18 NOVEMBER 2021 • CORDIS AUCKLAND
AWARD SPONSORS
OFFICIAL MEDIA
ORGANISER
#NZLawAwards www.lawawards.co.nz
18 NOVEMBER 2021 • CORDIS AUCKLAND
AWARD SPONSORS
The annual New Zealand Law Awards proudly returns as a prestigious gala – and there’s a group of stellar excellence awardees vying for the big prizes FOLLOWING a year like no other, the time is right to recognise the outstanding law firms, in-house teams, individuals and dealmakers that raised the bar in the legal profession during an extraordinary year. It’s never been more important to celebrate the great achievements of those who make this industry great – to inspire us all to continue working hard, keep connected and most importantly rebound from a period of massive upheaval. The New Zealand Law Awards team received an incredible response to the nationwide call for nominations. The team would like to extend a massive ‘thank you’ to those who submitted, as well as to the esteemed judges for their important work in selecting the final winners. The winners will be revealed and celebrated at the awards gala on 18 November at the Cordis Auckland. To reserve a table, visit www.lawawards.co.nz or contact awards@keymedia.com.au. Finally, NZ Lawyer, along with our esteemed sponsors and our publisher Key Media, would like congratulate this year’s excellence awardees – who are listed in the following pages.
www.lawawards.co.nz
OFFICIAL MEDIA
#NZLawAwards
ORGANISER
METHODOLOGY
Hundreds of nominations were received from firms and legal departments from across New Zealand. The Awards research team reviewed all nominations, applying its own knowledge and some third-party information, to identify the outstanding firms, teams, individuals, deals or cases in each category that will receive an Excellence Award. Corresponding announcements were made across our media outlets. The second phase of the research process involved Excellence Award submissions being forwarded to the extensive independent judging panel for scoring against strict criteria. Judges’ scores are aggregated to produce a single Winner in each category. Winners are announced during the New Zealand Law Awards gala on 18 November at the Cordis Auckland.
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DEBT MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR K iwibank Issue of NZ $275million in subordinated notes Lead Firm: Russell McVeagh Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Craigs Investment Partners, Forsyth Barr, Jarden Securities
M ercury NZ Finance $200 million seven-year green bond offer Lead Firm: Chapman Tripp Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): ANZ, Bell Gully, BNZ, DNV GL
NZ $18.4 million refinancing of Electric Kiwi debt facilities Lead Firm: Simpson Grierson Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bell Gully, BNZ
N Z $2 billion Warehouse Facilities to assist Shinsei Bank acquisition of UDC Finance Limited Lead Firms: Mayne Wetherell, Russell McVeagh Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Antalis S.A., ANZ, Bank of New Zealand, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Dentons Kensington Swan – Trustee counsel, Royal Bank of Canada - Sydney Branch, UDC Finance, Westpac New Zealand
Scentre Group US $3 billion subordinated hybrid note issue Lead Firm: Russell McVeagh Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): A&O, K&L Gates, Linklaters Singapore, Sidley Austin
EQUITY MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR
A uckland International Airport NZ$1.2b capital raise
N Z $98 million block trade sell-down of shares in Pushpay
Lead Firms: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Citi, Credit Suisse, Jarden, King & Wood Mallesons
Lead Firms: Harmos Horton Lusk, Russell McVeagh Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Allen & Overy – Australia, Bell Gully, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Couch Harlowe Kovacevich, Craigs Investment Partners
K athmandu Group NZ $207 million capital raise Lead Firms: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Baker & McKenzie, Deloitte
M y Food Bag IPO and NZ $342 million capital raise Lead Firms: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh, Webb Henderson Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Craigs Investment Partners, Forsyth Barr, Jarden, KPMG, Mills Oakley, PwC, Rimon Law
Sky Network Television Limited NZ $157 million placement and non-renounceable accelerated rights entitlement offer Lead Firms: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Baker & McKenzie, Deloitte, Forsyth Barr Group, Goldman Sachs New Zealand, Sidley Austin
PROJECT FINANCE DEAL OF THE YEAR C ardrona Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant NZ $16.5 million project financing Lead Firms: Anderson Lloyd, Buddle Findlay Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): BNZ, Spencers Chartered Accountants
T ransmission Gully public-private partnership NZ $1.25 billion project financing Lead Firm: Russell McVeagh Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bell Gully, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
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M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR D iscovery Inc. acquisition of MediaWorks TV Limited Lead Firms: DLA Piper, MinterEllisonRuddWatts Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): EY, KPMG, UBS
