Meredith Connell names three new partners

Top law firm Meredith Connell has named three new partners as it seeks to strengthen key practice areas including commercial law, criminal law, and public and commercial litigation.

The firm tapped Derek Roth-Beister to focus on corporate transactions in the private equity and venture capital space, from fund formation to investment. Roth-Beister holds an honours degree in law from the University of Bristol, and was admitted in the UK in 1996.

He subsequently spent 12 years in Hong Kong to advise European and Asian mid-market fund managers on portfolio company investments and exits. After 2 years in the Cayman Islands structuring PE and hedge funds, he arrived in New Zealand in 2014.

Among his notable accomplishments, the firm said Roth-Beister advised an Asian PE fund manager on acquisition of an international construction-equipment manufacturer with operations in Asia and the US, with an enterprise value over US$100m.

Criminal law expert Jo Murdoch was made partner in the firm’s Crown Specialist Team. She prosecutes serious crime in the Youth Court, District and High Courts, and also appears for the Crown in the Court of Appeal.

Murdoch teaches trial advocacy at Auckland Law School and criminal procedure at Otago Law School. She graduated from the University of Otago with an honours degree in law, and a master of arts (honours) degree.

From 2004 to 2005, she was clerk to Sian Elias, the chief justice and presiding judge of the Supreme Court. She has prosecuted a significant number of criminal jury trials for the Crown in the District Court and High Court, including historical sexual offending, violence, fraud and drug offending, the firm said.

Public and commercial litigation expert Sean Kinsler was also named partner.  He supports a wide range of interests to manage their legal risk, and has provided advice and advocacy in negotiations and proceedings before courts and tribunals at all levels.

Kinsler finished an honours degree in law and a master of arts (first class honours) degree from the University of Auckland. Before joining the firm, he was Crown Counsel in Crown Law’s tax, commercial and human rights teams.


Related stories:
Tauranga appoints new Crown Solicitor
New Zealand Law Awards: 2016 winners revealed