A total of five lawyers were elevated to senior positions in this round
Chapman Tripp has promoted Philip Ascroft, Tom Jemson and Vonda Engels to partner.
The three lawyers strengthen the firm’s corporate and securities offering, as well as the employment and health and safety practice.
Ascroft concentrates on ECM, corporate governance, public M&A, and listed company compliance. He has worked on major IPOs in New Zealand.
He was named one of NZ Lawyer’s Most Influential Lawyers this year, as well as one of its Rising Stars in 2022.
2023 NZ Lawyer Rising Star Jemson is a specialist in M&A and capital raisings. His clients have included private equity funds and publicly listed companies, both domestic and international.
He brings experience from a stint in London before returning to New Zealand and Chapman Tripp in 2021.
Engels has tackled all aspects of employment and health and safety law, and has advised on contentious and non-contentious matters. She has acted for clients before the Employment Court and the Employment Relations Authority; she has also represented clients in mediations facilitated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
She is a certified workplace investigator under the Association of Workplace Investigators Training Institute and has conducted independent investigations into workplace conduct and culture matters.
Rachael Irvine-Shanks and Melanie Hayes also ascended to the role of special counsel.
Irvine-Shanks has handled complex commercial litigation for domestic and international clients in the High Court and in forums for alternative dispute resolution. In particular, she has experience with contractual disputes, product liability claims, regulatory and competition proceedings and class actions.
She rejoined Chapman Tripp in 2016 after a stint with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in London.
Hayes has managed and resolved disputes for clients in the private and public sectors for more than 19 years. She is an expert in matters involving construction, insurance, contractual and statutory interpretation, tort and estate law, and the Public Works Act.
All five promotions will take effect on 1 December, pending Law Society requirements.
