YOUR TEAM

Stewart Dalley is a barrister and solicitor specialising in immigration, refugee law, and family formation, with a particular focus on complex and sensitive cases. He is the former Chair of the Auckland District Law Society’s Immigration and Refugee Law Committee, and has represented clients at every level – the Immigration and Protection Tribunal, Family Court, District Court and High Court. He has a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Auckland.  
 
In family formation, Stewart is one of New Zealand’s most experienced practitioners in surrogacy, assisted reproductive technology, and adoption. He advises individuals, couples, and fertility clinics on embryo, egg and sperm donation, surrogacy (both domestic and international), and adoption. He was appointed by the Law Commission as an Expert Legal Advisor on its review of New Zealand surrogacy law. 
 
Stewart and his partner are parents to three children through surrogacy, and this unique combination of lived and professional experience is what sets him apart. 
 
A long-standing advocate for the rainbow community, Stewart and his partner were the first same-sex de facto couple in New Zealand granted joint adoption orders. He also acted as counsel in a landmark decision establishing that two women can both be named as mothers on a child’s birth certificate. He regularly advises Rainbow Youth and Rainbow Path, and welcomes enquiries from clients facing complex or sensitive matters. 

His immigration practice covers complex visa applications, deportations, humanitarian appeals and refugee claims. Drawing on his earlier experience with trade unions in the United Kingdom, he was appointed by the Government to the Migrant Worker Exploitation Consultation Group, whose recommendations contributed to the reforms now protecting migrant workers in New Zealand. 

Pooja Sundar is a Partner at Dalley Sundar and one of New Zealand’s leading specialist immigration and humanitarian lawyers, with a practice centred on complex immigration matters, litigation and appellate work. She practises across the full spectrum of immigration and protection law, with particular expertise in residence and deportation appeals, refugee and protection claims, family violence immigration pathways, and High Court litigation. With an appellate and litigation practice spanning specialist tribunals through to the High Court, Pooja brings rigorous strategic advocacy to every level of proceedings. She holds a Master of Laws from the University of Auckland and is legal aid registered.

Pooja’s public law and litigation practice is a distinguishing feature of her work. She advises on statutory powers, public law principles, and evidence and credibility frameworks across deportation and residence appeals and High Court proceedings, and led public interest litigation during the COVID-19 border closure concerning the separation of families.

She regularly participates in MBIE policy consultations, contributing specialist practitioner insight to immigration policy development and reform. She has represented the Refugee Council of New Zealand in two significant government-led review processes — the Victoria Casey KC Review on the Restriction of Movement of Asylum Claimants and the Review on the Detention of Asylum Seekers — and has drafted submissions for The Law Association of New Zealand on Immigration Amendment Bills. She is a current member of both the Law Association’s Immigration and Refugee Committee and its Public and Administrative Law Committee. In the professional regulatory sphere, Pooja sits on one of the New Zealand Law Society’s Standards Committees and represents lawyers and immigration advisers in disciplinary proceedings, bringing the same rigorous litigation approach to professional conduct matters.

Beyond her litigation practice, Pooja is recognised for her work on novel and complex matters at the boundaries of immigration and nationality law, including successfully supporting an overseas citizen in obtaining New Zealand citizenship through multi-generational DNA evidence. She presents regularly for the New Zealand Law Society and LegalWise Seminars across New Zealand and Australia on topics spanning judicial review, appellate advocacy, family violence and immigration intersections, and the exercise of ministerial discretion, and is a confirmed speaker at the NZ Legal Symposium 2026. Pooja supervises research for the Shama Ethnic Women’s Trust on migrant women and the Family Court, and brings a trauma-informed and culturally responsive approach to all aspects of her practice.

Reuben Bull is a barrister and solicitor specialising in immigration and human rights law. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Auckland. 

Reuben has over three years’ experience in immigration law. He joined Dalley Sundar in July 2023, initially as a law clerk, and has since been admitted as a barrister and solicitor. His practice covers visa applications, refugee and protection claims, humanitarian appeals against deportation, and ministerial requests, and he regularly prepares detailed legal submissions and supporting evidence in complex and time-sensitive matters. 

Reuben has appeared before the Refugee Status Unit and the Immigration and Protection Tribunal. His practice is informed by a strong understanding of global affairs and historical context, which supports a considered and well-informed approach to advocacy for clients navigating the New Zealand immigration system. 

Outside of work, Reuben enjoys running, hiking, and time outdoors with his family – including walks along the beach with his Labradoodle.

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.