2024 NZ Law Awards excellence awardees unveiled

The excellence awardees for the 2024 New Zealand Law Awards have been announced.

The awards recognise the top stars in the New Zealand legal market across 24 categories that cover the achievers and achievements of law firms, in-house legal teams, lawyers, and service providers.

DEAL AWARDS 

Debt Market Deal of the Year 

• Establishment of NZGIF Solar Finance Programme 

Organisations involved: Chapman Tripp (Counsel to NZGIF in establishing the program; Counsel to SolarZero as issuer), Deloitte (tax advisor to Solar Zero), DLA Piper (legal advisor to NZGIF as senior and mezzanine financier), Mayne Wetherell (Counsel to senior lenders First Sentier and Natixis), Webb Henderson (Counsel to Public Trust); Financiers:  New Zealand Green Investment Finance (Programme Manager and Mezzanine Lender), Natixis Investment Managers and First Sentier Investors (Senior Lenders), Societe Generale (Arranger, Lead Manager and Green Coordinator)

• Funding for construction of Moa Point, Wellington Wastewater Minimisation Facility 

Organisations involved: Bell Gully (primary legal adviser to Crown Infrastructure Partners), Buddle Findlay (Counsel for the Lenders), Chapman Tripp (Counsel for WCC), Deloitte (tax and accounting advisor to Crown Infrastructure Partners), Simpson Grierson (Counsel for the Crown)

• Issuance of NZ$1.1 billion inaugural sustainable financing bonds by New Zealand LGFA 

Organisations involved: Russell McVeagh (legal adviser to LGFA); Banks: ANZ, BNZ and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (acting as Joint Lead Managers), Westpac (acting as Sustainability Coordinator, Arranger and Joint Lead Manager) 

• NZ$650 million pool asset-backed securitisation by UDC Finance 

Organisations involved: Chapman Tripp (advising the Arranger and Dealers), Dentons Kensington Swan (advising the Trustee), Russell McVeagh (legal adviser to UDC Finance); Banks: ANZ (Joint Lead Manager, Swap Contemporary), BNZ (Arranger, Joint Lead Manager, Swap Counterparty), Societe Generale (Joint Lead Manager) 

Equity Market Deal of the Year 

• Capital raise and takeover defence of EROAD 

Organisations involved: Allens, Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp (adviser to EROAD), Rimon Law, Russell McVeagh 

• Equity capital market raising for Infratil 

Organisations involved: Baker McKenzie, Barrenjoey, Chapman Tripp (legal Counsel to Infratil), Forsyth Barr, Simpson Grierson (legal advisor to underwriters), Sidley Austin, UBS  

• Establishment of Bay of Plenty Housing Equity Fund (BOPHEF) 

Organisations involved: Brightlight GP NZ (Fund Manager), Chapman Tripp (Fund Manager advisor), Deloitte (tax advisor to the fund manager), Holland Beckett, New Ground Capital (Fund Manager), Sharp Tudhope (advisor to the Bay of Plenty Housing Equity Fund’s founding shareholders/equity investors)

• Sale of 7 percent stake in Auckland Airport by the Auckland Council 

Organisations involved: Baker McKenzie, Flagstaff Partners, Simpson Grierson (legal adviser to Auckland Council), UBS New Zealand 

Project Finance Deal of the Year

• Development and project financing of 63 MW Lauriston solar farm by Genesis Energy and FRV Australia 

Organisations involved: Chapman Tripp (advising the lenders), Russell McVeagh (lead legal adviser to Genesis Energy and FRV Australia), White & Case (advising the lenders); Banks: BNZ Bank and MUFG Bank (project financing) 

• Financing of Connexa's acquisition of 2degrees' mobile cell tower assets 

Chapman Tripp (advising Connexa), Russell McVeagh (lead counsel to a syndicate of five offshore mandated lead arrangers), Webb Henderson (advising Spark – Connexa shareholder); Financial Advisor: Bank of America

• Funding for construction of Moa Point, Wellington Wastewater Minimisation Facility  

Organisations involved: Bell Gully (primary legal adviser to Crown Infrastructure Partners), Buddle Findlay (Counsel for the Lenders), Chapman Tripp (Counsel for WCC), Simpson Grierson (Counsel for the Crown) 

• Social housing project of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei 

Organisations involved: Buddle Findlay (for BNZ), Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh (lead legal adviser to Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa), Simpson Grierson (for Westpac); Banks: Bank of New Zealand, Westpac New Zealand 

M&A Deal of the Year 

• Acquisition of 50 percent of Vector's metering business by QIC 

Organisations involved: Chapman Tripp (Legal Counsel to Vector), Harmos Horton Lusk (adviser to Vector on its joint venture and governance arrangements for Vector Metering), Herbert Smith Freehills, King & Wood Mallesons, Russell McVeagh (Lead legal advisers to QIC), Vector’s in house legal team; Banks: Barrenjoey, Citi (for Vector), JP Morgan, Craigs Investment Partners (for QIC)

