James Mellsop
Director
Education
MCA (with Distinction) in economics, Victoria University of Wellington
BCA (with Honours) in economics (1st Class), Victoria University of Wellington
LLB degree, Victoria University of Wellington
BCA in accountancy, Victoria University of Wellington
Experience
Mr. Mellsop leads NERA's New Zealand offices. He specializes in the application of economic analysis to legal issues, particularly in the areas of competition, regulation, contractual disputes, damages, fair trading, tax, and resource management.
Mr. Mellsop's experience includes analyzing the economic implications of mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and other contracts, and market behavior and regulatory interventions in a variety of sectors and industries, including telecommunications, electricity, gas, water, mining, post, health, retailing, supermarkets, transport, manufacturing, agriculture, software, building products, banking and finance, ports, airports, and waste. He also has analyzed and quantified the economic and environmental effects of resource management decisions.
Mr. Mellsop has provided expert evidence before the New Zealand High Court, the New Zealand Environment Court, the New Zealand Commerce Commission, arbitrators, and Resource Management Act Commissioners. He has worked on projects in New Zealand, Australia, and Asia.
Prior to joining NERA in 2008, Mr. Mellsop directed the New Zealand competition practice of another international economics consultancy. In addition, he worked for the New Zealand Treasury on microeconomic policy issues, particularly competition, regulatory, and telecommunications policy. From 1992 to 1996, he worked as a lawyer for Bell Gully, with a focus on competition, corporate, and oil and gas law.
