New Zealand

With offices across Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown, Anderson Lloyd has an industry sector strength in energy and infrastructure. 

Banking and finance 

Work highlights 

Acted for the Exemplar Communities Consortium in its financing for the Tamaki Regeneration Social Housing Project. 

Key clients 

Bank of China (New Zealand), Bank of New Zealand, Kiwibank Westpac New Zealand 

Construction 

Work highlights 

Acted for the ShapEd Consortium on its financing of Schools 3 Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project and on the documentation, regulatory issues and regulatory, resource management and property issues. 

Key clients 

CPB Contractors, Foodstuffs South Island, HRL Morrison & Co 

Corporate and M&A 

Work highlights 

Acted for international private equity fund TA Associates Asia Pacific in the acquisition of a minority stake in Fisher Funds Management from TSB Group Investments. 

Key clients 

Across Asia Capital, Pierfront Capital Mezzanine Fund, Waimea Irrigators 

Client feedback 

“Anderson Lloyd is relatively new to the Auckland market but in the short time they have proved themselves to be a formidable player in this market. They are a relatively small team but are very capable and adopt a great commercial approach to their work.” – Banking and finance 

“Good commercial knowledge of market standard terms and conditions and ability to negotiate these with counterparties. Fast response times and ability to meet tight deadlines.” – Banking and finance 

“Excellent quality work - accessible, practical and commercially focused. Reasonably priced. Excellent industry and market knowledge.” – Infrastructure  

“AL partners are experienced and extremely professional. The firm has presented various topics to the bank to discuss legal impacts on law changes. It has offered its offices for client engagement and has acted commercially in every sense whilst also advising on the best legal position for the Bank. The firm's services are competitive with no compromise in quality. Its strengths lie in personalised services across a broad range of requirements. We have worked extensively with AL on an LBO and they were very attentive and provided strong legal advice.” – Corporate and M&A 

“Very strong on the projects and infrastructure side; reasonable skillset on financing.” – Infrastructure  

Based in New Zealand with offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, Baldwins Intellectual Property is ranked ‘Outstanding’ in intellectual property. Led by six partners, the firm has around 30 IP specialists with extensive practical experience in science, technology and business. Partner Tom Jackson left the firm and joined Rouse in March 2018.  

Intellectual property 

Work highlights 

Managed approximately 60 patent families for UniServices (commercial arm of The University of Auckland), drafted and prosecuted applications in both New Zealand and for the Patent Co-Operation Treaty as well as managed prosecution of national phase applications. 

Key clients 

Lacoste, Swatch  

Client feedback 

“The firm have extensive knowledge of our company, industry and our competitors.  This means they are able to provide informed and relevant advice.  I feel that they value us as a client and put a lot of emphasis on building relationships.  They are willing to explore new ways of doing things and are receptive to feedback.  They are also proactive about looking for trends or issues which may be of concern to our business and alerting us.” – Intellectual property 

Banking and financial services, consumer goods and services, energy, infrastructure, media and entertainment and real estate are some of the firm’s key industry sectors.  

Banking and finance 

Work highlights 

Acted as lead counsel for Westpac New Zealand (Westpac) in the restructuring of the existing warehouse structure and the establishment of a new securitisation trust for the new bond issue.  

Key clients 

ANZ Bank New Zealand, Bank of New Zealand, ICBC (New Zealand) 

Competition/antitrust 

Work highlights 

Advised the Electricity Authority on a proposal to introduce a default distributor agreement, which has been opposed by a number of electricity distribution businesses, including Vector. 

Construction 

Work highlights 

Acted for Central Plains Water on the development and financing of the Stage II and Sheffield stages of development of the Central Plains Irrigation Project. 

Key clients 

Accident Compensation Corporation, Hunter Downs Water, NZ Transport Agency, Westpower 

Corporate and M&A 

Work highlights 

Advised the trustees of Lanocorp Holding Trust on the sale of 80% of the shares in the Lanocorp group of companies Lanocorp New Zealand, Lanocorp Pacific, LTM Holdings and Canterbury Cosmetics to Kanara Holdings. 

