Chris LaHatte

Chris is the ICANN Ombudsman and reports directly to the ICANN Board. He is available to the ICANN Community for complaints about delay and unfairness between ICANN and the supporting organisations. His back ground is as a lawyer in New Zealand and overseas, and as a mediator and dispute resolution specialist. He has a passion for solving problems by empowering the parties to reach their own negotiated agreements. His door and email and phone are always open to any in the ICANN community.

Chris has a diverse legal background and has appeared in all levels of courts and tribunals in New Zealand. He has had a number of cases reported in New Zealand law reports and is recognised as very experienced in a number of areas including insolvency litigation. He has undertaken criminal jury trials and criminal appeals to the Court of Appeal. He has argued a number of judicial review cases including appeals to the Court of Appeal. He has also argued many substantial civil trials in the District Court and High Court including a major trial lasting 5 weeks. He has also appeared in the Maori Land Court, Taxation Review Authority and other tribunals.

Chris has a particular interest in construction and building law and is a member of the panel of Building Adjudicators held by the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute. He has completed a Master of Management in Dispute Resolution through Massey University, presenting as the Research Report an examination of the Judicial Settlement Conference in New Zealand. He is a Fellow of AMINZ in Mediation and Arbitration.

Chris was the Convenor of the Auckland District Society Library Committee for many years. He has been actively involved with the Library and other committees for many years, and has presented a number of seminars for the Society and for other publishers such as LexisNexis. He is an editor for Brookers District Court Procedure. Chris is a Costs Assessor and Mediator for the New Zealand Law Society in Auckland and Wellington.