Peterson establishes own legal practice

Press, 29 September 1988, Page 4

Peterson establishes own legal practice

PA Wellington A former Justice Department lawyer, Mr Keith Peterson, has established his own legal practice in Auckland specialising in insolvencies. Mr Peterson was suspended from his duties as a departmental senior investigating officer after talking publicly about his allegations of widespread corporate fraud involving the so-called “Gang of 20.” Mr Peterson has since resigned from the depart-

ment and said yesterday he had. his “fingers crossed” that any stigma of his suspension was now behind him. He said he had decided to specialise in insolvencies because during the past three years he had become very familiar with that area of the law and because insolvencies were "a growth industry.” Some people would continue to feel he had not “done the right thing” in the public service but others thought he should be congratulated for what

he had done, Mr Peterson said. “As far as I was concerned, there wasn’t any choice,” he said. “I was a lawyer first and a public servant second. Head office didn’t see it the same way and that’s how I got myself in trouble.” Mr Peterson said he was now hoping to establish a reputation in the marketplace. He expects most of his clients would be referred by accountants' dealing with insolvencies.