Excellence awardees announced for New Zealand Law Awards 2021

The New Zealand Law Awards has announced its excellence awardees for 2021.

The awards celebrate the leading achievers and achievements across the legal profession in New Zealand, which are highlighted in 27 prestigious categories covering law firms, in-house teams and major deals.

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.