The firm's advisory roles on world-first projects was highlighted
Russell McVeagh has been awarded the National Law Firm of the Year for New Zealand at the prestigious IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2022. The announcement was made at the virtual awards ceremony held on March 17.
The firm thanked its clients for the opportunity to work on some “world-firsts”, including its work with KiwiRail – the first ship-financing to be certified by the Climate Boards Initiative (CBI) and a finalist in the Project Finance Deal of the Year category for the Asia-Pacific region. The team had been led by partners John Powell and Mei Fern Johnson.
"We're extremely proud of this recognition which reflects the dedication of our immensely talented team who work on some of the most complex and challenging projects in Aotearoa alongside our clients to help them achieve their goals.,” said Russel McVeagh CEO Jo Avenell.
IFLR highlighted the firm's track record on the most innovative transactions across M&A, debt and project financing, as well as key advisory roles on ground-breaking projects such as the KiwiRail ship financing project led by banking and finance partner John Powell and corporate Mei Fern Johnson, Tilt Renewables’ $3.24bn takeover by way of a scheme of arrangement led by corporate Joe Windmeyer, Summerset’s circa $700m sustainability linked loan once more led by John Powell as well as banking and finance partner Tom Hunt, and Fonterra Co-operative Group’s $552m sale of its China Dairy Farms led by corporate partner Ben Paterson.
The firm also advised Genesis Energy on its establishment of a sustainable finance framework and $250m of sustainability linked loans with Westpac, BNZ, and MUFG aligned with the Climate Transition Finance Handbook. The team was then led by banking and finance partner Jessy Fairley.
The IFLR Asia Pacific Awards recognise firms who have demonstrated legal innovation on cross-border deals, new legal structures, have overcome new regulatory hurdles and regional firsts that adapt existing technology to local regulation.
