Our Chambers

Kristy McDonald ONZM KC and Bruce Scott launched Hawkestone Chambers in Thorndon in 2020.

Hawkestone is a small chambers, focussing on providing high level legal advice and assistance, expert litigation and professional and corporate leadership.

It grew from what was originally Featherston Chambers which moved to 32 Hawkestone Street in 2012. Kristy McDonald KC and Bruce Squire QC were two of the founding barristers there.

Sadly Bruce Squire died in 2019: Kristy’s obituary for him includes the following tribute:

“What made Bruce such a fine lawyer and such a wonderful loyal friend was his humility, his honesty, his fearlessness, his overwhelming and steadfast commitment to principle and his unfailing generosity. Those characteristics are learnt from your parents – but they also come from experience, real experience with real people, from all walks of life. Bruce was one of those special lawyers: he observed, he listened and understood people, he saw their distress, their worry, their fear, their families – and that made him a fine advocate, a brilliant cross examiner and ultimately a thoroughly decent man..” (see here for full article)

In many ways that encapsulates the aspirations of Hawkestone Chambers.

Kristy and Bruce welcomed Juliet Philpott who joined the Chambers in September 2020. Juliet has practised as a lawyer in Wellington, London and Melbourne, most recently with Meredith Connell.

In November 2021, Michael Hodge joined the Chambers as an Associate member. Michael joined the Independent Bar in 2021 having been a Partner at Meredith Connell for over 10 years including as Chair of the firm’s board.

In February 2022, the Chambers welcomed Nick Whittington. Like Michael, Nick was a partner at Meredith Connell before joining the Independent Bar.

Most recently, in September 2022, the Chambers welcomed Jeremy Prebble, from Crown Law.