New Zealand Law Awards 2021 Excellence Awardees

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

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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

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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

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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

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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