Award Categories

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DEBT MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Issuance of NZ$1.1 billion inaugural sustainable financing bonds by New Zealand LGFA

Organisations involved:  Russell McVeagh (legal adviser to LGFA); Banks: ANZ, BNZ and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (acting as Joint Lead Managers), Westpac (acting as Sustainability Coordinator, Arranger and Joint Lead Manager)

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Funding for construction of Moa Point, Wellington Wastewater Minimisation Facility
Organisations involved:  Bell Gully (primary legal adviser to Crown Infrastructure Partners), Buddle Findlay (Counsel for the Lenders), Chapman Tripp (Counsel for WCC), Deloitte (tax and accounting advisor to Crown Infrastructure Partners), Simpson Grierson (Counsel for the Crown)

NZ$650 million pool asset-backed securitisation by UDC Finance
Organisations involved:  Chapman Tripp (advising the Arranger and Dealers), Dentons Kensington Swan (advising the Trustee), Russell McVeagh (legal adviser to UDC Finance); Banks: ANZ (Joint Lead Manager, Swap Contemporary), BNZ (Arranger, Joint Lead Manager, Swap Counterparty), Societe Generale (Joint Lead Manager)

EQUITY MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Sale of 7 percent stake in Auckland Airport by the Auckland Council

Organisations involved:  Baker McKenzie, Flagstaff Partners, Simpson Grierson (legal adviser to Auckland Council), UBS New Zealand

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Capital raise and takeover defence of EROAD 
Organisations involved:  Allens, Chapman Tripp (adviser to EROAD), Rimon Law, Russell McVeagh

Equity capital market raising for Infratil 
Organisations involved:  Baker McKenzie, Barrenjoey, Chapman Tripp (legal Counsel to Infratil), Forsyth Barr, Simpson Grierson (legal advisor to underwriters), Sidley Austin, UBS

Establishment of Bay of Plenty Housing Equity Fund (BOPHEF)
Organisations involved:  Brightlight GP NZ (Fund Manager), Chapman Tripp (Fund Manager advisor), Deloitte (tax advisor to the fund manager), Holland Beckett, New Ground Capital (Fund Manager), Sharp Tudhope (advisor to the Bay of Plenty Housing Equity Fund’s founding shareholders/equity investors)

PROJECT FINANCE DEAL OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Financing of Connexa’s acquisition of 2degrees’ mobile cell tower assets

Organisations involved:  Chapman Tripp (advising Connexa), Russell McVeagh (lead counsel to a syndicate of five offshore mandated lead arrangers), Webb Henderson (advising Spark – Connexa shareholder); Financial Advisor: Bank of America

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Development and project financing of 63 MW Lauriston solar farm by Genesis Energy and FRV Australia 
Organisations involved:  Chapman Tripp (advising the lenders), Russell McVeagh (lead legal adviser to Genesis Energy and FRV Australia), White & Case (advising the lenders); Banks: BNZ Bank and MUFG Bank (project financing)

Funding for construction of Moa Point, Wellington Wastewater Minimisation Facility
Organisations involved:  Bell Gully (primary legal adviser to Crown Infrastructure Partners), Buddle Findlay (Counsel for the Lenders), Chapman Tripp (Counsel for WCC), Simpson Grierson (Counsel for the Crown)

Social housing project of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei
Organisations involved:  Buddle Findlay (for BNZ), Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh (lead legal adviser to Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa), Simpson Grierson (for Westpac); Banks: Bank of New Zealand, Westpac New Zealand

M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Acquisition of Fonterra’s Soprole dairy business by Gloria Foods

Organisations involved: MinterEllisonRuddWatts (adviser to Fonterra), Simpson Grierson (New Zealand legal counsel to Gloria Foods); Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos (Chilean legal advisers to Fonterra), Claro & Cia (Chilean legal advisers to Gloria Foods), Conyers (Bermudan legal advisers to Fonterra), Sapag & Gonzalez (Chilean tax advisors to Fonterra); Investment bankers: JP Morgan (Investment bankers to Fonterra), Tyndall Group (Investment bankers to Gloria Foods)