Fonterra NZ $592 million sale of China dairy farms Lead Firms: Russell McVeagh, Simpson Grierson Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Goldman Sachs, King & Wood Mallesons China, KPMG Hong Kong, PwC New Zealand, Tian Yuan China
M etlifecare Limited NZ$1.3 billion sale to Asia Pacific Villages Group Limited Lead Firms: Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp, Harmos Horton Lusk Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Calibre Partners (formerly KordaMentha), Colliers International, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Jarden, Jones Lang LaSalle, King & Wood Mallesons, Meredith Connell, NERA Economic
Consulting, Russell McVeagh, Simmons Corporate Finance, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Stout Street Chambers
R esolution Life A$3 billion acquisition of AMP’s wealth protection and mature life businesses Lead Firms: Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Ashurst, Debevoise & Plimpton, King & Wood Mallesons, PwC
W EL Networks and Waipa Networks sale of stake in Ultrafast Fibre Holdings Lead Firms: Bell Gully, Russell McVeagh, Tompkins Wake Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Cameron Partners, Lowndes, Simpson Grierson
INSOLVENCY AND RESTRUCTURING DEAL OF THE YEAR C laymark Group receivership Lead Firm: Chapman Tripp Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): BNZ, Brookfields, Russell McVeagh, Wells Fargo
Distressed sale of Smiths City Group for NZ $60 million in assumed debt and cash to Polar Capital LP Lead Firms: Chapman Tripp, Duncan Cotterill Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): ASB Bank, BCH (Burley Attwood Law), BDO Christchurch, Mayne Wetherell, PwC, Webb Henderson
L iquidation of Pacific Aerospace Limited assets Lead Firm: Tompkins Wake Other Organisations that worked on the deal
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(Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bell Gully, Holland Beckett, Khov Jones, Quigg Partners
R estructuring, insolvency, and exit of Jucy Group Lead Firms: Duncan Cotterill, MinterEllisonRuddWatts Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): ASB Bank, Calibre Partners, Chapman Tripp, Lander & Rogers, Lowndes Jordan, Mayne Wetherell, Norton Rose, PwC, Simpson Grierson
T ahua Capital NZ $30 million purchase of Burger King New Zealand under receivership Lead Firms: Mayne Wetherell, Russell McVeagh Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bell Gully, Buddle Findlay, Calibre Partners, PwC
MID-MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR A bano Healthcare Group Limited NZ $136 million take-private transaction
F reightways Limited NZ$117 million acquisition of Big Chill Distribution
Lead Firms: Bell Gully, Harmos Horton Lusk Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Calibre Partners, Cameron Partners, Ernst & Young, Jarden, King & Wood Mallesons, Mayne Wetherell, Matthews Law, Rothschild & Co, Simpson Grierson
Lead Firms: Brown Partners Lawyers, Russell McVeagh Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): EY, Forsyth Barr, Keegan Alexander
C enturia Capital Group’s nz $175 million takeover of Augusta Capital Limited
Lead Firms: Buddle Findlay , Webb Henderson Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): KHQ
Lead Firms: Chapman Tripp, Harmos Horton Lusk Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): HWL Ebsworth, Mayne Wetherell
Price Industries purchase of Holyoake New Zealand and Australian operations
The a2 Milk Company NZ $268 million investment in Mataura Valley Milk Lead Firms: Bell Gully, Simpson Grierson
Webb Henderson
2020 Deal Team of the Year (<100 Lawyers)
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JAMES & WELLS YOUNG IN-HOUSE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (35 OR UNDER)
LANE NEAVE IN-HOUSE LAWYER OF THE YEAR
B rooke White, Calder Stewart
Anton Shead, Goodman New Zealand
C harlotte Moll, Warren and Mahoney
Beth Keightley, Wellington City Council
C ourtney Dick, Rocket Lab
Chris Bougen,
G eorgina Sanders, Mainfreight
The New Zealand Refining Company
J emimah Giblett, Sharesies
Hayley Cassidy, Bank of New Zealand
J eremy Jones, AIA New Zealand
Katharine Armstrong, Metlifecare
J ordan Levesque, Westpac Bank New Zealand
M att Morgan, Spark New Zealand S tephen Drysdale, ZURU
Kathryn Mitchell, Crown Infrastructure Partners
Mary-Elizabeth Tuck, Auckland International Airport
Melissa Anastasiou, Spark New Zealand
Natalie Bryant, Sharesies
PROUDLY SPONSORED BY
PROUDLY SPONSORED BY
James & Wells provides a full suite of intellectual property services, including patents, trademarks, litigation, and IP strategy. We are champions of innovation and the people who create it. With offices across Australia and New Zealand, our award-winning team enables businesses to own, control and commercialise their intellectual property on a global scale.
Lane Neave is a national law firm with a proud history of providing specialist advice as a trusted advisor to our clients for more than 150 years. We solve problems and realise opportunities for clients from Government agencies and listed companies to entrepreneurs, developers and individuals from our offices in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown.
