Clayton has over 18 years’ experience in civil litigation in New Zealand and South Africa. Clayton’s primary areas of practice include construction, commercial and insurance litigation, employment law disputes and insolvency.

Before joining Norling Law, Clayton was practised in the fields of dispute resolution, commercial litigation and public law. Clayton has practised as both a Barrister and Solicitor and a Barrister sole, having appeared in the District Court and High Court of New Zealand, and the High Court and Supreme Court of Appeal in South Africa. Clayton has also adjudicated employment disputes, arbitrated construction disputes and sat as a reviewer in ACC disputes, developing his skills on both sides of the legal fence.

Clayton is a no-nonsense, but practical, litigator, who believes that preparation is the key to success in court, but skilled negotiation is the key to success out of court. Clayton has handled many litigious matters, leading to favourable judgments or successful negotiations in matters involving:

• Construction payment, non-completion and snagging disputes;
• Employment disputes involving violent strike action;
• Commercial lease disputes;
• Accident compensation claims;
• Insurance claims and repudiation disputes;
• General commercial disputes;
• Reviews of decisions by public entities;
• Shareholder disputes;
• Liquidating companies and bankrupting individuals;
• Contempt of court proceedings; and
• Defamation of character claims.

Clayton understands that having a day in court doesn’t always end in the best result for a client, and believes that an early assessment of a client’s chance of success, including an assessment of the risks and potential pitfalls in a matter, can lead to an early resolution and a happier client.

Clayton is an accomplished academic and a skilled orator, having placed second in South Africa in the 2012 National Bar Examinations, and having achieved an almost perfect score in the Pearson Test for English (Academic) in 2019. Clayton was also chosen to deliver the junior Barrister speech at the 2013 Bar dinner, and was selected to attend the National Junior Advocate’s Debate in 2014.