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Acquisition of 50 percent of Vector’s metering business by QIC
Organisations involved:  Chapman Tripp (Legal Counsel to Vector), Harmos Horton Lusk (adviser to Vector on its joint venture and governance arrangements for Vector Metering), Herbert Smith Freehills, King & Wood Mallesons, Russell McVeagh (Lead legal advisers to QIC), Vector’s in house legal team; Banks: Barrenjoey (for Vector), Citi, JP Morgan, Craigs Investment Partners (for QIC)

Acquisition of a controlling interest in One NZ by Infratil
Organisations involved:  Bell Gully (primary legal adviser to Brookfield Asset Management); Buddle Findlay (legal adviser to Infratil – purchaser)

Acquisition of Pushpay by BGH Capital and Sixth Street consortium
Organisations involved:  Bell Gully (primary legal adviser to the bidder), Buddle Findlay (legal counsel to Sixth Street), Harmos Horton Lusk (adviser to Pushpay)

NZ$1.4 billion acquisition of HSBC’s New Zealand prime residential mortgage portfolio by Pepper Money
Organisations involved:  Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp (Legal Counsel for Pepper Money), King & Wood Mallesons, Norton Rose Fulbright

INSOLVENCY & RESTRUCTURING DEAL OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Receivership of Treasure Plus

Organisations involved: Buddle Findlay (for the guarantor) and Dyer Whitechurch (for the borrower), Chapman Tripp (legal Counsel); Receivers: Calibre Partners; Voluntary Administrators: Baker Tilly Staples Rodway

EXCELLENCE AWARDEE

Receivership of Opum Technologies
Organisations involved:  Baker Tilly Staples Rodway, Chapman Tripp (legal Counsel), James & Wells, Leeder Law

MID-MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Acquisition of Morrison & Co’s NZ infrastructure assets by Amber Infrastructure Group

Organisations involved: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh (lead adviser to International Public Partnerships and their advisor Amber Infrastructure Group)

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Acquisition of 50 percent stake in GreenPower New Zealand by Energy Marlborough
Organisations involved:  Simpson Grierson (legal advisor to the purchaser), Duncan Cotterill

Acquisition of Pinnacle Corporation by Qube Holdings
Organisations involved:  MinterEllisonRuddWatts, Simpson Grierson (legal advisor to purchaser)

Acquisition of Totara Learning by Tenzing
Organisations involved:  Deloitte NZ (and UK) (tax advisor to Tenzing), DLA Piper (legal advisor), Osborne Clarke LLP, Russell McVeagh

Merger of Kāpura and Joylab Group
Organisations involved:  Chapman Tripp (legal Counsel to Kāpura), Bell Gully (for Joylab Group), Simpson Grierson (legal advisor to DB Breweries); Banks: Cameron Partners (for Kāpura), Forsyth Barr (for DB Breweries)

YOUNG IN-HOUSE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (35 OR UNDER)

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Winner: Georgina Sanders, Mainfreight

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Gabriella Garcia, AIA NZ
Julie Hands, Hato Hone St John
Romina Seylani, Douglas Pharmaceuticals
Sam Fellows, Tauranga City Council
Sonia Pinto, Inland Revenue
Taylor Sutherland, Perpetual Guardian

JAMES & WELLSIN-HOUSE LAWYER OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Louise Martin, Auckland International Airport

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Briony McTaggart, Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake
Karyn O’Loughlin, DB Breweries
Kathryn Mitchell, Crown Infrastructure Partners
Louise Rooney, Precinct Properties
Mark Cunliffe, New Zealand Takeovers Panel
Theresa Donnelly, Perpetual Guardian
Tom Thursby, One New Zealand

Sponsored by

FINANCIAL SERVICES IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: ANZ

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

AIA NZ
KPMG NZ
New Zealand Green Investment Finance
Perpetual Guardian Legal Team
Suncorp New Zealand – Legal & Secretariat

Winners of the Financial Services In-House Team and Energy In-House Team categories will automatically progress to become excellence awardees of In-House Team of the Year. 

