2023 Excellence Awardees
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DEAL AWARDS
Debt Market Deal of the Year
Auckland Council Sustainability-Linked Loans
Lead firms: Buddle Findlay, Mayne Wetherell
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): ANZ, Auckland Council, Bank New Zealand
Financing for Igneo’s acquisition of Waste Management NZ
Lead firms: Bell Gully, Simpson Grierson
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): ANZ Bank New Zealand , Craigs Investment Partners, MUFG Bank , Hong Kong Branch, Natixis, RBC Capital Markets, Royal Bank of Canada
New Zealand sovereign Green Bond Framework and first green bond issuance
Lead firm: Chapman Tripp
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Allens, Freshfields, Clifford Chance
Senior Debt for Tourism Holdings Ltd as part of merger with Apollo Tourism and Leisure
Lead firms: Buddle Findlay, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Baker McKenzie, Hamilton Locke, Jones Day, MinterEllison
Syndicated funding for Allegro’s acquisition of fuel retailer Gull NZ
Lead firms: Russell McVeagh, Simpson Grierson, Webb Henderson
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Allegro Funds, Ares Capital, ASB Bank Limited, Gilbert + Tobin
Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira Inc senior debt facilities to fund the purchase of properties from the Crown
Lead firm: Chapman Tripp
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): ANZ Bank New Zealand , Armillary Private Capital, Bank of New Zealand, Craigs Investment Partners, Dentons, Fisher Funds, JP Morgan, Pou Manaaki, PT (Booster Investments) Nominees , Rotomā No.1 Incorporation, Russell McVeagh, Tumu Whakarae, Westpac New Zealand
Equity Market Deal of the Year
$2.2-billion Recapitalisation of Air New Zealand
Lead firms: Allen & Overy, Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Baker & McKenzie, Calibre Partners, Citibank, Citigroup, Craigs Investment Partners, Deloitte, Forsyth Barr, Goldman Sachs, Herbert Smith Freehills, KPMG, Sidley Austin, UBS, Vorigo Advisory
Heartland Group Holdings $200 million equity raise
Lead firms: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Jarden Securities , Rimon Law
Ryman Healthcare $902.4 million capital raise
Lead firms: Bell Gully, Russell McVeagh
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Baker & McKenzie, Herbert Smith Freehills, Macquarie, Montarne, Sidley Austin, UBS
Project Finance Deal Of the Year
Financing of Lodestone Energy Solar Project
Lead firms: Chapman Tripp, MinterEllisonRuddWatts, Simpson Grierson
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Tom Fail, Westpac
Financing of special purpose vehicle to fund infrastructure and urban development projects in Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty
Lead firms: Bell Gully, Buddle Findlay
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bank of New Zealand, Chapman Tripp, Crown Infrastructure Partners, Deloitte, KPMG, Mafic Partners, Simpson Grierson, Tauranga City Council, Westpac New Zealand
M&A Deal of the Year
Acquisition of Partners Life by Dai-ichi Life
Lead firms: Chapman Tripp, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Bank of America, Baker McKenzie, Bell Gully, Deloitte, MinterEllison
Acquisition of Z Energy by Ampol
Lead firms: Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Calibre Partners, Goldman Sachs, Herbert Smith Freehills, Macquarie
Crown takes 100% control of Kiwibank with purchase of NZ Super Fund, Accident Compensation Corporation and NZ Post stakes
Lead firms: Chapman Tripp, MinterEllisonRuddWatts, Simpson Grierson, Webb Henderson
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Cameron Partners
Futureverse roll-up and Series A capital raise
Lead firm: PwC Legal
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Avid Legal, Bell Gully, Burton & Co, Centrapay, Dentons, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, Gunderson Dettmer, Heimsath Alexander, Kindrik Partners, Latham & Watkins LLP, Lowenstein Sandler LLP, MinterEllisonRuddWatts, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, The Forest Road Company, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, Walkers
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board’s acquisition of 70% stake of Spark NZ’s passive mobile infrastructure business
Lead firms: Chapman Tripp, Webb Henderson
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Allens, Bank of America Securities, Jarden and Forsyth Barr, Linklaters, Mayne Wetherell, Russell McVeagh, Simpson Grierson
Sale of One NZ (formerly Vodafone) Passive Mobile Towers to InfraRed and Northleaf Capital Partners
Lead firms: Allens Linklaters, Bell Gully, Buddle Findlay, Chapman Tripp
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Allens, Altman Solon, Alvarez & Marsal, Aon, Aurecon, Barrenjoey, Colliers, Gallaghers, PwC, RBC Capital Markets, RPS, Russell McVeagh, UBS, UBS New Zealand
Insolvency And Restructuring Deal Of the Year
Financial Restructuring and recapitalisation of Kurow Duntroon Irrigation Co.
