Excellence awardees announced for New Zealand Law Awards 2021

DEBT MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR

Kiwibank 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,

Mercury 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

NZ $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

Auckland International Airport NZ$1.2b capital raise

• Lead Firm: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh
• Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Citi, Credit Suisse, Jarden, King & Wood Mallesons

Kathmandu Group NZ $207 million capital raise

• Lead Firms: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh
• All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Baker & McKenzie, Deloitte

 My Food Bag IPO and NZ $342 million capital raise

• Lead Firm: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh, Webb Henderson
• All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Craigs Investment Partners, Forsyth Barr, Jarden, KPMG, Mills Oakley, PwC, Rimon Law

 NZ $98 million block trade sell-down of shares in Pushpay

• Lead Firm: 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

Sky Network Television Limited NZ $157 million placement and non-renounceable accelerated rights entitlement offer

• Lead Firm: 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

Cardrona Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant NZ $16.5 million project financing

• Lead Firms: Anderson Lloyd, Buddle Findlay
• Oher Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): BNZ, Spencers Chartered Accountants

Transmission 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

M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR

Discovery 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 Firm: 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

Metlifecare 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

Resolution 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

 WEL 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

Claymark 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

Liquidation of Pacific Aerospace Limited assets

• Lead Firm: Tompkins Wake
• Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bell Gully, Holland Beckett, Khov Jones, Quigg Partners

 Restructuring, insolvency, and exit of Jucy Group

• Lead Firms: Duncan Cotterill, MinterEllisonRuddWatts,
• All 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

 Tahua 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, Calibre Partners, PwC

MID-MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR

Abano Healthcare Group Limited NZ $136 million take-private transaction

• Lead Firm: 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, Matthews Law, Rothschild & Co, Simpson Grierson

 Centuria Capital Group’s nz $175 million takeover of Augusta Capital Limited

• Lead Firm: Chapman Tripp, Harmos Horton Lusk
• Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): HWL Ebsworth, Mayne Wetherell

Freightways Limited NZ$117 million acquisition of Big Chill Distribution

• Lead Firm: Brown Partners Lawyers, Russell McVeagh
• Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): EY, Forsyth Barr, Keegan Alexander,

 Price Industries purchase of Holyoake New Zealand and Australian operations

• Lead Firm: Buddle Findlay, Webb Henderson
• Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): KHQ

 The a2 Milk Company NZ $268 million investment in Mataura Valley Milk

• Lead Firm: Bell Gully, Simpson Grierson

IN-HOUSE AWARDS

JAMES & WELLS YOUNG IN-HOUSE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (35 OR UNDER)

• Brooke White, Calder Stewart
• Charlotte Moll, Warren and Mahoney
• Courtney Dick, Rocket Lab
• Georgina Sanders, Mainfreight
• Jemimah Giblett, Sharesies
• Jeremy Jones, AIA New Zealand
• Jordan Levesque, Westpac Bank New Zealand
• Matt Morgan, Spark New Zealand
• Stephen Drysdale, ZURU

Sponsored by

LANE NEAVE IN-HOUSE LAWYER OF THE YEAR

• Anton Shead, Goodman New Zealand
• Beth Keightley, Wellington City Council
• Chris Bougen, The New Zealand Refining Company
• Hayley Cassidy, Bank of New Zealand
• Katharine Armstrong, Metlifecare
• Kathryn Mitchell, Crown Infrastructure Partners
• Mary-Elizabeth Tuck, Auckland International Airport
• Melissa Anastasiou, Spark New Zealand
• Natalie Bryant, Sharesies Limited

Sponsored by

FINANCIAL SERVICES IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR

• AIA New Zealand
• ANZ
• ASB Bank
• Bank of New Zealand
• Legal Team at Sharesies
• Suncorp New Zealand Legal Team
• Westpac NZ Regulatory Affairs, Corporate Services and Legal team (RACLS)

RUSSELL MCVEAGH IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR

• Air New Zealand Legal Team
• Airways Corporation NZ Legal Team
• Crown Infrastructure Partners
• Fonterra Legal Team
• Genesis Energy Legal Team
• Serko In-house Legal Team
• Sky Team Legal