Key clients 

AgResearch, Alceon Group, Snapper 

Dispute resolution 

Work highlights 

Acted for New Zealand’s dairy company Miraka in a contractual claim against Milk New Zealand (Shanghai) Co. Miraka's claim was initially brought in the high court, but the issues are now being determined by arbitration. 

Key clients 

Haumaru Housing, NZ Transport Agency, PEPANZ, Sky Network Television, Zespri International  

Intellectual property 

Work highlights 

Advised for NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) on its information and communications technology projects in the past 12 months and established a panel of software development suppliers for NZTA to call on across many of its core applications. 

Key clients 

Contact Energy, Imagination Television, SKY Network Television 

Labour and employment 

Work highlights 

Advised New Zealand Post on a nation-wide restructuring that involves fundamental changes to its business. 

Key clients 

Alliance Group, Department of Corrections, Kerry Logistics (Oceania), Lumino 

Private equity 

Work highlights 

Advised Adamantem Capital in its acquisition of Heritage Lifecare, a large retirement village and rest home operator, including undertaking due diligence, drafting the sale and purchase agreement and other related transaction documents. 

Key clients 

Bank of New Zealand, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (New Zealand) 

Tax 

Work highlights 

Assisted Development West Coast, a charitable trust that was set up to manage income from a fund received from the government, in obtaining a favourable binding ruling from the Inland Revenue Department.  

Key clients 

Adamantem Capital, Bank of New Zealand, ICBC 

Client feedback 

“We were delighted with the service provided to us. We worked with a couple of solicitors on the matter so we were confident that we could always reach someone who could provide meaningful assistance through a relatively stressful time. Solutions proposed were pragmatic and realistic, with a real emphasis on commercial reality. The goal of reaching a resolution as quickly as possible was emphasised for the good of all parties, particularly where an employment situation is concerned and parties have to continue to work together.” – Labour and employment 

“We never have an issue with the work completed by Buddle Findlay. They are user friendly, responsive and balanced in their approach. Our main dealings are at a corporate law level, for which in my view they excel. We have also had very good results for us in enforcing corporate restraints.” – Corporate and M&A 

“Provided good advice and support through the process. The result for us was confidence we had provided a good report to the client. The partner supporting us worked hours outside the normal working week to meet our client's deadline.  Very appreciative for the customer support.” – Labour and employment 

“Buddle Findlay typically provides strongly pragmatic and commercial advice, focused on the best practical outcome for us as a client and cost-effectiveness. As a top-tier NZ firm located in the major cities, they are more expensive than regional/smaller firms, but this is consistent with typical law firm metrics and they are in line with other firm rates. I have been impressed with their ability to ‘play nicely’ with other firms when required.” – Dispute resolution 

“Buddle Findlay provides an outstanding service. Their advice is always appropriate to the situation. They understand our organisation and are able to help us find solutions that work for our culture, while ensuring legal compliance. They are a very safe pair of hands.” – Labour and employment 

Chapman Tripp is ranked in the top tiers across all practice areas and industry sectors. The firm has specialities in banking and financial services, energy, infrastructure, insurance, and technology and telecommunications.

Banking and finance

Work highlights

Advised ANZ Bank New Zealand on the issue of NZ$125 million Kauri green bonds by the World Bank Group member IFC. This was New Zealand’s first ever green bond deal and has been followed by substantial local market interest in green bonds.

Key clients

ANZ Bank New Zealand, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, Summerset Group Holdings, Turners Automotive Group, Westpac New Zealand, Westpac Banking Corporation

Capital markets

Work highlights

Advised RESIMAC on an offer of NZ$250 million notes by its New Zealand business through the RESIMAC Versailles Trust, backed by New Zealand residential mortgage loans. 

Key clients

China Construction Bank (New Zealand), Christchurch City Holdings, Precinct Properties New Zealand

Competition/antitrust

Work highlights

Advised Boehringer Ingelheim in the competition aspects of its acquisition of the animal health business of Sanofi. The transaction represents a global business swap in which Boehringer acquired Merial and Sanofi acquired Boehringer’s consumer healthcare business.

