Excellence awardees for NZ Law Awards 2022 revealed

The excellence awardees for the 2022 New Zealand Law Awards have been announced.

The awards recognise the top stars in the New Zealand legal market across 25 categories that cover the achievers and achievements of law firms, in-house legal teams, lawyers, arbitrators, mediators and service providers.

DEAL AWARDS

Debt Market Deal of the Year

• ANZ Bank offer and issue of Tier 2 unsecured subordinated notes

Lead Firm: Russell McVeagh

• Auckland Council offer of secured fixed rate Green Bonds

Lead Firm: Mayne Wetherell

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): ANZ, Auckland Council, Bell Gully, BNZ, Westpac

• Contact Energy issue of green capital bonds

Lead Firm: Buddle Findlay

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bell Gully, BNZ, Contact Energy Limited, Forsyth Barr and Craigs Investment Partners

• Crown financing support package for Air New Zealand

Lead Firms: Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bell Gully, Calibre Partners, Goldman Sachs

• Syndicated financing of Pacific Radiology Group

Lead Firm: MinterEllisonRuddWatts

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Buddle Findlay

Equity Market Deal of the Year

• Allbirds Initial Public Offering

Lead Firm: Russell McVeagh

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bell Gully, Cooley LLP, DLA Piper, Morgan Stanley

• EBOS capital raise to finance Lifehealthcare acquisition

Lead Firm: Chapman Tripp

All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): King & Wood Mallesons, Lazard Australia, Macquarie Capital (Australia), Macquarie Securities (NZ), Russell McVeagh

• Fonterra Co-operative Group capital structure review

Lead Firms: Russell McVeagh, Webb Henderson

• Pacific Edge Capital Raise and Dual Listing

Lead Firm: Anderson Lloyd

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bell Potter Securities, Cameron Partners, Chapman Tripp, Forsyth Barr, Jarden Securities, Mills Oakley

• Winton Land Limited’s Initial Public Offering

Lead Firm: Chapman Tripp

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Grant Samuel, Jarden and Forsyth Barr, KPMG, Mills Oakley, Russell McVeagh, Webb Henderson

Project Finance Deal of the Year

• Financing of the development of Hiringa Refuelling NZ's hydrogen refuelling network

Lead Firm: Anderson Lloyd

Oher Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Avid Legal, Beca, Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp, Marsh

• First sustainability-linked loan for NZ Schools PPP 3

Lead Firms: MinterEllisonRuddWatts, Anderson Lloyd

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Anderson Lloyd, Bell Gully, Dentons Kensington Swan, MinterEllison (Australia)

• KiwiRail loan facility to purchase passenger and freight rail ferries

Lead Firm: Russell McVeagh

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bank of America, Holman Fenwick Willan, National Australia Bank, Societe Generale, Watson Farley & Williams, Westpac

• Launch of the solarZero schools and commercial energy initiatives

Lead Firm: Chapman Tripp

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Anthony Harper, Deloitte, MinterEllisonRuddWatts, New Zealand Green Investment Finance, Westpac

M&A Deal of the Year

• 2degrees merger with Orcon Group

Lead Firms: Harmos Horton Lusk, Mayne Wetherell, Simpson Grierson

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Flacks & Wong, Harmos Horton Lusk, Matthews Law, Deloitte

• Acquisition of Vocus Group by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) and Aware Super

Lead Firm: Simpson Grierson

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Gilbert + Tobin, Morgan Stanley

• Bentley Systems' acquisition of Seequent Holdings from Accel-KKR

Lead Firm: DLA Piper

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): BDO NZ, Bell Gully, Grant Thornton, Goldman Sachs, PwC, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

• Infratil's purchase of a majority stake in Pacific Radiology Group

Lead Firms: Buddle Findlay, Chapman Tripp

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Allier Capital, E&P Capital, Jarden, KPMG, LEK Consulting, MinterEllison, PwC

• Powering Australian Renewables’ and Mercury NZ’s acquisition of Tilt Renewables by Scheme of Arrangement

Lead Firms: Chapman Tripp, Harmos Horton Lusk, Russell McVeagh

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Ashurst, Buddle Findlay, Citigroup Global Capital Markets Australia, Forsyth Barr, Gilbert + Tobin, Harmos Horton Lusk, King & Wood Mallesons, Deloitte

• Unity Software acquisition of Wētā FX's digital assets

Lead Firms: DLA Piper, Harmos Horton Lusk

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): DLA Piper, Hudson Gavin Martin, LangtonHudsonButcher, Matthews Law, Morrison & Foerster, Orrick, Deloitte

Insolvency and Restructuring Deal of the Year

• Channel Infrastructure restructure and conversion from oil refinery to import terminal

Lead Firm: Webb Henderson

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): MinterEllisonRuddWatts

• Indevin Group acquisition of Villa Maria Estate from FFWL receivership

Lead Firms: Harmos Horton Lusk, Mayne Wetherell, Webb Henderson

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): ANZ, Bank of New Zealand, Bell Gully, Buddle Findlay, Harmos Horton Lusk, Rabobank, Deloitte

• Liquidation of Autoterminal New Zealand Limited

Lead Firm: Holland Beckett, Tompkins Wake and TWA Legal

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Khov Jones

• Successful exit from bankruptcy and reorganization of Hertz Global Holdings - NZ aspects

Lead Firm: Chapman Tripp

All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Minter Ellison, White & Case

• VLG Group Restructure and Refinance

Lead Firms: Anderson Creagh Lai, Mayne Wetherell

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Grant Cameron Assoc., Greenwood Roche, Mayne Wetherell, RSM Law, Simpson Grierson

