David lives in Wellington, New Zealand's capital.  He is married and a proud father.​ 

 

David grew up in the small town of Feilding, a strong rural servicing centre located in the lower North Island of New Zealand.  He was educated at Palmerston North Boys High and completed his law degree at Otago University.   

 

David commenced his legal career in 1986 at leading national law firm Bell Gully.  David worked in Bell Gully's Wellington banking and finance and then commercial property teams over the next 9 years, and joined Bell Gully's partnership at the beginning of 1996.  As a Bell Gully partner, David worked extensively on real estate transactions and developments, construction and infrastructure projects, forestry transactions, commercial contracting and Treaty of Waitangi settlements.  

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In mid 2005, David left Bell Gully to co-found specialist legal firm Greenwood Roche Chisnall, where he practiced as a senior partner until early 2014.  Over that time, he assisted the firm to grow into a national firm with offices in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland, as well as continuing to grow his national projects and real estate practice.

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David rejoined Bell Gully as a senior partner in early 2014, to lead its Wellington projects and real estate team.  Over 2014 to the end of 2024, he led the significant growth of that team, also working closely with the Auckland partners to grow the firm's national practice.   David left Bell Gully at the end of 2024, to practice as a commercial barrister.

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Over his nearly 40 years of practice, David has assisted public and private sector clients (including overseas organisations and families investing into New Zealand) to successfully deliver many of New Zealand's most significant projects and transactions,  He is an experienced and strategic negotiator, having an eye for commercial value and risk mitigation in the big picture, as well as to the legal detail.

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