Advised Essilor International and Luxottica Group in relation to the NZ competition law aspects of their global merger. 

Key clients

Fonterra Co-operative Group, Shell New Zealand

Corporate and M&A

Work highlights

Advised WSP Global on its acquisition of Opus International Consultants, one of New Zealand’s largest engineering consultancy firms.

Key clients

Gas Services New Zealand, New Zealand Superannuation Fund, NZME, Tower, Trilogy International

Dispute resolution

Work highlights

Acted for Earthquake Commission (EQC) in more than 600 separate litigations from Canterbury homeowners, advised on hundreds of other claims and provided complex legal advice to EQC which has affected the settlement of tens of thousands of cases. 

Key clients

BlueScope Steel, Kathmandu Holdings, New Zealand Steel

Harmos Horton Lusk is a specialist law firm focusing in corporate law. The firm has an industry sector strength in consumer goods and services.

Capital market

Work highlights

Advised Bowker Holdings 99, formerly Transport Investments (TIL), on the reverse listing of TIL Logistics Group on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX).

Corporate and M&A

Work highlights

Advised Vector, one of New Zealand’s largest infrastructure asset owners, on its acquisition of E-Co Products.

Key clients

Abano, Just Water International, Pushpay, Manhattan, The Fidelity Family Trust

Investment funds

Work highlights

Advised Conrad Funds Management (CFML), a managed investment scheme (MIS) manager licensed by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA), on the establishment of the Conrad Investment Scheme and its Mortgage and Premium Cash Funds.

Key clients

AMP Wealth Management New Zealand, Nikko Asset Management New Zealand, trueEX, Workplace Savings NZ

Client feedback 

“Excellent commercial and practical approach.” – Corporate and M&A 

Construction

Work highlights

Acted for Epsom Central Apartments LP in its construction contract and apartment sales of the development of Epsom Central Apartment on the fringe of the central business district in Epsom.

Key clients

Juken New Zealand, Russell Group of companies

Corporate and M&A

Work highlights

Advised Jennian Homes, one of New Zealand’s largest home building companies, in all aspects of its franchising arrangements to operate as a franchise.

Key clients

Davines, Independent Timber Merchants Co-Operative, Mataura Valley Milk, Taranaki Street Investment

Dispute resolution

Work highlights

Acted for Kahawai Point Development on a number of disputes arising from its construction contract with Intercivil.

Key clients

Melanesian Mission Trust Board, NZ Waldorf Apartments Management

Client feedback 

“The firm is very keen for feedback, and takes all on board. The firm works very hard to manage stakeholder relationships.” – Dispute resolution  

“Excellent, great attention to deal, prompt responses to queries and issues. Advice is accurate and takes into account commercial considerations where appropriate. Great to deal with.” – Insurance 

“The firm’s strengths are construction law knowledge, operates as a team, providing clear advice and Involving specialist consultants appropriately.” – Construction   

“Excellent advice, practical and competent. Based on skilled and experienced teams throughout the practice. Hesketh Henry has established sound personal but professional relationships with our company employees and have developed a thorough understanding of our business and needs. This allows for tailored support.” – Restructuring and insolvency  

“Good team culture. Hesketh Henry brings in appropriate subject-matter experts where appropriate in matters.” – Construction  

Dispute resolution

Work highlights

Represented The Onehunga Enhancement Society, Jackson Electrical Industries, Re-Think The East-West Link, and The Local Lock-Up, a collection of local businesses and residents in a dispute arising from a project The East West Link, which is designed to provide a new transport connection between east and west of Auckland.

Key clients

New Space, Treasure River Enterprise

Based in Auckland, Langton Hudson Butcher is a niche employment law and litigation firm and it is ranked ‘Highly recommended’ in Labour and employment.

Labour and employment

Work highlights

Acted for Mary Schollum and Jonathan Hastings in a labour and employment case against Corporate Consumables, in which Corporate Consumables refused to include Mary Schollum and Jonathan Hastings’ commission when calculating their pay.

