Kim’s early career was in the New Zealand Ministry of Transport followed by approximately nine years as a Crown Counsel in the Attorney-General’s Department (Crown Law Office). Kim then moved into private practice in a national law firm where he developed a significant public and aviation law practice. He was a partner in the firm for seven years before moving to practice as an independent barrister in Lambton Chambers, Wellington.

Public Law Practice and Aviation Expertise

His public law work, both in government and in private practice, has involved extensive litigation experience mainly acting for Ministers, State-owned enterprises, Crown entities and other public bodies and statutory office holders (e.g. aviation, biosecurity, censorship, public health, medicines, maritime, police and law officer functions)

As well as acting as counsel at all levels of the New Zealand court system he has also acted as counsel before many tribunals and public inquiries. He has acted extensively for the New Zealand civil aviation safety regulator and for New Zealand’s commercial provider of air navigation services and also for aviation underwriter interests in relation to aircraft accidents in New Zealand and overseas.

International Consultancy and Academic Involvement

Kim’s litigation practice has been interspersed with occasional overseas consultancy assignments. This work has mainly involved aviation law reform projects for Pacific Island developing States funded by ICAO, the ADB and the World Bank. Kim has also undertaken several academic assignments as a teaching fellow in air and space law in the Auckland University and Victoria University of Wellington Law Schools, including student research supervision.

Governance and Industry Engagement