Lead firms: Chapman Tripp, MinterEllisonRuddWatts, Russell McVeagh
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Anderson Lloyd, BDO, Buddle Findlay, Calibre Partners, Crown Irrigation Investments, McCullough Robertson, Simpson Grierson, Tavendale and Partners, Waitaki District Council
Liquidation of CBL Insurance Limited
Lead firm: Anthony Harper
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): CMQ Law, DLA Piper, Duncan Cotterill, Gilbert Walker, GlaisterEnnor, Harmos Horton Lusk, Hesketh Henry, King’s Counsel, LeeSalmonLong, Lindsay & Francis, McElroys, McGrathNicol, Meredith Connell, Simpson Grierson
Receivership of Optic Security Group Limited and Related Sale of Subsidiary
Lead firms: Chapman Tripp, MinterEllisonRuddWatts, Simpson Grierson
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Buddle Findlay, Calibre Partners, Grant Thornton, MinterEllison
Mid-Market Deal of the Year
Acquisition of Eastland Network by Igneo Infrastructure Partners
Lead firms: Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp
Acquisition of the Better Health Company by Nestlé New Zealand
Lead firms: Buddle Findlay, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Deloitte
AMP Sale of Collimate Capital
Lead firm: Bell Gully
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): King Wood Mallesons
Fisher Funds purchase of Kiwi Wealth
Lead firms: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Anderson Lloyd, Buddle Findlay, Deloitte, Dentons, KPMG, Goldman Sachs & Co, LLC, Macquarie Group, Minter Ellison
Next Capital sale of New Zealand's largest urban bus operator to Kinetic NZ Holdings
Lead firms: Chapman Tripp, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Deloitte
Sale of Trustpower retail business to Mercury Energy
Lead firms: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh
All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Deloitte, Forsyth Barr, PwC
IN-HOUSE AWARDS
Young In-House Lawyer of the Year (35 Or Under)
Amir Ansari, Tourism Holdings
Lisa Cameron, Meta
Charlotte Foster, Warner Bros. Discovery
Angus Haines, DB Breweries
Nerida Kennedy, Datacom
Penny Kitto, Metlifecare
Marcus Playle, Lion
Claude Smith, Meridian Energy
James & Wells In-House Lawyer Of the Year
Melissa Anastasiou, Spark New Zealand
Penny Bower, Waste Management NZ
Paris Bree, New Zealand Oil & Gas
Kirsten Clayton, Contact Energy
Justine Hollows, Winton
Juliet Jones, One New Zealand (formerly Vodafone)
Jack Lynskey, Wealthpoint
Beth McKay, Crown Infrastructure Partners
Jason Nichols, Fonterra Co-operative Group
Sponsored by
Financial Services In-House Team of the Year
AIA NZ
IAG Legal Team
MAS – Medical Assurance Society
Partners Life Legal team
Perpetual Guardian – Legal
Energy In-House Team of the Year
Genesis Legal Team
Lodestone Energy
Meridian Energy
Telecommunications In-House Team of the Year
2degrees
One New Zealand
Spark New Zealand
Tuatahi First Fibre Legal & Regulatory Team
Russell McVeagh In-House Team of the Year
Air New Zealand
Crown Infrastructure Partners
Fonterra Legal Team
SkyCity Entertainment Group
Waikato-Tainui In-House Legal Team
Waste Management New Zealand
Winners of Financial Services In-House Team, Energy In-House Team and Telecommunications In-House Team automatically progress to become Excellence Awardees for this category and will be announced at the event.