Mid-Market Deal of the Year

• Blackstone’s sale of Arena Living to Arvida Group

Lead Firm: Bell Gully

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Chapman Tripp, PwC

• Classic Group and New Zealand Super Fund partnership in Kaha Ake ("Stronger Together") housing program

Lead Firms: Cooney Lees Morgan, Russell McVeagh

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Schmidt & Co

• Fidelity Life’s acquisition of Westpac Group's New Zealand life insurance business

Lead Firms: Bell Gully, Russell McVeagh

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Anderson Lloyd, Webb Henderson, Deloitte

• Kohlberg Kravis Roberts' acquisition of Education Perfect

Lead Firm: Mayne Wetherell

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Gilbert + Tobin, Russell McVeagh

• Sale of 70 per cent interest in Fertility Associates to New Zealand Super Fund, Pioneer Capital and Comprador Holdings

Lead Firms: Dentons Kensington Swan, Anderson Lloyd

Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): MinterEllisonRuddWatts

• Sale of Rydges Wellington hotel to New Zealand Super Fund and NZ Hotels Holding Assets

Lead Firms: Anderson Lloyd, Buddle Findlay

IN-HOUSE AWARDS

James & Wells Young In-House Lawyer of the Year (35 or Under)

• Chelsie Foley, Tuatahi First Fibre
• Gabriella Garcia, AIA New Zealand
• Georgina Sanders, Mainfreight
• Laura Campbell, University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
• Nathan Watt, OceanaGold Corporation
• Sivan Nathan, Perpetual Guardian Group
• Tristan Sage, StockCo

Lane Neave In-House Lawyer of the Year

• David Milton Browne, Business South Incorporated
• Davina Rowan, Kiwi Wealth Legal Team
• Jackie Floyd, Fonterra Co-operative Group
• James Radcliffe, Woolworths New Zealand
• Joanna Khoo, Chubb Insurance New Zealand
• Megan Potter, CooperAitken
• Sarah Retter, Fujitsu New Zealand

Financial Services In-House Team of the Year

• AIA New Zealand
• ASB Legal Services
• Chubb Insurance NZ Legal Team
• Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation
• Kiwi Wealth Legal Team
• Suncorp New Zealand Legal Team

Russell McVeagh In-House Team of the Year

• Auckland Council Legal Services Ngā Ratonga Ture
• Auckland International Airport
• Fonterra Co-operative Group Legal Team
• Genesis Energy Legal Team
• NZME Legal Team
• SkyCity Entertainment Group
• University of Canterbury In-house Legal Services Team
• Vector Group Legal Team
• Vodafone New Zealand Legal and Regulatory team
• Woolworths New Zealand

FIRM AWARDS

Employment Law Specialist Firm of the Year

• Black Door Law
• Dyhrberg Drayton Employment Law
• McBride Davenport James
• Richard Upton, Barrister

Litigation & Dispute Resolution Specialist Law Firm of the Year

• Cooper Legal
• Gilbert Walker
• K3 Legal
• Morris
• Norling Law
• Russell Legal
• Wilson Harle

Intellectual Property Specialist Law Firm of the Year

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

Property & Construction Specialist Law Firm of the Year

• AlexanderDorrington
• Domain Legal
• Kate Sheehan Lawyers
• TBB

Insurance Specialist Law Firm of the Year

• Darroch Forrest Lawyers
• Gilbert Walker
• Shine Lawyers NZ
• Wotton + Kearney New Zealand

Boutique Law Firm of the Year

• BlackmanSpargo Rural Law
• Flacks & Wong
• Hudson Gavin Martin
• Juno Legal
• Morris
• Morrison Mallett
• Queen City Law NZ
• Webb Henderson

Employer of Choice (<100 Lawyers)

• AJ Park
• Lane Neave
• Mayne Wetherell
• Norris Ward McKinnon
• Tompkins Wake
• Webb Henderson
• Wotton + Kearney

Employer of Choice (>100 Lawyers)

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

Resolution Institute Mediator of the Year

• Mark Kelly, Bankside Chambers
• Hayden Wilson, Dentons Kensington Swan
• Jon Everest, PACT and Orange Umbrella
• Nina Khouri, Nina Khouri Mediation
• Nurit Zurbery, Beyond Conflict Mediation
• Wi Pere Mita, Laidlaw Law and Consultancy

Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year (35 or Under)

• Alex Bond, Bell Gully
• Alice Balme, Wynn Williams
• Anastasiya Gutorova, Simpson Grierson
• Charles Thompson, Dentons Kensington Swan
• Ed McGimpsey, Buddle Findlay
• Elena Kim, PwC Legal
• Janko Marcetic, Chapman Tripp
• Stephanie de Groot, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
• Tina Liu, Tompkins Wake
• Tom McGarry, TBB

Managing Partner of the Year (≤100 Lawyers)

• Angela Parlane, Shine Lawyers NZ
• Edwin Morrison, K3 Legal
• Helen Mackay, Juno Legal
• Jon Calder, Tompkins Wake
• Philip Maw, Wynn Williams
• Sally Morris, Morris
• Sam Hood, Norris Ward McKinnon
• Tim Walden, James & Wells

Managing Partner of the Year (>100 Lawyers)

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

Mid-size Law Firm of the Year

• Cooney Lees Morgan
• Harmos Horton Lusk
• K3 Legal
• Mayne Wetherell
• McCaw Lewis
• Norris Ward McKinnon

Robert Walters Large Law Firm of the Year

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

PROFESSION AWARDS

Diversity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year

• Anderson Lloyd
• Buddle Findlay
• Dentons Kensington Swan
• DLA Piper
• Fujitsu New Zealand
• Laidlaw Law and Consultancy
• MinterEllisonRuddWatts
• Simpson Grierson

The winners will be crowned at a gala to be held on 10 November at the Cordis Auckland.

The list of excellence awardees can also be found here.