James Cochrane

James is a partner in our Dispute Resolution and Litigation team. He has significant banking and finance, insolvency, and insurance experience. He is also passionate about cryptocurrency/crypto-assets and Web3 technology.

James identifies problems before they arise and provides pragmatic solutions. Whether you’re involved in a complex commercial dispute or a matter of personal importance, James has a range of experience, skills and connections to help you achieve the outcome that you want.

James is experienced in alternative dispute resolution and regularly represents clients in courts and tribunals. He represents a range of clients, from individuals and start-ups through to large multinational corporates.

In addition to working on some of New Zealand’s most notable insolvencies, and being involved in a range of high-profile commercial and insurance-related matters, James has advised many clients interested in digital assets. These include insolvency practitioners; private wealth clients in relation to litigation, tax, asset acquisition, structuring, protection and property transfer; and businesses in relation to NFTs, gaming, crypto- mining, capital raising, structuring/decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs), and the regulatory landscape.

James also acts for a number of significant credit management clients, including being a leading provider of debt recovery litigation services to an Australasian non-bank B2B lender, an ASX listed fintech / receivables management group, various building products suppliers including one listed on the ASX, and a multinational financial services provider in the automotive industry which is also listed on the ASX.

James is a former member of the Executive Council for Blockchain NZ, a leading digital assets industry group. He is co-author of the New Zealand chapter for two comparative legal guides for blockchain technology. He is a member of RITANZ the leading insolvency industry group; and a founding member of NZICM, an industry group for credit management professionals. James is also a frequent guest lecturer on the topics of personal property securities and digital assets at the Auckland University of Technology Law Faculty.

James has been noted as a “Recommended Lawyer” in Dispute Resolution for 2024 and for 2025 by Legal 500. He was recognised for Arbitration and Mediation in the latest edition for 2025 of the Best Lawyers in New Zealand – a legal guide that is based purely on peer review. In 2023 he was named by NZ Lawyer as a “changemaker” in its 2023 Most Influential Lawyers rankings. He is ranked by Doyles as a Leading Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyer – New Zealand, 2022

• Nine recognised as ‘Best Lawyers’
• Taxation of cryptoassets for investors in New Zealand
• Taxation of cryptoassets for New Zealand businesses
• Recognition in Legal 500 2025
• Blockchain expertise recognised in 2025 Chambers Global Practice Guide
• The rise of electronic signatures in the corporate world
• Taxation of crypto assets and residency in New Zealand
• Relationship property in New Zealand – a beginner’s guide
• Chambers Global Practice Guide – Blockchain 2025
• Legal 500 Country Comparative Guides 2024 – Blockchain
• Navigating contracting parties
• Chambers Global Practice Guide – Blockchain 2024
• Get smart with smart contracts
• NZ Herald: Is crypto just another ‘bubble?’
• Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015: how can schools and parents help our youths?
• The long read: Keeping up with crypto influencer liability
• Nothing boring about digital assets and intellectual property
• LISTEN HERE: Crypto podcast with James Cochrane
• WATCH HERE: From paint to pixels – TechWeek 2023 with James Cochrane
• Under the influence: Partner James Cochrane named one of the year’s Most Influential Lawyers
• WATCH HERE: Key legal issues for crypto/web3 projects
• LISTEN HERE: What a Lawyer podcast: James Cochrane on cryptocurrency and the law surrounding it
• LISTEN HERE: The Law Down Under Podcast with James Cochrane and Chris Patterson

• Harrison v Roberts [2025] NZHC 1327 (26 May 2025) – acting for Australian bankruptcy trustee Brett Harrison in a successful cross-border insolvency application seeking the assistance of the New Zealand High Court to obtain possession and control of the assets of Ms Roberts in New Zealand, pursuant to a letter of request issued by the Federal Court of Australia.
• Island Grace Fiji Limited (in receivership and in liquidation) v Satori Holdings Limited (in liquidation) [2024] NZHC 3942 (20 December 2024) – acting for Mark McDonald and David Ruscoe of Grant Thornton as liquidators of Satori Holdings Limited (In Liq). Satori was a joint venture partner in respect of a Fijian hotel development called Six Senses and broader resort development. Obtaining costs for the liquidators.
• McDonald v Island Grace (Fiji) Limited (in rec and liq) [2024] NZHC 2675 (16 September 2024) – successful application acting for Grant Thornton as liquidators of Satori Holdings Limited (In Liq) allowing the sale of assets and other orders regarding the liquidators’ reasonable costs and expenses.
• Liang – Re Bright Construction Ltd (in Liq) [2024] NZHC 368 – a successful application by the insolvent company’s director without notice for orders directing that a statement of claim need not be served on any party (High Court Rules 2016, r 18.6); and terminating the liquidation of a company that provided construction services (r 18.1(b)(iii), Companies Act 1993, s 250).
• Delorme SE24 Ltd (in liq) v Spot X Ltd [2023] NZHC 1488; BC202361476 – acting for Simon Dalton and Ben Francis of Gerry Rea Partners as liquidators of Delorme SE24 Ltd (in liq) on an urgent and successful application for appointment of an interim liquidator to Spot X Ltd. This case was reported in [2023] NZLJ 201.
• Dalton v Osmond [2023] NZHC 2257 [21 August 2023] – costs judgment in favour of liquidator with order for increased costs with 100% uplift.
• Dalton (as liquidators of Delta Shared Services Ltd (in liq)) v Osmond [2023] NZHC 282; BC202360269 – acting for the successful applicant liquidator, Simon Dalton of Gerry Rea Partners, in a case seeking orders under s 266 Companies Act 1993 for, among other things, the production of records in a company liquidation where the respondent denied holding documents and information relevant to the company.
• Alchemy Beverage Co Ltd v We Love Group Ltd [2021] NZHC 3428; BC202164293 – an application by liquidators for termination of liquidation under (NZ) Companies Act 1993 s 250 and approval of remuneration.
• Coleman v Knapp [2020] NZHC 3055; BC202063477 – a cross-border insolvency matter acting for UK bankruptcy trustees, Lucinda Coleman and Stephen Hobson of PKF Francis Clark. The case is believed to be the first time a New Zealand Court has granted orders entrusting the administration and realisation of assets located in New Zealand of foreign bankrupts to private sector Trustees in Bankruptcy (as opposed to the Official Receiver, the public sector officer which is appointed in the first instance, or to New Zealand’s Official Assignee).
• Bish as liquidators of Snakk Media Ltd (In Liq), Re [2020] NZHC 2531; BC202062821 – acting for Snakk Media’s liquidators, Gareth Hoole and Clive Bish of Ecovis KGA, in their Court application to remove the company from liquidation. As far as we are aware it is the first time that the liquidation of a publicly listed company has been terminated so that a reverse takeover might occur. This gave the nearly 1,400 shareholders a hope that their shares may once again have some value. This case received national media attention and was cited in Capital Letter.
• Fairway Holdings Ltd v McCullagh [2019] NZCA 353; BC201961349 – acting for liquidators Chris McCullagh and Steve Lawrence of PKF on appeal to the Court of Appeal on the issue of consolidation of proceedings, in relation to the liquidation of Hamilton Street Investments and disputes concerning the Cayman Apartments