Client feedback 

 “Expertise in employment advice, friendly and professional lawyers who act in a timely manner.” – Dispute resolution 

“The firm were very thorough and professional. They showed aggression when it was required and restraint when necessary in what was a very public and complicated matter. Ultimately our lawyer's better knowledge of the law and material created the environment, which led to our ability to settle the matter without public and messy litigation.” – Labour and employment 

“Readily available and understandable advice.  Clear guidance as to process required in order to obtain optimal outcome for all concerned. Suggested options and risks involved with various strategies.” – Labour and employment 

“Very detailed knowledge of case law and the interpretation of the holiday pay act. Cases referenced in documents prior to court and in court were obviously well understood and they were discussed with confidence with the judge when we were in court.” – Dispute resolution 

“Langton Hudson is a delight to work with - they respond to queries in a timely manner, and in fact make themselves available if it is urgent. There technical advice is always spot on; they understand our business, our cultural aspirations and our risk appetite.” – Dispute resolution 

Corporate and M&A

Work highlights

Advised Rothbury Group in its acquisition of Lifetime Group, a full service financial advisory network, including the purchase of Lifetime’s general insurance broker operations, premium funding operations, and taking a 19.5% cornerstone interest. 

Key clients

Barfoot & Thompson, Corporate Holdings, Horizon Global (NZ), Huawei Technologies (New Zealand) Company, VMG Ventures

Dispute resolution

Work highlights

Advised P&I Services, the owner of the Rena (the largest ship ever lost in New Zealand waters), Shipwreck and its P&I and hull insurers The Swedish Club, on legal claims brought by local businesses affected by the hazardous waste spill, local Maori concerns, and political disagreements over the future of the wreck.

Key clients

Budget Loans, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Saturn Portfolio Management

Intellectual property

Work highlights

Acted for Plumbing World with the registration of its four new trade marks, one to replace the brand ASTIVITA and three related to their highly successful Young Plumber of The Year Awards.

Key clients

Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS), Seven Gaming, Simtics

Restructuring and insolvency

Work highlights

Advised former directors of a group of companies in relation to the claims made against them by the liquidators of those companies.

Advised PricewaterhouseCoopers on an application to increase the rates that liquidators can charge for conducting liquidations (as approved by the court). The deal was innovative this application was the first successful increase application in 14 years.

Client feedback 

“High quality work under tight timeframes. Always available when required. Incredibly quick turnaround times including late nights and weekend work when required. Always happy to jump straight in. Senior team involvement.” – Banking and finance 

“Lowndes is a strong commercial law, M&A and property law firm. They are very client focused and professional and have real attention to detail. They can lead transactions or work well as part of a multi-firm deal team.” – Corporate and M&A  

“Communicativeness, the people are very nice and very reasonable to deal with, very client-focused.” – Dispute resolution 

“Brilliant as always. Fast, accurate and easy to understand advice. At this level lawyers are very specialised. To be able to gain expert advice from Lowndes, in a concise way which I can present to my CEO and Board, as well as understand clearly myself is a godsend.” – Competition/antitrust 

“An all-round excellent experience.  Paul Hartland is our main contact and he was exceptional.  What was most impressive was his very timely turnaround time for every question and issue we addressed.” – Corporate and M&A 

Russell McVeagh is experienced in regulatory matters across a range of industry sectors, including energy, infrastructure, real estate, and technology and telecommunications. An energy specialist Cameron Law joined the firm as partner in December 2017.

Banking and finance

Work highlights

Acted for Bank of New Zealand, ICBC and Bank of China in the financing of New Zealand's largest residential property development project, Hengyi's 57 floor Pacifica development in Auckland's central business district.

Key clients

ANZ New Zealand, Heartland Bank, Westpac New Zealand

Construction

Work highlights

Assisted Watercare in obtaining planning approvals for upgrades to various wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to serve Auckland's growing population and obtained resource consents and other approvals for upgrades to Watercare's Omaha Beach, Warkworth/Snells Beach and Wellsford WWTPs.

Key client

Auckland International Airport, Precinct Properties New Zealand, Stevenson Group

Corporate and M&A

Work highlights

Advised Australian energy giant Origin Energy in its sale of Lattice Energy to Beach Energy.

