Chris has 18 years experience as a lawyer. He started his career as a Crown prosecutor and in general litigation at Meredith Connell before establishing the firm, Moala Merrick in South Auckland.
For the following decade, Chris worked primarily in criminal defence, with specialist expertise in defending children and young people charged with serious criminal offending. For a large portion of this time, Chris also worked on major inquiries, as counsel assisting the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry – with a focus on Māori experiences of abuse in care, then as counsel (co-lead) to Dame Silvia Cartwright and Frances Joychild KC on the Dilworth Independent Inquiry.
Throughout his career, he has maintained an active involvement in legal education and law reform. He has held roles as a tutor and guest lecturer at Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland law school, is on the teaching faculty of Te Korimako Legal Education, and has frequently presented at conferences and symposiums.
Between 2018 – 2021, Chris was a convenor of the Criminal and Youth Justice law reform committee for Te Hunga Rōia Māori – a voluntary role. In this time, he led numerous submissions on law reform, including appearing before select committees. He also led appellate level interventions before the full bench of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, on cases of national importance in sentencing (R v Zhang, Berkland v R).
In 2022, he was engaged by Meredith Connell as a consultant, before joining the partnership in 2023. There, he led internal cultural capability initiatives as well as providing legal and advisory services with a focus on the intersect between tikanga and law. His regulatory work included advising a range of regulators on matters relating to the drafting, amendment, or interpretation of secondary legislation. His inquiry experience has also seen him act for Auckland Council in the scoping phase of the Coronial Inquiry into the deaths arising from the Auckland Floods and Cyclone Gabrielle.
He has been a member of the Immediation Sport NZ Complaints Mediation Panel. He is a former Deputy Chair of the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal and a former Judicial Officer for the Auckland Rugby Football Union, and Appeals Officer for the Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union.
In 2025, Chris returned to the independent bar.
Immediation Sport NZ Complaints Mediation Panel, from 2023 – 2025.
To medium and large law firms seeking to take steps to develop te ao Māori capability as modern legal services providers in Aotearoa.
A tailored 1-1 and group-based leadership development service to senior and emerging leaders in the legal industry who are committed to further understanding te ao Māori, Pacific customs, and their application in leading the modern legal workforce (limited places available).
Te Hunga Rōia Māori Hui-a-Tau 2018
Te Hunga Rōia Māori Hui-a-Tau 2019
Pacific Lawyers Association Conference 2020
“Going Beyond Appearances: Whakaaro Māori in the Criminal Law revisted.”
Expert Panel member.
Teaching Faculty member.
Te Whatu Ora Legal Conference, 2023
Deloitte Pås Peau Talanoa – Presentation 2024
Australia New Zealand Sports Law Association NZ Symposium 2024
National Local Government Lawyers Conference, 2024
University of Auckland LAWPUBL 461 2024:
Chris Merrick (Ngātiwai, Ma’ufanga, Niua, Tonga) is a barrister. Technically sound, innovative and collaborative, Chris takes a values-based approach to his work informed by his cultural background and experience. He is a speaker of te reo Māori.