James R Duckworth

James has over 35 years of legal experience in law and in litigation matters.

James graduated with a law degree from Birmingham University in 1988. He practiced in England and Wales from 1989 to 1998. James moved to the South Pacific in 1999 to act as the people’s lawyer in Tuvalu. He settled in New Zealand in 2004, obtaining his Masters in Law at Victoria University in Wellington. He began legal practice in Auckland in April 2005 and has been based in Auckland practising law since.

James has acted in numerous family and employment matters as well as dealing with immigration, insolvency, debt collection, property and building disputes. He has appeared extensively in the District Court, Family Court, Employment Relations Authority and the High Court.

James’ strengths include his commitment to understanding his clients’ issues and dealing with them in a practical and pragmatic way to achieve workable solutions. 

He has strong links to the Pacific Islands and the Tuvaluan community, in particular, whom he continues to assist in a variety of matters. He also provides community legal advice in Howick and has done so for the past 15 years.