appeal in 2019. He retired from the bench in July 2025.  

David has been appointed as a Judge of the Singapore International Commercial Court with effect from 5 January 2026.

During his time as a New Zealand judge David led development of the Digital Strategy for Courts and Tribunals adopted by the New Zealand judiciary in March 2023. He was the judicial lead for the new digital case management solution and portal for the courts of New Zealand (Te Au Reka). He continues in that role following his retirement from the bench. 

David was also the chair of the New Zealand judiciary’s Legislation and Law Reform Committee, and of the joint judiciary/Ministry of Justice Information and Digital Governance Committee. In 2025 he led a project for the New Zealand judiciary on the future of the courts.   

Before his appointment as a judge David had a wide-ranging litigation practice, with a focus on appellate litigation. He was recognised as a leading (Band 1) silk in the Chambers and Partners guide.

From 2011 to 2019 David was a member of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal (Acting President 2018 to 2019).

Designing Laws

David Goddard KC is available to assist with legal design and law reform projects, drawing on his practical experience and research in this field.  

Before his appointment as a judge David had an extensive involvement in law reform in New Zealand and overseas, advising ministers and government agencies, representing New Zealand in bilateral and multilateral negotiations, and drafting legislation and international agreements. He co-designed the Trans-Tasman court proceedings regime. He was the President of the HCCH Diplomatic Session that adopted the HCCH Judgments Convention, and a Vice-President and member of the Drafting Committee for the HCCH Choice of Court Convention. 

David is a Professorial Fellow in the University of Melbourne Law School, teaching an intensive LLM  course on Designing Effective Legislation. He is an International Fellow of the Singapore Judicial College. 

David’s current research interests focus on legislative design and the implications of digital technology for the design of law and the delivery of justice. He is the author of Making Laws That Work: How Laws Fail and How We Can Do Better (Hart Publishing, 2022).

David received a first class honours degree in mathematics from Victoria University of Wellington, where he was awarded the Sir Robert Stout Scholarship for the best first degree across all faculties. He received a first class honours degree in law from Oxford University, where he studied on a Rhodes Scholarship.

David’s work experience includes:

  • Judge of the New Zealand High Court and Court of Appeal (2019-2025)

  • Senior Global Fellow from Practice and Government, NYU Law School (2018-2019)

  • Practice as a barrister (1999-2019) – appointed Queen’s Counsel 2003

  • Partnership in a leading New Zealand law firm (1991-1998)

  • Part-time employment as Special Counsel – International in the New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development (2001-2003)

  • Lecturer in law at Bristol University (1986-1988) and part-time teaching at Monash University, Victoria University of Wellington and Melbourne University.

Curriculum Vitae

Education and Experience

Contact

Please fill in the contact form or email DG@goddardkc.nz