Meredith Connell was founded in 1922 when Mr Vincent Meredith (later Sir Vincent Meredith) was appointed as the first Crown Solicitor for Auckland. The firm grew steadily carrying out both commercial and general prosecution work.
In 1953, Mr Robert Meredith was appointed the second Crown Solicitor for Auckland and in 1954 Mr Barrie Connell joined the firm as a partner.
In 1961, Mr Graeme Speight (later Sir Graeme Speight) was appointed the third Crown Solicitor for Auckland. The firm continued to grow in the same areas of operation.
In 1968, Mr David Morris was appointed the fourth Crown Solicitor, a role he held until 1994 when Mr Simon Eisdell Moore was appointed the fifth Crown Solicitor for Auckland.
Therefore, since 1922, a partner of Meredith Connell has held the Warrant as Crown Solicitor for Auckland. Over this period the firm has built up a reputation and high level of expertise in conducting criminal and civil litigation on behalf of the Crown and other Government Departments and Crown entities. This privilege has enabled Meredith Connell to build significant specialization in litigation generally. It is accordingly New Zealands largest litigation practice with over 70 lawyers conducting litigation on a full time basis. The Warrant held by Mr Simon Eisdell Moore makes him responsible for the prosecution of all indictable matters in the greater Auckland area. Accordingly, virtually all trials by jury conducted in any Court in Auckland will be prosecuted by an employee of Meredith Connell. This responsibility and the associated expertise gained results in a concentration of lawyers who are trained and experienced in undertaking litigation both administratively and in a courtroom environment. This skill base is also used to deliver expertise in civil litigation, medico-legal, insolvency and general commercial litigation.
