John Goddard has specialised in employment and insurance law and has represented clients in mediation, arbitration and litigation.

In addition to working in private practice, John has worked as research counsel for the Christchurch District Court and was employed by Community Law Canterbury as Supervising Solicitor of the Residential Advisory Service between 2014 and 2016 (a service set up to provide free legal advice and advocacy to Canterbury homeowners affected by the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010-2011).

He has acted for clients across a full range of legal issues arising from the Canterbury earthquake sequence and the Kaikoura earthquake. He has also acted for clients in employment matters, including personal grievance claims and health and safety issues. He has represented clients in mediation, in the Employment Relations Authority and in the District, Family and High Courts.

John believes that one of the key issues facing the legal profession is access to justice. John is committed to adopting a human rights approach to his legal practice. He intends to become an accredited provider of civil legal aid. He is a signatory to the NZLS Gender Equality Charter.

John is a committee member and treasurer of the New Zealand Labour Law Society Incorporated. He is also a lawyer member of a New Zealand Law Society Standards Committee.