ENERGY IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Vector

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Contact Energy Legal Team
Genesis Energy

Winners of the Financial Services In-House Team and Energy In-House Team categories will automatically progress to become excellence awardees of In-House Team of the Year. 

RUSSELL MCVEAGHIN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Fonterra Legal Team

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Auckland International Airport
Downer
Fisher & Paykel Appliances
Hato Hone St John
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
One New Zealand
Precinct Properties
SkyCity Entertainment Group

Winners of the Financial Services In-House Team and Energy In-House Team categories will automatically progress to become excellence awardees of In-House Team of the Year. 

Sponsored by

CHISHOLM CLARKEYOUNG PRIVATE PRACTICE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (35 OR UNDER)

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Winner: Ashton Goatley, Webb Henderson

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Alex MacDuff, Russell McVeagh
Charlotte Garland, Mayne Wetherell
Emma Hughes, Anthony Harper
Keegan Jones, WRMK Lawyers
Kishan Gunatunga, Chapman Tripp
Matt Austin, Simpson Grierson
Samantha Beattie, Wotton + Kearney
Wendy Smith, DLA Piper
Zac Kedgley-Foot, Bell Gully

Sponsored by

EMPLOYMENT LAW SPECIALIST FIRM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Dyhrberg Drayton Employment Law

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Black Door Law
Copeland Ashcroft Law
McBride Davenport James
Richard Upton

LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Cooper Legal

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Gilbert Walker
K3 Legal
LeeSalmonLong
Russell Legal 
Wilson Harle

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: AJ Park

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Catalyst Intellectual Property
Henry Hughes IP
James & Wells

BAKER TILLY STAPLES RODWAYPROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: TBB

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

AlexanderDorrington
Convey Law
Domain Legal
Kate Sheehan Lawyers

Sponsored by

LEXISNEXISBOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Webb Henderson

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

BlackmanSpargo Rural Law
Flacks & Wong
Juno Legal
Morrison Partners
Norling Law
Quigg Partners
Rice Speir

Sponsored by

FLUID LEGAL RECRUITMENTEMPLOYER OF CHOICE (<100 LAWYERS)

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Winner: James & Wells

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

AJ Park
Juno Legal
McCaw Lewis
Morris Legal
SHIFT Advisory
Succeed Legal
Tavendale and Partners
Wynn Williams

Sponsored by

REALAMLEMPLOYER OF CHOICE (>100 LAWYERS)

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Winner: Russell McVeagh

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Anderson Lloyd
Anthony Harper
Bell Gully
Buddle Findlay
Chapman Tripp
Dentons
DLA Piper
MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Simpson Grierson
Tompkins Wake

Sponsored by

LEAP LEGAL SOFTWAREMID-SIZE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Mayne Wetherell

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Cavell Leitch
Cooney Lees Morgan
Harmos Horton Lusk
K3 Legal
McVeagh Fleming

Sponsored by

ROBERT WALTERSLARGE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Bell Gully

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Anderson Lloyd
Anthony Harper
Chapman Tripp
Dentons
DLA Piper
MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Russell McVeagh
Simpson Grierson
Tompkins Wake
Wynn Williams

Sponsored by

LAW FIRM LEADER OF THE YEAR (≤100 LAWYERS)

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Winner: Cecilia Burgess, Cooney Lees Morgan

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Alissa Bell, McVeagh Fleming
Andrew Shaw, Lane Neave
Brent Norling, Norling Law
Edwin Morrison, K3 Legal
Helen Mackay, Juno Legal
Sally Morris, Morris Legal
Sonja Cooper, Cooper Legal
Tim Walden, James & Wells

LAW FIRM LEADER OF THE YEAR (>100 LAWYERS)

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Winner: Richard Greenaway, Anderson Lloyd

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Andrew Poole, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Hayden Wilson, Dentons
Jon Calder, Tompkins Wake
Laura Scampion, DLA Piper
Phillipa Muir, Simpson Grierson

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Simpson Grierson

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Anderson Lloyd
Buddle Findlay
DLA Piper
MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Tompkins Wake