YOUR TEAM

Stewart has a warm and approachable manner and advocates strongly for his clients.

He has experience in representing clients at the Immigration and Protection Tribunal, Family Court, District Court and High Court. Stewart is the former Chair of the Auckland District Law Society’s Immigration and Refugee Law Committee. He is experienced in all aspects of immigration and refugee law, assisting clients with complex visa applications, deportations, humanitarian appeals, and refugee claims.

His wealth of experience in the trade unions in the UK, coupled with his knowledge of immigration and employment matters saw him selected by the government to be a member of the Migrant Worker Exploitation Consultation Group which recommended various measures to protect migrant workers in the workplace.

Stewart is an industry expert on the law relating to human infertility, assisted reproductive technology, and family creation. Stewart frequently advises a broad range of clients and fertility clinics on embryo/egg/sperm donations, domestic and international surrogacy, and adoption. Stewart has three children with his male partner through surrogacy, he, therefore, has both real life and professional experience when it comes to surrogacy, setting him apart from the rest.

As a gay man, Stewart is a keen advocate for the rainbow community. He was the first to obtain joint adoption orders for same-sex de facto couples. Stewart also helped a lesbian couple make history in New Zealand when he successfully argued the case that two women can both be named as mothers on their children’s birth certificates. Stewart also regularly advises Rainbow Youth and Rainbow Path.

Pooja is an enthusiastic and friendly lawyer who enjoys getting to know her clients and advocating them.

Pooja holds a Master of Law (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Auckland. She is a legal aid registered lawyer, with experience in advising in all aspects of immigration law, including visas, residence appeals, and refugee and protection claims.  Pooja has significant experience in the Family Court.

Pooja’s passion for legal representation is coupled with a deep interest in human rights legislature, international criminal law, and refugee case law. She has successfully been involved in many cases involving complex issues across domestic and international spheres. Pooja also advocates for victims of domestic violence in the immigration and family law fields.

Pooja is fluent in the Tamil language and available for new cases across the spectrum of immigration law, as well as a range of litigation and general practice legal work carried out at Dalley Sundar.

As a migrant, Pooja has a lived understanding of cultures and traditions outside of New Zealand and Western practices. This gives her a unique insight into the client’s histories, lives and traditions allowing her to present a fully rounded case.

Pooja has also assisted in novel and interesting cases including helping an overseas citizen obtain New Zealand citizenship through DNA testing leading back generations.

Elina Jahanbekam is a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts conjoint student at the University of Auckland, majoring in Politics. She is currently in her final year of law school and has been working as a law clerk at Dalley Sundar since 2025.

At Dalley Sundar, Elina assists with immigration, refugee, and humanitarian matters. Her work includes preparing submissions to Immigration New Zealand, the Refugee Status Unit, the Immigration and Protection Tribunal, and the Minister of Immigration. She has worked on matters involving humanitarian appeals, refugee and protection claims, character issues, residence applications, and requests for Ministerial intervention.

Elina was born in Iran and raised in Aotearoa. Her migrant background has shaped her interest in immigration law and her understanding of how significant legal processes can be for individuals and families building their lives in New Zealand. She speaks Farsi.

Outside of her studies and legal work, Elina has done extensive community work with Iranian Women of New Zealand, including organising events and initiatives focused on women’s wellbeing, family communication, cultural connection, and the prevention of violence against women. She has also recently co-founded a Persian Youth Club with Iranian Women of New Zealand. Elina is also involved in youth development through the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Programme, where she supports young people to build confidence and strengthen communication,  feel more connected to their communities.

Elina approaches her role with a strong sense of responsibility. Her background as an immigrant and extensive community work gives her a practical understanding of the pressures many clients face, and she is committed to contributing meaningfully to the work of the Dalley Sundar team.

Apurva Anand is a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts conjoint student at the University of Auckland, majoring in Psychology and Politics & International Relations. Over the past year, she has been supporting Dalley Sundar with submissions to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal, particularly in humanitarian appeals. She also has experience preparing Accredited Employer Work Visa applications, drafting responses to Refugee Status Unit interview reports, and assisting with special visa pathways and submissions to the Minister of Immigration. 

She has held a range of leadership roles during her time at university, including serving as President of the Auckland University Law Students’ Society in 2025, following her role as Media Officer in 2024. She has coordinated the UN Youth Auckland Model United Nations and has been actively involved as a volunteer with UN Youth at both regional and national levels, including serving on the Auckland Regional Council as Communications Manager. She is currently the 2026 Auckland Women Lawyers’ Association Student Representative for the University of Auckland. Her extra-curricular experience shows she brings a passion to humanitarian work. 

Born in Chennai and raised in Aotearoa since 2005, Apurva brings a lived migrant perspective to her work and studies. She is a fluent Tamil speaker. Outside of university and work she enjoys skiing and spending time with her two cats. She is also working on a psychology research project on Asian mental health literature in Aotearoa with a registered clinical psychologist which adds a broader perspective that supports her legal work through a more diverse understanding of clients and communities.

Apurva is dedicated to her role as a law clerk and committed to supporting the team in achieving strong outcomes.

Ruby Wilson is a fifth-year Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Arts, (History and Politics & International Relations) conjoint student at the University of Auckland. Since joining Dalley Sundar, Ruby has assisted with submissions to Immigration New Zealand, appeals to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal, Ministerial appeals, and responses and submissions to the Refugee Status Unit. Ruby brings a strong interest in advocacy and public law, supported by her background in history and politics.

She has worked in a range of volunteer roles including serving as Communications and Media Manager for UoA Rainbow Law in 2025 and an Equal Justice Project Advocacy volunteer. She is currently Secretary of Auckland University Netball and has been a Part I Mentor for UoA Women in Law since 2024. In November 2025, Ruby was a recipient of the Shelden Werner Summer Studentship at Auckland Museum where she received a grant to work on the Wikipedia Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Local Histories Project with MOTAT.

Outside of work, Ruby enjoys playing football and netball, following sport as a dedicated Warriors fan, and spending time with her cats, Saffy and Toby.

Ruby is dedicated to her role as a law clerk and committed to supporting the team in achieving strong outcomes.

Erandi is a Law Clerk at Dalley Sundar with over 11 years of experience as a lawyer in Sri Lanka. Throughout her career, she has handled a wide range of both civil and criminal cases.

Before moving to New Zealand, she worked for the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka and served as a Public Prosecutor since 2018. In 2024, she moved to Auckland to further her education, recently completing her Master of Laws (LL.M.) at the University of Auckland.

She is currently in the process of converting her overseas licence to become a lawyer in New Zealand. While she completes this transition, she uses her extensive legal knowledge to support the team and clients at Dalley Sundar.