FIRM AWARDS

EMPLOYMENT LAW SPECIALIST FIRM OF THE YEAR

• Dundas Street
• Dyhrberg Drayton Employment Law
• McBride Davenport James
• Richard Upton
• SBM Legal

LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

• Gilbert Walker
• K3 Legal
• Morris Legal
• Norling Law
• Rice Speir
• Shine Lawyers
• Wilson Harle

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

• AJ Park
• Ellis Terry
• Henry Hughes Law
• James & Wells
• Zone Law

PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

• AlexanderDorrington
• Domain Legal
• Kate Sheehan
• Thompson Blackie Biddles

INSURANCE SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

• Fee Langstone
• Gilbert Walker
• Robertsons
• Shine Lawyers
• Wotton + Kearney

BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

• BlackmanSpargo Rural Law
• Couch Harlowe Kovacevich
• Flacks & Wong
• Franks Ogilvie
• Hudson Gavin Martin
• Morrison Mallett
• Sykes Legal
• Webb Henderson

ARTEMIS EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT EMPLOYER OF CHOICE (<50 LAWYERS)

• James & Wells
• Juno Legal
• Norling Law
• Norris Ward McKinnon
• PwC Legal
• Smith and Partners Lawyers
• Webb Henderson
• Wotton + Kearney
• WRMK Lawyers

Sponsored by

ARTEMIS EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT EMPLOYER OF CHOICE (51-100 LAWYERS)

• AJ Park
• Lane Neave
• Tompkins Wake
• Wynn Williams

Sponsored by

ARTEMIS EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT EMPLOYER OF CHOICE (>100 LAWYERS)

• Anderson Lloyd
• Anthony Harper
• Bell Gully
• Buddle Findlay
• Chapman Tripp
• MinterEllisonRuddWatts
• Russell McVeagh
• Simpson Grierson

Sponsored by

RESOLUTION INSTITUTE MEDIATOR OF THE YEAR

• Hayden Wilson, Dentons Kensington Swan
• Matthew Clayton, Talk-Meet-Resolve
• Mr Wi Pere Mita (BA/LLB), Laidlaw Consultants

Sponsored by

YOUNG PRIVATE PRACTICE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (35 OR UNDER)

• Anna Cherkashina, Norling Law
• Ashton Goatley, Webb Henderson
• Beatrix H Woodhouse, John Miller Law
• Brad Ward, Bell Gully
• Ed McGimpsey, Buddle Findlay
• Michelle Needham, Lane Neave
• Nick Valentine, DLA Piper
• Stephanie de Groot, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
• Tom McLaughlin, Dentons Kensington Swan
• Will Irving, Russell McVeagh

MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR (≤100 LAWYERS)

• Angela Parlane, Shine Lawyers
• Edwin Morrison, K3 Legal
• Philip Maw, Wynn Williams 
• Sally Morris, Morris Legal
• Sam Hood, Norris Ward McKinnon, Hamilton
• Tim Walden, James & Wells

MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR (>100 LAWYERS)

• Anne Callinan, Simpson Grierson
• Haydn Wong, Bell Gully
• Jennifer Caldwell, Buddle Findlay
• Malcolm Hurley, Anthony Harper
• Richard Greenaway, Anderson Lloyd

REGIONAL/SUBURBAN LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

• BlackmanSpargo Rural Law
• Dean & Coleman Law
• Norris Ward McKinnon
• WRMK Lawyers

MID-SIZE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

• Cavell Leitch
• Harmos Horton Lusk
• Martelli McKegg Lawyers
• Mayne Wetherell
• Norris Ward McKinnon
• Tompkins Wake
• WRMK Lawyers
• Wynn Williams

LARGE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

• Anderson Lloyd
• Anthony Harper
• Bell Gully
• Buddle Findlay
• Chapman Tripp
• Lane Neave
• MinterEllisonRuddWatts
• Russell McVeagh
• Simpson Grierson

The winners will be crowned at a gala to be held on 18 November at Cordis Auckland. Those who wish to join the festivities may register here.