Nathaniel is an effective litigator, with a proven track record of advocacy at all levels of the New Zealand court system (including the Supreme Court). He acts as a strategic advisor to clients, both in the context of disputes and on sensitive or high stakes projects.
Nathaniel cuts to the chase. He provides succinct, practical advice on a wide range of private and public law matters. He regularly acts on commercial, statutory, negligence and class action disputes, with notable expertise in equity and trusts. His experience includes seeking (and defending) injunctions, including worldwide ex parte freezing orders and pre-publication injunctions in the defamation context.
Nathaniel's equity and trusts practice includes acting for trustees, executors, charitable trust boards, other fiduciaries and beneficiaries across the full spectrum of disputes and applications (including Beddoe, preliminary costs order, review and directions applications). He is often briefed on cross-border matters, and is adept at working alongside offshore counsel to develop and implement a coordinated multi-jurisdictional strategy.
Nathaniel's international experience includes two years in New York, practising at Cravath, Swaine and Moore LLP and completing his Master of Laws at Columbia. He frequently writes and speaks on legal issues, particularly on equity, trusts and commercial law. He authors or co-authors (among other things) fourteen chapters of the leading New Zealand text, Equity and Trusts in New Zealand (3rd ed) (Thomson Reuters, forthcoming 2024) and the New Zealand chapter in International Trust Disputes (2nd ed) (Oxford University Press, 2020).
He is recognised in the leading directories, including Chambers and Partners (High Net Worth) 2023 where one commentator observes that "Nat Walker is a great talent, has the ability to take legal detail, is multifaceted, and has got a very good manner". In an earlier version of the directory, a different commentator described Nathaniel as "very easy to work with and very responsive".