Sponsored by
FIRM AWARDS
Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year (35 Or Under)
Bradley Aburn, Russell McVeagh
Shane Campbell, Wynn Williams
Zac Fargher, Simpson Grierson
Tayla Johnston, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Zac Kedgley-Foot, Bell Gully
Jade Magrath, Rice Speir
Rosa McPhee, Chapman Tripp
Samuel Moore, Wolfe Street Chambers
Jacob Nutt, DLA Piper New Zealand
Elizabeth Ogle, Webb Henderson
Employment Law Specialist Firm of the Year
Black Door Law
Copeland Ashcroft Law
Dyhrberg Drayton Employment Law
McBride Davenport James
Richard Upton
Watermark Employment Law
Litigation & Dispute Resolution Specialist Law Firm of the Year
Gilbert Walker
Morris
Norling Law
Russell Legal
Wilson Harle
Intellectual Property Specialist Law Firm of the Year
AJ Park
Henry Hughes IP
James & Wells
Zone Law
Property & Construction Specialist Law Firm of the Year
AlexanderDorrington
Convey Law
Domain Legal
Kate Sheehan Lawyers
TBB
Insurance Specialist Law Firm of the Year
Darroch Forrest Lawyers
Gilbert Walker
Wotton + Kearney Lawyers
LexisNexis Boutique Law Firm of the Year
BlackmanSpargo Rural Law
Dixon & Co Lawyers
Flacks & Wong
Juno Legal
Webb Henderson
Sponsored by
Employer of Choice (>100 Lawyers)
Anderson Lloyd
Anthony Harper
Bell Gully
Chapman Tripp
Dentons
MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Russell McVeagh
Simpson Grierson
Tompkins Wake
Fluid Legal Recruitment Employer of Choice (<100 Lawyers)
AJ Park
Juno Legal
Lane Neave
McCaw Lewis
Norling Law
Norris Ward McKinnon
PwC Legal
SHIFT Advisory
Wynn Williams
Sponsored by
LEAP Legal Software Mid-Size Law Firm of the Year
Cooney Lees Morgan
Harmos Horton Lusk
K3 Legal
Mayne Wetherell
McCaw Lewis
Sponsored by
Robert Walters Large Law Firm of the Year
Anthony Harper
Bell Gully
Buddle Findlay
Chapman Tripp
Dentons
DLA Piper New Zealand
MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Russell McVeagh
Simpson Grierson
Tompkins Wake
Sponsored by
Resolution Institute Mediator of the Year
Wi Pere Mita, Laidlaw Law and Consultancy
Simon Roughton, Orb Solutions Ltd
Sue Smith, Te Kāhui Tika Tangata | Human Rights Commission
Sponsored by
Law Firm Leader of the Year (≤100 Lawyers)
Glenn Forster, McCaw Lewis
Sam Hood, Norris Ward McKinnon
Matthew Jones, Wynn Williams
Helen Mackay, Juno Legal
Sally Morris, Morris
Edwin Morrison, K3 Legal
Brent James Norling, Norling Law
Tim Walden, James & Wells
Law Firm Leader of the Year (>100 Lawyers)
Allison Arthur-Young, Russell McVeagh
Jon Calder, Tompkins Wake
Jennifer Caldwell, Buddle Findlay
Malcolm Hurley, Anthony Harper
Kerry O’Donnell, Anderson Lloyd
Laura Scampion, DLA Piper New Zealand
Hayden Wilson, Dentons
PROFESSION AWARDS
Diversity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year
Anderson Lloyd
Buddle Findlay
Dentons
DLA Piper New Zealand
Laidlaw Law and Consultancy
MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Russell McVeagh
Simpson Grierson