Commercial Legal Strategists

Providing strategic guidance with clarity, candour and courage

Fraser Goldsmith

Fraser Goldsmith

Principal 

Education & Qualifications

Areas of Legal Expertise & Specialisation

See under Services.

Professional Roles & Publications

Legal Practice History

After a long professional studentship and several years of mostly outdoors jobs ranging from commercial tramping guide to jack of all trades in a Cordon Bleu cookery school, I donned a tie in 1984 and worked in Invercargill getting a solid grounding in civil, criminal and family court advocacy work.

I joined Anderson Lloyd in Dunedin at the height of the '80s sharemarket boom and switched immediately to capital-raising, securities law and business establishment work. This was followed by an intense stint of corporate insolvency work, acting on scores of receiverships and some liquidations during the five years or so after the 1987 sharemarket crash.

A particular skill in writing clearly led me to develop a specialist plain language drafting practice and a focus on commercial and consumer contracting. That took me into the telecommunications industry and I was particularly fortunate to have absorbing legal work acting for Xtra during its formative years, the initial commercial growth of the internet and the advent of electronic commerce. This was part of a wide-ranging telecommunications and information technology practice, primarily for the Telecom group of companies over a 12 year period.

Contracting, regulatory and advisory work in the health sector has been another professional focus, particularly during periods of sector restructuring. Over a 20 year period, I have represented regional health authorities, district health boards, independent practitioner associations, primary health organisations, management service organisations, after-hours doctor services, practices and individual health professionals, sector representative organisations and lobby groups in the sector.

I have also been able to translate a keen personal interest in the wine industry into professional involvement, acting for many wineries, vineyards and contractors and exporters in Central and North Otago and advising on industry initiatives.

My commercial dispute management work, in all of the above industry sectors is focused on the commercial and political strategic management aspects and tactical procedural guidance, rather than the processes of the justice system and regulatory tribunals. I work in collaboration with barristers and other specialist advocates, public relations experts, planners and project managers as required. Since establishing Goldsmith Law, I have also applied these skills in the professional disciplinary field, particularly acting for other lawyers facing Standards Committee complaints or Legal Complaints Review Office proceedings

Background

Originally from North Auckland during the Going Brothers' era and still instinctively a supporter of Cambridge Blue, after Otago. Peripatetic by experience (having shifted 19 times between Maungaturoto and Invercargill, but firmly settled in Dunedin since 1986) and a Celtic nomad by instinct (having tramped and climbed extensively throughout New Zealand and occasionally in South America and Switzerland).

Personal Interests

My children and stepchildren, words, reading good books, playing the piano (badly), growing cherries, keeping my fleet of Citroens mobile, tramping and climbing (when time and fitness permit), fine wine, Central Otago landscape protection issues.

Personal Favourites

Citroen, Beethoven & Coldplay, Riesling & Pinot Noir, Neruda, Garcia Marquez & Ralston Saul, collies, the Darran Mountains & the Mischabel Gruppe.

Memorable Moments

Selected notable life events to date:

Guiding thought 

It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive.