Friends of Mitch East pay tribute to ‘kind’ lawyer killed in Sydney

Friends have remembered Sydney lawyer Mitch East’s “hilarious yet kind” nature as police continue to investigate how he died on the weekend.

A Sydney lawyer was just metres from the home he shared with his partner when he died in a suspected hit and run on Sunday morning.

Mitch East was on Monday identified as the man who was found critically injured on a street in Tamarama, in the city’s eastern suburbs, and could not be revived.

It is believed Mr East, 28, had caught an Uber home from a night out when he was struck by a passing car on Fletcher St shortly before 4am on February 17.

Detectives from the Crash Investigation Unit are leading inquiries into how Mr East died, with senior police looking to speak with the driver of a white Subaru Outback seen in the area.

Mitch East died on a street in Sydney’s east on Sunday morning.

Friends have paid tribute to New Zealand-born Mr East on a GoFundMe page posted by Kane Dunkley on Monday night, which has raised more than $78,000.

“He was known and will always be remembered for his hilarious yet kind nature and his incredible ability to befriend everyone he met,” Mr Dunkley wrote.

“At 28 years of age, Mitch’s time was far from up and he had so much life left and love to give.

“While his family, friends and partner attempt to come to terms with the grief of losing someone so loved, we are trying to relieve some of the financial pressure and stress that comes with such a loss.”

Mitch East’s loved ones were said to be ‘distraught’ at his death.

The 28-year-old moved to Sydney in 2022.

Mr East’s colleagues at Sydney law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler described him as a “highly talented” lawyer whose loss would be deeply felt.

The Hamilton-raised solicitor graduated with first class honours from the University of Otago before accepting a scholarship to study a masters of law at Harvard Law School in 2021.

Mr East worked as a clerk of the New Zealand Supreme Court and a senior adviser for the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch Terrorist Attack.

He began working at Arnold Bloch Leibler in mid 2022.

Police would like to speak with the driver of this white SUV seen in the area.

Dean of law at the University of Otago, Shelley Griffiths said Mr East was a “truly exceptional” student and “quite simply a lovely person”.

“Far from being arrogant or self-congratulatory about his achievements, he was easygoing and friendly to all. He had a smile that could brighten any room,” Professor Shelley said.

“The quality of his friendship is spoken to by the outpouring of grief from his classmates here at Otago – he built bonds that time and distance could not loosen.”

NSW Police Detective Inspector Jason Hogan has urged any person involved in Mr East’s death to visit their local police station “before we knock on their door”.

“It is a cowardly act to drive away after colliding with another human,” he said.

NSW Police say anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage of the area should contact Crime Stoppers.