Arguing the Ultimate Issue in Criminal Appeals (1.25 hrs CPD)

Barrister Warren Pyke specialises in appellate advocacy. With over 27 years of experience, he has conducted upwards of 100 appeals in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.  Warren has represented defendants in a range of serious criminal matters, including homicides, fraud, conspiracy and sexual offence cases.  Warren joined the independent bar in 1994, after practising for a number of years as a solicitor in general litigation practice in Wellington and the Bay of Plenty. He has been active in the affairs of the legal profession, including serving as the convener of the New Zealand Law Society’s Courthouse committee, President of the Waikato Bay of Plenty District Law Society in 2004 and 2005 and a Vice-President of the New Zealand Law Society in 2006 and 2007.  Warren frequently acts in civil, commercial and professional disciplinary matters and he has appeared as counsel for the New Zealand Law Society in disciplinary proceedings. He is also a well-known presenter of legal education seminars and has lectured in civil procedure at Waikato University.

Hon. Tony Randerson QC is a retired Court of Appeal Judge and former Chief High Court Judge. He graduated from Auckland University with LLB (Honours) in 1972 and joined Wallace McLean Bawden & Partners (now Kensington Swan). He remained with the firm as a senior litigation partner until 1989, when he commenced practice as a barrister sole. In 1990 Mr Randerson chaired a review group that finalised the Resource Management Act 1991. He was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1996. Mr Randerson was appointed a judge of the High Court from October 1997 and in December 2004 he was appointed Chief High Court Judge. He was subsequently appointed to the Court of Appeal of New Zealand in February 2010, and retired from that court in May 2017. He is a distinguished fellow at the Law School of the University of Auckland.

Barrister James Rapley joined the independent bar in 2004, after working as a senior prosecutor for the Serious Fraud Office and Crown Solicitor’s Office for nearly ten years. He specialises in criminal defence litigation and has appeared as counsel in the District and High Courts on numerous high profile trials involving serious fraud, drug, murder, sexual crimes and other crimes of violence. He is also highly experienced in regulatory prosecutions. To date James has conducted over 140 criminal jury trials. He has appeared in over 30 Court of Appeal hearings and has been appointed by the District and High Courts as amicus curiae. James was counsel in the Royal Commission hearings on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy and the Canterbury Earthquakes. James is well known for his work as an advocacy trainer and is the Criminal Course Director for the NZBAs Mastering Advocacy Programme, a lecturer in advocacy at both the University of Canterbury in Christchurch and the University of South Pacific in Port Vila, Vanuatu and was asked to teach at the Australian Bar Association Advanced Trial Advocacy Intensive. James is also a faculty member of the NZLS Litigation Skills course. He is a Trustee on the Board of Restorative Justice Services Otautahi.