Jack Wass

Practice Areas

Jack is a civil and commercial litigator with a specialty in cross-border disputes. His practice includes contractual matters, trusts, company and insolvency law, property, construction and administrative law. He has appeared before the Courts at all levels, including the Supreme Court.

Jack is a leading expert on private international law, public international law and arbitration. He has acted in these matters before the New Zealand courts and international tribunals. He is the co-author of The Conflict of Laws in New Zealand, New Zealand's first comprehensive text on private international law in New Zealand and the joint winner of the JF Northey Memorial Book Award for 2020.

Publications

- The Conflict of Laws in New Zealand (LexisNexis, 2020) (with Maria Hook). This is the first comprehensive textbook on the subject in New Zealand, and has been cited with approval by the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

- "Jurisdiction by Estoppel and Acquiescence in International Courts and Tribunals" (2016) 86 British Yearbook of International Law.

- Multiple articles in the New Zealand Law Journal, including "Interim relief in support of foreign arbitrations and judicial proceedings" [2017] NZLJ 134; "The Employment Relations Act and its effect on contracts governed by foreign law" [2017] NZLJ 80 (with Maria Hook); "Reform of choice of law rules for tort" [2017]NZLJ 27 (with Maria Hook); "Contribution between solvent and insolvent tortfeasors" [2014] NZLJ 332.

- "The Situs of Insurance Debts" (2014) 20(4) New Zealand Business Law Quarterly 221.

- “The Court’s In Personam Jurisdiction in Cases Involving Foreign Land” (2014) 63(1) International and Comparative Law Quarterly 103.

- Butterworths Student Companion: Land Law (LexisNexis, Wellington, 2013)