Mark is a Barrister specialising in all types of litigation, including criminal, traffic, employment and civil litigation.

Mark was formerly a junior Barrister to Philip Morgan KC. He continues to work closely with Philip Morgan KC on a number of matters.

Mark holds a strong passion for technology. Prior to attending university and joining the Bar he worked in the Information Technology field in New Zealand and London. With advances in technology and in turn the increase of technology involved in criminal law there is a strong need for criminal barristers to be knowledgeable in this field. Mark's passion for technology and criminal law creates a unique knowledge base that can be called on for the clients of Philip Morgan KC.

Post working in Information Technology Mark attended the University of Waikato where he was awarded a LLB (hons) with first class honours. He studied a mixture of Law and Information Technology and completed his honours in ‘Advanced civil litigation’ and ‘Transnational criminal law’. Upon the completion of his degree he spent a year working at a specialist civil litigation firm before the unique opportunity of working as the junior to a King's Counsel arose.

Philip Morgan KC's current criminal case load, which Mark is assisting on, includes matters primarily focused on dishonesty offending (theft in a special relationship, Inland Revenue offending including tax or GST evasion and fraud), drugs (possession, supply and manufacture/cultivation), sexual misconduct (indecent assault, unlawful sexual connection and sexual violation including rape), violence (assault, male assaults female, injuring and GBH) and murder/manslaughter.

Beyond assisting Philip Morgan KC, Mark is a legal aid lawyer and carries his own caseload involving criminal matters with a maximum sentence short of life imprisonment to be tried by judge alone or jury. Mark's caseload is not restricted to criminal matters as he is also involved in a variety of civil litigation matters.

Ashleigh graduated from the University of Waikato with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Social Science. Admitted to the Bar in 2019, her legal career began as junior barrister to Philip Morgan KC assisting his criminal caseload and providing support to other members of Chambers.

Currently, Ashleigh is an employed barrister to Mark Jepson where she leads majority of his legal aid cases and assists his private practice. She regularly appears in the District Court on a variety of criminal matters from first appearances through to sentencings, trials, and appeals. Ashleigh is available for agency appearances.

Alongside practicing law, Ashleigh is a s 27 cultural and background report writer. www.reports.co.nz

Abby has worked alongside senior barristers and has substantial experience in PAL 3 and 4 matters including serious violence, sexual offending, and drug charges. This exposure has given her a strong understanding of the criminal justice system and the skills needed to handle challenging and sensitive matters. Abby is comfortable at all stages of the proceedings, up to and including Judge-Alone and jury trial matters.

Abby also has significant experience working on parole matters, including preparing parole applications, representing clients at parole board hearings, and applications to review release conditions. She understands the complexities involved in parole processes and works to ensure her clients cases are represented clearly and effectively. She is a PAL1 Legal Aid provider and assists Mark in his private practice.

Scarlett is a criminal defence lawyer with a strong background in both prosecution and defence. She began her career in Crown prosecution, where she worked on a wide range of serious criminal matters, including sexual offending, serious violence, dishonesty offending, complex drug prosecutions, immigration-related matters and Corrections matters. She regularly appeared in the High Court for appeals, gaining valuable experience in the preparation and presentation of serious cases.

She later spent two years at the Public Defence Service, representing and assisting clients across a broad range of criminal matters. Her defence experience includes applications for discharge without conviction, traffic matters, family violence matters, gang insignia charges, and other applications where the impact of a conviction can be life-changing.

Having worked on both sides of the criminal justice system, Scarlett brings a balanced, practical and strategic approach to defence work. She understands how prosecutions are prepared and how to identify the issues that matter most for her clients. She is comfortable dealing with serious, sensitive and complex matters, and is committed to providing clear advice, careful preparation and strong advocacy at every stage of the process.

Scarlett understands that facing criminal charges can be stressful and overwhelming. She takes a clear, practical and supportive approach, ensuring clients understand their options and the process ahead. Her experience on both sides of the criminal justice system allows her to assess cases strategically, anticipate prosecution arguments, and advocate effectively for her clients.

Vidhita began working at Thackeray Chambers after she finished high school and was about to embark on her legal studies at the University of Waikato.

Vidhita is currently completing her degree in Law with a second major in Economics and works part time at Mark Jepson Law as a law clerk while finishing her studies and preparing for admission to the Bar.

Mark hopes that once admitted, Vidhita will remain at Mark Jepson Law and begin working as an employed barrister herself.

Ryan is working as a law clerk with Mark and his team while completing his Bachelor of Laws.

After attending St Paul’s Collegiate School where he was Head of Boarding in 2023, Ryan started his university career at the University of Auckland, studying a conjoint Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce.

Ryan then resumed studying in Waikato in 2025 to complete his Bachelor of Laws. He now works back at his former school as a Residential Assistant, alongside writing articles for velocitynews.co.nz, and his work at Mark Jepson Law.

Mark also hopes that once admitted, Ryan will remain at Mark Jepson Law and begin working as an employed barrister.