Kevin Preston Barrister is a criminal defence, regulatory and disciplinary law practice based at Saint Ivo Chambers, Level 7, 120 Featherston Street, Wellington. Previously Wellington's Public Defender, Kevin Preston is one of the Wellington area's leading criminal, regulatory and disciplinary practitioners, with over 30 years of advocacy experience.
Kevin is dual-qualified, first as a solicitor advocate in England and Wales, then as a barrister in New Zealand. He specialises in representing individuals and corporations facing prosecutions for serious crime, as well as professionals experiencing disciplinary investigations and proceedings by regulatory bodies. He is authorised by the Law Society to receive direct instructions and is approved at the highest level by Legal Aid Services.
Kevin has extensive experience defending serious crime, including allegations of supplying Class A drugs, murder, corporate manslaughter and serious fraud, and frequently appears before the Parole Board. He also protects the interests of professionals in medical, educational, legal and advisory fields facing disciplinary proceedings, and holds a Master's degree in employment law. He regularly appears in the High Court and Court of Appeal, and in 2021 successfully represented Daniel Fitzgerald in the Supreme Court, a case that brought human rights to the forefront of contemporary New Zealand judicial reasoning.
Kevin Preston Barrister is a criminal defence, regulatory and disciplinary law practice based at Saint Ivo Chambers, Level 7, 120 Featherston Street, Wellington. Previously Wellington's Public Defender, Kevin Preston has built a reputation as one of the Wellington area's leading criminal, regulatory and disciplinary practitioners over more than 30 years of advocacy.
Kevin is dual-qualified, first as a solicitor advocate in England and Wales, then as a barrister in New Zealand. This background underpins a practice that specialises in representing both individuals and corporations facing prosecutions for serious crime, as well as professionals experiencing disciplinary investigations and proceedings brought by regulatory bodies. He is authorised by the Law Society to receive direct instructions and is approved at the highest level by Legal Aid Services, making his services accessible to a wide range of clients.
Over his career, Kevin has defended clients facing some of the most serious criminal allegations, including supplying Class A drugs, murder, corporate manslaughter and serious fraud. He frequently appears before the Parole Board, representing clients in parole and extended supervision order matters.
Beyond criminal defence, Kevin has also protected the interests of professionals in medical, educational, legal and advisory fields who are experiencing disciplinary investigations and proceedings. His understanding of employment matters is underpinned by a Master's degree in employment law, giving him a strong grounding in employment disputes and grievances alongside his regulatory work.
Kevin regularly appears in the High Court and Court of Appeal, and is recognised as a skilled appellate lawyer. In 2021, he successfully represented Daniel Fitzgerald in the Supreme Court, a case that brought human rights considerations to the forefront of contemporary New Zealand judicial reasoning — a significant marker of his standing in higher court advocacy.
Kevin Preston's practice spans criminal defence, money laundering and financial crime, higher court appeals, regulatory and disciplinary representation, employment disputes and grievances, and parole and extended supervision orders — giving clients access to a barrister experienced across both criminal and professional regulatory contexts.
Kevin Preston Barrister is based at Saint Ivo Chambers, Level 7, 120 Featherston Street, Wellington 6011. Those requiring representation can contact Kevin directly by email at [email protected] or by phone on 027 703 8972.