Key clients

Fonterra Brands (New Zealand), T&G Global

Dispute resolution

Work highlights

Represented electricity and gas distribution company Vector and filed injunction proceedings against news media company Fairfax New Zealand for obtaining Vector's customers' data from its app.

Regulatory

Work highlights

Assisted HRL Morrison & Co in obtaining planning approvals for project SkyPath, a proposed cycle/walk way to be constructed alongside the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Key clients

Auckland International Airport, New Zealand International Convention Centre, Origin Energy

Client feedback 

 “Very personable, professional, timely with advice, high quality advice, challenge our thinking, forward-thinking and use a mix of junior and senior staff.” – Regulatory  

“We interviewed five law firms in New Zealand for our work. Each pitched us how they would assist. The only law firm that had the competency to advise us was Tom Hunt and Dan Jones' team at Russell McVeagh. Their advice on everything from regulations as a foreign financial institution, commercial contracts, and tax was spot on and extremely helpful.” – Capital markets  

“Great depth in the firm, able to provide the best expertise when issues arise. Very responsive and available. Very high standard of work.” – Restructuring and insolvency 

“Good on high level advice and act in a timely manner. Practical in settling and achieving deadlines and consider our requirements.” – Banking and finance 

“Russell McVeagh has leading lawyers in New Zealand for projects requiring consent under the Resource Management Act 1991. They also provide advice to us of a regulatory nature. They are subject matter experts, they are accessible and responsive.” – Infrastructure  

With a reputation for specialist knowledge, Simpson Grierson maintains its strong presence in the top tiers across practice areas. Insurance, mining, energy, entertainment and primary industries are the firm’s industry sectors focus.

Banking and finance

Work highlights

Acted for PricewaterhouseCoopers in a beachfront subdivision project funded by Lombard Finance on Mahia Peninsula.

Key clients

BDO

Capital markets

Work highlights

Advised First NZ Capital, Deutsche Craigs and Macquarie Capital on the IPO of Oceania Healthcare, New Zealand's third-largest residential aged care provider, with a dual listing on the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges. 

Key clients

Forsyth Barr Group, Livestock Improvement Corporation, Macquarie Securities (NZ), Pacific Property Fund

Construction

Work highlights

Advised City Rail Link for the City Rail Link (CRL) project, the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken in New Zealand, which involves building two 3.5km rail tunnels and two underground railway stations for metro trains from the existing Britomart station up to Mt Eden station.

Key clients

Auckland Council, Christchurch City Council, CPB Contractors, Icon Co (NZ)

Restructuring and insolvency

Work highlights

Advised Solid Energy on the completion of deed administration and its entry into a planned solvent liquidation.

Key clients

BDO, McGrathNicol, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Wilson Harle is a specialist litigation firm located in Auckland. The firm's services cover commercial disputes, from initial advice and strategy through to final resolution by negotiation, mediation, arbitration or trial.

Dispute resolution

Work highlights

Acted for Vodafone New Zealand in a number of contentious matters and provided strategic advice on commercial and regulatory issues. Acted in relation to a prosecution by the New Zealand Commerce Commission relating to the advertising of certain broadband products.

Key clients

Callaghan Innovation, Gambling Commission, Marsh, MidCentral District Health Board, New Zealand Retail Property Group (NZRPG), Topline International

Client feedback 

“Wilson Harle is a high quality boutique firm with a disproportionate number of extremely good litigators.” – Dispute resolution  

“Wilson Harle provides strong technical expertise of a quality seen in much larger firms. Their billing represents real value for money. They are client-focused, timely, and responsive and provide pragmatic, business-oriented advice.” – Dispute resolution  

“Superior understanding of administrative law principles; very successful litigators. Leading dispute resolution practice; excellent litigation managers.” – Dispute resolution 

“The firm is efficient, does not put more lawyers on a case than is necessary.  The lawyers concerned are smart, very hard working and good to work with.” – Dispute resolution  

“Very sage and sensible advice; pragmatic and not alarmist.  Know their stuff.” – Competition/antirust