• Acquisition of a controlling interest in One NZ by Infratil 

Organisations involved: Bell Gully (primary legal adviser to Brookfield Asset Management); Buddle Findlay (legal adviser to Infratil - purchaser) 

• Acquisition of Fonterra's Soprole dairy business by Gloria Foods 

Organisations involved: MinterEllisonRuddWatts (adviser to Fonterra), Simpson Grierson (New Zealand legal counsel to Gloria Foods); Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos (Chilean legal advisers to Fonterra), Claro & Cia (Chilean legal advisers to Gloria Foods), Conyers (Bermudan legal advisers to Fonterra), Sapag & Gonzalez (Chilean tax advisors to Fonterra); Investment bankers: JP Morgan (Investment bankers to Fonterra), Tyndall Group (Investment bankers to Gloria Foods) 

• Acquisition of Pushpay by BGH Capital and Sixth Street consortium 

Organisations involved: Bell Gully (primary legal adviser to the bidder), Buddle Findlay (legal counsel to Sixth Street), Harmos Horton Lusk (adviser to Pushpay) 

• NZ$1.4 billion acquisition of HSBC's New Zealand prime residential mortgage portfolio by Pepper Money

Organisations involved: Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp (Legal Counsel for Pepper Money), King & Wood Mallesons, Norton Rose Fulbright 

Insolvency And Restructuring Deal of the Year 

• Proposed debt restructuring of Ruapehu Alpine Lifts 

Organisations involved: Bell Gully (acting Ruapehu Alpine Lift's Directors), Buddle Findlay (acting for PwC as Administrators), Chapman Tripp (advising the Crown Regional Holdings Limited and Calibre Partners as Receivers), Dentons (acting for Life pass holders), Russell McVeagh (Adviser to ANZ Bank as senior lender to Ruapehu Alpine Lifts); Banks: ANZ; Accountants: Calibre Partners, PwC 

• Receivership of Opum Technologies 

Organisations involved: Baker Tilly Staples Rodway, Chapman Tripp (legal Counsel), James & Wells, Leeder Law 

• Receivership of Treasure Plus 

Organisations involved: Buddle Findlay and Dyer Whitechurch (for the guarantor Calibre Partners), Chapman Tripp (Legal counsel); Receivers: Baker Tilly Staples Rodway (the Voluntary Administrators). 

Mid-Market Deal of the Year 

• Acquisition of 50 percent stake in GreenPower New Zealand by Energy Marlborough 

Organisations involved: Simpson Grierson (legal advisor to the purchaser), Duncan Cotterill 

• Acquisition of Morrison & Co's NZ infrastructure assets by Amber Infrastructure Group 

Organisations involved: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh (lead adviser to International Public Partnerships and their advisor Amber Infrastructure Group) 

• Acquisition of Pinnacle Corporation by Qube Holdings 

Organisations involved: MinterEllisonRuddWatts, Simpson Grierson (legal advisor to purchaser) 

• Acquisition of Totara Learning by Tenzing 

Organisations involved: Deloitte NZ (and UK) (tax advisor to Tenzing), DLA Piper (legal advisor), Osborne Clarke LLP, Russell McVeagh

• Merger of Kāpura and Joylab Group 

Organisations involved: Chapman Tripp (legal Counsel to Kāpura), Bell Gully (for Joylab Group), Simpson Grierson (legal advisor to DB Breweries); Banks: Cameron Partners (for Kāpura), Forsyth Barr (for DB Breweries) 

IN-HOUSE AWARDS 

Young In-House Lawyer of the Year (35 or under) 

• Gabriella Garcia, AIA NZ 
• Georgina Sanders, Mainfreight 
• Julie Hands, Hato Hone St John 
• Romina Seylani, Douglas Pharmaceuticals 
• Sam Fellows, Tauranga City Council 
• Sonia Pinto, Inland Revenue 
• Taylor Sutherland, Perpetual Guardian 

James & Wells In-House Lawyer of the Year 

• Briony McTaggart, Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake 
• Karyn O'Loughlin, DB Breweries 
• Kathryn Mitchell, Crown Infrastructure Partners 
• Louise Martin, Auckland International Airport 
• Louise Rooney, Precinct Properties 
• Mark Cunliffe, New Zealand Takeovers Panel 
• Theresa Donnelly, Perpetual Guardian 
• Tom Thursby, One New Zealand 

Sponsored by 

Financial Services In-House Team of the Year 

• AIA NZ 
• ANZ 
• KPMG NZ 
• New Zealand Green Investment Finance 
• Perpetual Guardian Legal Team 
• Suncorp New Zealand - Legal & Secretariat 

Winners of the Financial Services In-House Team and Energy In-House Team categories will automatically progress to become excellence awardees of In-House Team of the Year. 

