Lowndes founder joins Tompkins Wake

The founder of commercial law-specialist firm Lowndes has joined Tompkins Wake.

Mark Lowndes brings Lowndes director Kerri Dewe and associate Reuben Payne with him to Tompkins Wake’s Auckland branch as Lowndes winds down in preparation for its merger with the former effective 1 September.

“We had been talking to a number of law firms, and once we engaged with Tompkins Wake we were quickly attracted by their energy and enthusiasm, their clear business strategy, and the depth of the firm’s talent across its offices,” Mark Lowndes said.

Lowndes said that he found Tompkins Wake “nimble and commercial to deal with,” and praised the firm’s “people-orientated culture,” as well its ability to identify and value individual strengths.

He has served as Lowndes’s managing director for 23 years, and said he is eager to be able to focus solely on his clients.

“We are proud of what we achieved at Lowndes and look forward to carrying on serving our clients from a larger firm with a strong New Zealand brand,” Lowndes said.

Dewe, who will join Tompkins Wake’s partnership, said the team was excited to offer its specialist skills.

“We know that both the service culture and size of Tompkins Wake will work extremely well for our clients, also providing access to some additional practice areas,” she said.

Tompkins Wake Chief Executive Jon Calder sees the merger as an opportunity to beef up the firm’s offering in Auckland and enhance its national presence—something that he said has been an important goal for the firm in recent years.

“Lowndes have built a reputation around their unique ability to leverage their technical expertise with innovative commercial thinking and outstanding service; we think that’s a brilliant fit with Tompkins Wake and our firm’s values,” Calder said. “We’re excited about this opportunity to merge this practice into Tompkins Wake and we welcome Mark, Kerri, and Reuben with their specialist skills to continue our growth, particularly in the Auckland market.”

Lowndes was first established in 1997, and will continue to see clients at its offices on Shortland Street until the fall.