P: 0800 466 688 E: info@jamesandwells.com W: www.jamesandwells.com
8 www.lawawards.co.nz
Peter Dwan Chief Executive Officer P: +64 21 888 290 E: peter.dwan@laneneave.co.nz W: www.laneneave.co.nz
FINANCIAL SERVICES IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR
RUSSELL MCVEAGH IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR
A IA New Zealand
Air New Zealand Legal Team
A NZ
Airways Corporation NZ Legal Team
A SB Bank
Crown Infrastructure Partners
B ank of New Zealand
Fonterra Legal Team
L egal Team at Sharesies
Genesis Energy Legal Team
S uncorp New Zealand Legal Team
Serko In-house Legal Team
W estpac NZ Regulatory Affairs, Corporate Services and Legal team (RACLS)
Sky Team Legal
AJ Park
PROUDLY SPONSORED BY
2020 Intellectual Property Specialist Law Firm of the Year
Russell McVeagh is committed to operating on the cutting edge of legal practice in New Zealand. Characterised by a dynamic network of specialists who are champions for clients’ strategic goals, the full-service commercial law firm is known for outstanding client relations and teamwork. The firm’s practice groups are respected as leaders in the market and assist New Zealand’s top organisations with their most complex, challenging and high-profile
Jo Avenell Chief Executive Officer P: +64 9 367 8091 E: jo.avenell@russellmcveagh.com W: www.russellmcveagh.com
www.lawawards.co.nz 9
EMPLOYMENT LAW SPECIALIST FIRM OF THE YEAR
LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
D undas Street
G ilbert Walker
AJ Park
D yhrberg Drayton Employment Law
K 3 Legal
Ellis Terry
M orris Legal
Henry Hughes Law
M cBride Davenport James
N orling Law
James & Wells
R ice Speir
Zone Law
R ichard Upton S BM Legal
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S hine Lawyers W ilson Harle
PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
INSURANCE SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
A lexanderDorrington
F ee Langstone
D omain Legal
G ilbert Walker
B lackmanSpargo Rural Law
K ate Sheehan
R obertsons
T hompson Blackie Biddles
S hine Lawyers W otton + Kearney
C ouch Harlowe Kovacevich Flacks & Wong Franks Ogilvie Hudson Gavin Martin Morrison Mallett Sykes Legal Webb Henderson
WRMK Lawyers
2020 Regional/Suburban Law Firm of the Year
www.lawawards.co.nz 11
ARTEMIS EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT EMPLOYER OF CHOICE
ARTEMIS EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT EMPLOYER OF CHOICE
ARTEMIS EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT EMPLOYER OF CHOICE
(<50 LAWYERS)
(51-100 LAWYERS)
(>100 LAWYERS)
J ames & Wells
A J Park
Anderson Lloyd
J uno Legal
L ane Neave
Anthony Harper
N orling Law
T ompkins Wake
Bell Gully
N orris Ward McKinnon
W ynn Williams
Buddle Findlay
P wC Legal
Chapman Tripp
S mith and Partners Lawyers
MinterEllisonRuddWatts
W ebb Henderson
Simpson Grierson
Russell McVeagh
W otton + Kearney W RMK Lawyers
PROUDLY SPONSORED BY
Artemis is an award winning premium executive search and recruitment firm that specialises in legal, human resources and executive leadership appointments. Offering bespoke recruitment and search services across a range of functional disciplines including General Counsel, Partners, Lawyers, CEO’s, Managing Directors, General Management, Senior to mid-Management and Non-Executive Directors, Artemis offers national, Trans-Tasman and international search capability. The Artemis legal team specialises in all legal and legally related roles – from legal support roles (legal secretary, EA/PA, legal executive etc) to Partner and General Counsel appointments. If you have a legal recruitment need – we can assist. Artemis is proud to support the ongoing development of the New Zealand legal profession.
Kathryn Cross Managing Director Artemis Executive Recruitment
12 www.lawawards.co.nz
P: +64 9 354 3543 M: +27 700 8049 E: kathryn.cross@artemisnz.com W: www.artemisnz.com
RESOLUTION INSTITUTE MEDIATOR OF THE YEAR
YOUNG PRIVATE PRACTICE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (35 OR UNDER)
H ayden Wilson, Dentons Kensington Swan
Anna Cherkashina, Norling Law Ashton Goatley, Webb Henderson
M atthew Clayton, Talk-Meet-Resolve
Beatrix H Woodhouse, John Miller Law
M r Wi Pere Mita (BA/LLB), Laidlaw Consultants
Brad Ward, Bell Gully Ed McGimpsey, Buddle Findlay Michelle Needham, Lane Neave Nick Valentine, DLA Piper Stephanie de Groot, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
PROUDLY SPONSORED BY
Tom McLaughlin, Dentons Kensington Swan Will Irving, Russell McVeagh
Resolution Institute is a leading Trans-Tasman association for mediators, arbitrators and adjudicators. In New Zealand we are approved to grant mediation accreditation for family dispute resolution and farm debt mediation. We provide an appointment process for individuals or organisations that require the services of a mediator, adjudicator and arbitrator, as well as training, accreditation and continuing professional development for mediators.
