“Angus Wakeman – detail-focused with strong commercial instincts”

­– Client testimonials, Legal 500 Asia Pacific Rankings 2026

Angus Wakeman was admitted in 2001, after graduating from the University of Canterbury with LLB(Hons) and BA degrees.  Angus began his career working for two Auckland firms (initially in commercial/banking and intellectual property), before moving to London in 2005 where he practised in commercial litigation with two leading London firms (gaining admission as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2010).  On returning to New Zealand in 2014, Angus joined Fee Langstone’s predecessor firm, Jones Fee.  Angus became a partner of Fee Langstone in April 2026.

Angus has a broad commercial litigation and insurance practice with extensive experience in conducting complex, high value commercial litigation and particular expertise in liability and professional indemnity claims and professional disciplinary complaints (particularly barristers and solicitors, chartered accountants, and auditors), D&O and fidelity claims.  Angus also has extensive litigation experience in a wide range of areas including partnership disputes, shareholder/director disputes, civil fraud and financial services. 

Work highlights in NZ

• Acting for a major accounting firm in connection with alleged negligent audits in the Fuji Xerox litigation (damages in excess of $280 million).

• Acting for the defendant in proceedings involving a high-profile international partnership dispute in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court (and involving concurrent proceedings in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Liechtenstein).

• Acting for a prominent Queens Counsel in proceedings involving the conduct of separate High Court proceedings.

• Acting for a number of lawyers, accountants, auditors, engineers and architects in defending claims of professional negligence.

• Acting for solicitors, barristers and accountants in relation to professional complaints and disciplinary matters.

• Acting for a leading New Zealand insurer on claims brought by a major New Zealand tertiary institution arising out of earthquake damage.

• Read Angus’s latest articles below:

  • How to avoid the pitfalls and blind spots of Conflicts of Interests

  • How to navigate a professional disciplinary complaint as an Accountant or Auditor
    

    Work highlights in the UK

• Acting for a former partner of a law firm in a 13 week trial involving proceedings brought by over 500 claimants arising out of multiple tax investment schemes including allegations of dishonesty, breach of trust, breaches of the Financial Services Markets Act 2000 and professional indemnity insurance issues.

• Acting for the Solicitors Regulation Authority in the UK in relation to a number of interventions into solicitors’ practices/firms, including applications for injunctive relief and delivery up orders to effect interventions.

• Acting for claimant company in a multi-national corporate fraud case involving a quantum of approximately USD$485 million, BVI proceedings and related international arbitrations (settled mid-way through 16 week trial).

• Acting for a former partner of a law firm defending High Court proceedings alleging misappropriation of €9,000,000 client monies and breach of fiduciary duty including applications for variation and setting aside of freezing order and defending application for summary judgment.

• Acting for a London Borough council in a 7-week trial involving a multi million pound claim against former employees and third parties involving the dumping of thousands of tonnes of waste materials on public cemeteries, including obtaining Freezing and Search Orders, applications for default judgment and contempt of Court, and successfully defending a subsequent appeal to the Court of Appeal and application to reopen the final judgment.

• Acting for the UK’s oldest casino in defending £7.8 million claim for gambling winnings brought by a high profile celebrity poker player (Phil Ivey) involving allegations of cheating under the Gambling Act.

Professional associations

• New Zealand Law Society

• Auckland District Law Society

• New Zealand Insurance Law Association (NZILA)

• Australian Professional Indemnity Group

• Insurance Network