Chris Merrick

Chris (Ngātiwai, Ma'ufanga, Niua, Tonga) is a lawyer and consultant based in Tāmaki Makaurau - Auckland. He has been in practice for 17 years, starting his career as a crown prosecutor and general litigator at Meredith Connell, before establishing the firm Moala Merrick in South Auckland.

For the following decade, he worked primarily in criminal defence, including legal aid, with specialist expertise defending children and young people charged with serious criminal offending. For a large portion of this period Chris also worked on two major historical abuse inquiries. First, as counsel assisting the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, where his focus was on establishing an investigation relating to Māori experiences of abuse in care. He was also co-lead counsel to Dame Silvia Cartwright and Frances Joychild KC's Dilworth Independent Inquiry.
Throughout his career Chris has maintained an active involvement in legal education, law reform, and mentoring of young Māori and Pacific lawyers. He has held roles as a tutor and guest lecturer at Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland Law School, is on the teaching faculty of Te Korimako Legal Education, and has frequently presented at conferences and symposiums. From 2018 - 2021, he was the co-convenor of the Criminal and Youth Justice law reform committee for Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa - The Māori Law Society.

In 2022, he was engaged as a consultant at Meredith Connell, before joining the partnership there in 2023. There, he led internal cultural capability and leadership initiatives as well as providing legal and advisory services with a focus on the intersect between tikanga and law. His regulatory experience includes advising a range of regulators, including the New Zealand Law Society | Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa.
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In 2025, Chris established Chris Merrick Law + Consultancy.