Leading lawyer's body found on beach

The body of one of the country's top lawyers, Robert Fardell, QC, has been found on the beach at Narrow Neck on the North Shore.

Police said Mr Fardell's body was found about 7.20pm on Sunday, 5km from his Devonport home. There were no suspicious circumstances.

Sergeant Chris Mckenzie of Takapuna said Mr Fardell's body was found on the sand at the high tide mark.

"We don't know whether he's fallen from the cliff, was walking on the rocks and slipped and fell, drowned or anything. The post mortem will tell us what actually caused his death."

The autopsy results should be known today.

Mr Fardell, 52, was involved in a number of prominent cases this year, including:

* The prosecution of disgraced former Senior Sergeant Anthony Solomona, who was convicted of assault.

* Representing Marc Ellis over Ecstasy charges in the so-called celebrity drug ring case.

* The Serious Fraud Office prosecution in the case against former Act MP Donna Awatere Huata.

"His closing address in the Awatere Huata case was, for those lucky enough to hear it, quite remarkable, a stunning piece of brilliant oratory," said Crown Solicitor and good friend Simon Moore.

"He was an extraordinary guy, a great guy, a bloody good lawyer, one of the best around.

"We'll miss him."

Mr Fardell, a law graduate with honours from Canterbury University, was admitted to the bar in 1975. In the early 1980s he was a Crown prosecutor with Mr Moore at the Auckland firm Meredith Connell, before becoming a partner at Russell McVeagh McKenzie Bartleet.

He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 2002.

Fraud Office director David Bradshaw described Mr Fardell as a "person of the highest integrity and an invaluable member of the SFO panel".

But he was also well-known outside the courtroom.

"You'd see him driving around town in the weekends in his enormous 1960s Rolls-Royce," said Mr Moore.

"And he loved those huge St Bernard dogs."

He is survived by his wife, Kate.