Energy In-House Team of the Year 

• Contact Energy Legal Team 
• Genesis Energy 
• Vector 

Winners of the Financial Services In-House Team and Energy In-House Team categories will automatically progress to become excellence awardees of In-House Team of the Year. 

Russell McVeagh In-House Team of the Year 

• Auckland International Airport 
• Downer 
• Fisher & Paykel Appliances 
• Fonterra Legal Team 
• Hato Hone St John 
• Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora 
• One New Zealand 
• Precinct Properties 
• SkyCity Entertainment Group 

Winners of the Financial Services In-House Team and Energy In-House Team categories will automatically progress to become excellence awardees of In-House Team of the Year. 

Sponsored by 

FIRM AWARDS 

Chisholm Clarke Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year (35 or under) 

• Alex MacDuff, Russell McVeagh 
• Ashton Goatley, Webb Henderson 
• Charlotte Garland, Mayne Wetherell 
• Emma Hughes, Anthony Harper 
• Keegan Jones, WRMK Lawyers 
• Kishan Gunatunga, Chapman Tripp 
• Matt Austin, Simpson Grierson 
• Samantha Beattie, Wotton + Kearney 
• Wendy Smith, DLA Piper 
• Zac Kedgley-Foot, Bell Gully 

Sponsored by 

Employment Law Specialist Firm of the Year 

• Black Door Law 
• Copeland Ashcroft Law 
• Dyhrberg Drayton Employment Law 
• McBride Davenport James 
• Richard Upton 

Litigation & Dispute Resolution Specialist Law Firm of the Year 

• Cooper Legal 
• Gilbert Walker 
• K3 Legal 
• LeeSalmonLong 
• Russell Legal 
• Wilson Harle 

Intellectual Property Specialist Law Firm of the Year 

• AJ Park 
• Catalyst Intellectual Property 
• Henry Hughes IP 
• James & Wells 

Baker Tilly Staples Rodway Property & Construction Specialist Law Firm of the Year 

• AlexanderDorrington 
• Convey Law 
• Domain Legal 
• Kate Sheehan Lawyers 
• TBB 

Sponsored by 

LexisNexis Boutique Law Firm of the Year 

• BlackmanSpargo Rural Law 
• Flacks & Wong 
• Juno Legal 
• Morrison Partners 
• Norling Law 
• Quigg Partners 
• Rice Speir 
• Webb Henderson 

Sponsored by 

Fluid Legal Recruitment Employer of Choice (<100 Lawyers) 

• AJ Park 
• James & Wells 
• Juno Legal 
• McCaw Lewis 
• Morris Legal 
• SHIFT Advisory 
• Succeed Legal 
• Tavendale and Partners 
• Wynn Williams 

Sponsored by 

Realaml Employer of Choice (>100 Lawyers) 

• Anderson Lloyd 
• Anthony Harper 
• Bell Gully 
• Buddle Findlay 
• Chapman Tripp 
• Dentons 
• DLA Piper 
• MinterEllisonRuddWatts 
• Russell McVeagh 
• Simpson Grierson 
• Tompkins Wake 

Sponsored by 

LEAP Legal Software Mid-Size Law Firm of the Year 

• Cavell Leitch 
• Cooney Lees Morgan 
• Harmos Horton Lusk 
• K3 Legal 
• Mayne Wetherell 
• McVeagh Fleming 

Sponsored by  

Robert Walters Large Law Firm of the Year 

• Anderson Lloyd 
• Anthony Harper 
• Bell Gully 
• Chapman Tripp 
• Dentons 
• DLA Piper 
• MinterEllisonRuddWatts 
• Russell McVeagh 
• Simpson Grierson 
• Tompkins Wake 
• Wynn Williams 

Sponsored by 

Law Firm Leader of the Year (≤100 Lawyers) 

• Alissa Bell, McVeagh Fleming 
• Andrew Shaw, Lane Neave 
• Brent James Norling, Norling Law 
• Cecilia Burgess, Cooney Lees Morgan 
• Edwin Morrison, K3 Legal 
• Helen Mackay, Juno Legal 
• Sally Morris, Morris Legal 
• Sonja Cooper, Cooper Legal 
• Tim Walden, James & Wells 

Law Firm Leader of the Year (>100 Lawyers) 

• Andrew Poole, MinterEllisonRuddWatts 
• Hayden Wilson, Dentons 
• Jon Calder, Tompkins Wake 
• Laura Scampion, DLA Piper 
• Phillipa Muir, Simpson Grierson 
• Richard Greenaway, Anderson Lloyd 

PROFESSION AWARDS 

Diversity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year 

• Anderson Lloyd 
• Buddle Findlay 
• DLA Piper 
• MinterEllisonRuddWatts 
• Simpson Grierson 
• Tompkins Wake 

The winners will be crowned at a gala to be held on 28 November at the Viaducts Events Centre in Auckland.

The list of excellence awardees can also be found here.