Paul Brown
LLB, Principal, PB Employment Law Ltd.
Member of the Leadership Team of C3 Church Christchurch
Paul graduated LLB in 1999, from Canterbury University. After briefly working as a commercial solicitor, he formed his first company, Employment Law Consultants Ltd and began specialising in employment law for both employers and employees.
From 2005 to 2011 Paul worked as a referee for the Disputes Tribunal, which was a part-time position for the Ministry of Justice. In 2010 he started Lexington Legal which practised in the area of immigration and employment law. After an unbelievable series of staff drama’s, Paul closed Lexington Legal in 2017 and formed PB Law, now PB Employment Law.
Paul has done hundreds of mediations with the Employment Relations Service over the last 20 years. He regularly appears in the Employment Relations Authority [ERA] and in the Employment Court as needed. He has appeared in the Court of Appeal, successfully defending decisions of the ERA and Employment Court in favour of his client. There is no substitute for experience!
Personal Statement
Paul grew up around the North Island as his dad moved around a bit, selling life insurance, before settling in Auckland. Paul might say he was merely adventurous - but ending up in Youth Court might be a little too adventurous, and the judge and his parents thought it best sent him to a Marist Brothers boarding school in Whangarei at 13. Well educated "in the school of life" meant that his time at high school was largely wasted, although he did enjoy his time working on the school farm - and teaching some of the boys how to hot wire a tractor (which was related to the reason he got sent to a boarding school in the first place!)
From there a wide variety of jobs followed, such as diary farming in the Waikato, forestry working both clear-felling and planting pine around Kaikohe , selling encyclopedias door to door, tyre fitter in both NZ and Oz, construction worker (and union delegate) in Sydney , various travels around the world - and perhaps the best education of all – at least in the school of life - a taxi driver in Auckland.
Having been 'a jack of all trades' and a master of none, Paul commenced his LLB in Auckland – saw the light – and finished it at Canterbury University. He was admitted to the Bar in 1999. Paul soon specialised in employment law, which remains his area of expertise today. He also advises companies on management and dispute resolution issues.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, if you want really clear advice, without any 'organic fertiliser', you will get on well with Paul.
Evie Hope
Senior Solicitor
Evie Hope is a highly skilled lawyer specialising in employment law with extensive experience advising both employees and employers on a wide range of workplace issues. As a Senior Solicitor at PB Employment Law, she manages cases from inception to resolution, representing clients in mediations, the Employment Relations Authority, and the Employment Court. She regularly advises both employers and employees on personal grievances, workplace bullying, dismissals (including redundancy and medical incapacity), disciplinary processes, and wage and holiday entitlements.
Before joining PB Employment Law, Evie gained extensive experience in litigation and dispute resolution, including working at a top-tier international firm. Her work included assisting on high profile and complex commercial disputes, class actions, regulatory investigations. Evie has also been involved in large-scale arbitrations, insurance, earthquake, professional indemnity and ACC claims. In addition to her litigation experience, Evie contributed to legal innovation initiatives, developing automation tools and efficiency improvements to streamline legal processes.
Evie holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Canterbury and was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 2019. She is a member of the New Zealand Law Society and the Golden Key Honours Society.
With a strong background in litigation and a focus on practical, strategic solutions, Evie provides clear and effective legal guidance tailored to the needs of her clients.
Charitable donations
As well as working pro bono Paul supports charities such as The Kids Foundation in New Zealand.
Paul is a keen 4WD driver, you can follow some of his exploits here…