Trevor Slater FRI Chief Operating Officer P: 0800 453 237 | +64 (0) 4 974 8051 M: +64 (0) 21 232 2027 W: www.resolution.institute A: Level 4, 69-71 The Terrace, Wellington 6011
REGIONAL/SUBURBAN LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BlackmanSpargo Rural Law Dean & Coleman Law Norris Ward McKinnon WRMK Lawyers
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MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR (≤100 LAWYERS)
MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR (>100 LAWYERS)
A ngela Parlane, Shine Lawyers
Anne Callinan, Simpson Grierson
E dwin Morrison, K3 Legal
Haydn Wong, Bell Gully
P hilip Maw, Wynn Williams
Jennifer Caldwell, Buddle Findlay
S ally Morris, Morris Legal
Malcolm Hurley, Anthony Harper
S am Hood, Norris Ward McKinnon, Hamilton
Richard Greenaway, Anderson Lloyd
T im Walden, James & Wells
MID-SIZE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
LARGE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
C avell Leitch
Anderson Lloyd
H armos Horton Lusk
Anthony Harper
M artelli McKegg Lawyers
Bell Gully
M ayne Wetherell
Buddle Findlay
N orris Ward McKinnon
Chapman Tripp
T ompkins Wake
Lane Neave
W RMK Lawyers
MinterEllisonRuddWatts
W ynn Williams
Russell McVeagh Simpson Grierson
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A LOOK BACK: 2020 WINNERS DEAL AWARDS DEBT MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR Acquisition financing of Vodafone New Zealand
EQUITY MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR Napier Port IPO
PROJECT FINANCE DEAL OF THE YEAR City Rail Link
M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR Vodafone New Zealand acquisition
INSOLVENCY AND RESTRUCTURING DEAL OF THE YEAR Receivership of Ebert Construction retention fund
MID-MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR Synlait acquisition of Dairyworks
NEW ZEALAND DEAL OF THE YEAR Vodafone New Zealand Acquisition
IN-HOUSE AWARDS
PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR Thompson Blackie Biddles
INSURANCE SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR Fee Langstone
BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR Gilbert Walker
ARTEMIS EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT EMPLOYER OF CHOICE (< 50 LAWYERS) Juno Legal
ARTEMIS EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT EMPLOYER OF CHOICE (51-100 LAWYERS) Tompkins Wake
ARTEMIS EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT EMPLOYER OF CHOICE (> 100 LAWYERS) Russell McVeagh
RESOLUTION INSTITUTE MEDIATOR OF THE YEAR Paul Sills, Mediator & Barrister
YOUNG IN-HOUSE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (35 OR UNDER)
YOUNG PRIVATE PRACTICE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (35 OR UNDER)
Leah Taylor, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
Angela Harford, Bell Gully
IN-HOUSE LAWYER OF THE YEAR
MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR (< 100 LAWYERS)
Julian Benefield, Foodstuffs North Island
SIMPSON GRIERSON FINANCIAL SERVICES IN-HOUSE TEAM
Jon Calder, Tompkins Wake
BNZ
MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR (> 100 LAWYERS)
RUSSELL MCVEAGH IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR
Anna Buchly, Bell Gully
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Legal Team
NZ LAWYER DEAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (> 100 LAWYERS)
FIRM AWARDS
Bell Gully Corporate Team
EMPLOYMENT LAW SPECIALIST FIRM OF THE YEAR Dyhrberg Drayton Employment Law
LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
DEAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (< 100 LAWYERS) Webb Henderson
REGIONAL/SUBURBAN LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR WRMK Lawyers
Gilbert Walker
MID-SIZE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
WESTERN UNION BUSINESS SOLUTIONS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
LARGE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
AJ Park
Harmos Horton Lusk – Corporate Team; Tompkins Wake Russell McVeagh
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CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS! Join the highly anticipated New Zealand Law Awards gala on 18 November at the Cordis Auckland, where we will reveal the big winners and celebrate the NZ legal profession’s successes over an incredibly challenging year. For table reservations or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.lawawards.co.nz or contact awards@keymedia.com.au.
AWARD SPONSORS
OFFICIAL MEDIA
ORGANISER
#NZLawAwards www.lawawards.co.nz