NEW ZEALAND LAW AWARDS 2021 EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
DEAL AWARDS
DEBT MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR
Kiwibank Issue of NZ $275million in subordinated notes
- Lead Firm: Russell McVeagh
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Craigs Investment Partners, Forsyth Barr, Jarden Securities
Mercury NZ Finance $200 million seven-year green bond offer
- Lead Firm: Chapman Tripp
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): ANZ, Bell Gully, BNZ, DNV GL
NZ $18.4 million refinancing of Electric Kiwi debt facilities
- Lead Firm: Simpson Grierson
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): BNZ, Wynn Williams
NZ $2 billion Warehouse Facilities to assist Shinsei Bank acquisition of UDC Finance Limited
- Lead Firms: Mayne Wetherell, Russell McVeagh
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Antalis S.A., ANZ, Bank of New Zealand, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Dentons Kensington Swan – Trustee counsel, Royal Bank of Canada - Sydney Branch, UDC Finance, Westpac New Zealand
Scentre Group USD3bn subordinated hybrid note issue
- Lead Firm: Russell McVeagh
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): A&O, K&L Gates, Linklaters Singapore, Sidley Austin
EQUITY MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR
Auckland International Airport NZ$1.2b capital raise
- Lead Firms: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Citi, Credit Suisse, Jarden, King & Wood Mallesons
Kathmandu Group NZ $207 million capital raise
- Lead Firms: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh
- All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Baker & McKenzie, Deloitte
My Food Bag IPO and NZ $342 million capital raise
- Lead Firm: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh, Webb Henderson
- All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Craigs Investment Partners, Forsyth Barr, Jarden, KPMG, Mills Oakley, PwC, Rimon Law
NZ $98 million block trade sell-down of shares in Pushpay
- Lead Firm: Harmos Horton Lusk, Russell McVeagh
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Allen & Overy – Australia, Bell Gully, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Couch Harlowe Kovacevich, Craigs Investment Partners
Sky Network Television Limited NZ $157 million placement and non-renounceable accelerated rights entitlement offer
- Lead Firm: Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Baker & McKenzie, Deloitte, Forsyth Barr Group, Goldman Sachs New Zealand, Sidley Austin
PROJECT FINANCE DEAL OF THE YEAR
Cardrona Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant NZ$16.5m project financing
- Lead Firms: Anderson Lloyd, Buddle Findlay
- Oher Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): BNZ, Spencers Chartered Accountants
Transmission Gully public-private partnership NZ $1.25 billion project financing
- Lead Firm: Russell McVeagh
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bell Gully, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR
Discovery Inc. acquisition of MediaWorks TV Limited
- Lead Firms: DLA Piper, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): EY, KPMG, UBS
Fonterra NZ $592 million sale of China dairy farms
- Lead Firm: Russell McVeagh, Simpson Grierson
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Goldman Sachs, King & Wood Mallesons China, KPMG Hong Kong, PwC New Zealand, Tian Yuan China
Metlifecare NZ$1.3bn sale to Asia Pacific Villages Group
- Lead Firms: Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp, Harmos Horton Lusk
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Calibre Partners (formerly KordaMentha), Colliers International, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Jarden, Jones Lang LaSalle, King & Wood Mallesons, Meredith Connell, NERA Economic Consulting, Russell McVeagh, Simmons Corporate Finance, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Stout Street Chambers
Resolution Life A$3 billion acquisition of AMP's wealth protection and mature life businesses
- Lead Firms: Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Ashurst, Debevoise & Plimpton, King & Wood Mallesons, PwC
WEL Networks and Waipa Networks sale of stake in Ultrafast Fibre Holdings
- Lead Firms: Bell Gully, Russell McVeagh, Tompkins Wake
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Cameron Partners, Lowndes, Simpson Grierson
INSOLVENCY AND RESTRUCTURING DEAL OF THE YEAR
Claymark Group receivership
- Lead Firm: Chapman Tripp
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): BNZ, Brookfields, Russell McVeagh, Wells Fargo
Distressed sale of Smiths City Group for NZ $60 million in assumed debt and cash to Polar Capital LP
- Lead Firms: Chapman Tripp, Duncan Cotterill
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): ASB Bank, BCH (Burley Attwood Law), BDO Christchurch, Mayne Wetherell, PwC, Webb Henderson
Liquidation of Pacific Aerospace assets
- Lead Firm: Tompkins Wake
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bell Gully, Holland Beckett, Khov Jones, Quigg Partners
Restructuring, insolvency, and exit of Jucy Group
- Lead Firms: Duncan Cotterill, MinterEllisonRuddWatts,
- All other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): ASB Bank, Calibre Partners, Chapman Tripp, Lander & Rogers, Lowndes Jordan, Mayne Wetherell, Norton Rose, PwC, Simpson Grierson
Tahua Capital NZ $30 million purchase of Burger King New Zealand under receivership
- Lead Firms: Mayne Wetherell, Russell McVeagh
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Bell Gully, Buddle Findlay, Calibre Partners, PwC
MID-MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR
Abano Healthcare Group Limited NZ $136 million take-private transaction
- Lead Firms: Bell Gully, Harmos Horton Lusk
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): Calibre Partners, Cameron Partners, Ernst & Young, Jarden, King & Wood Mallesons, Mayne Wetherell, Matthews Law, Rothschild & Co, Simpson Grierson
Centuria Capital Group NZ$175m takeover of Augusta Capital
- Lead Firms: Chapman Tripp, Harmos Horton Lusk
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): HWL Ebsworth, Mayne Wetherell
Freightways Limited NZ$117 million acquisition of Big Chill Distribution
- Lead Firms: Brown Partners Lawyers, Russell McVeagh
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): EY, Forsyth Barr, Keegan Alexander
Price Industries purchase of Holyoake New Zealand and Australian operations
- Lead Firms: Buddle Findlay, Webb Henderson
- Other Organisations that worked on the deal (Firms, Banks and Accountants): KHQ
The a2 Milk Company NZ $268 million investment in Mataura Valley Milk
- Lead Firms: Bell Gully, Simpson Grierson
IN-HOUSE AWARDS
JAMES & WELLS YOUNG IN-HOUSE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (35 OR UNDER)
- Brooke White, Calder Stewart
- Charlotte Moll, Warren and Mahoney
- Courtney Dick, Rocket Lab
- Georgina Sanders, Mainfreight
- Jemimah Giblett, Sharesies
- Jeremy Jones, AIA New Zealand
- Jordan Levesque, Westpac Bank New Zealand
- Matt Morgan, Spark New Zealand
- Stephen Drysdale, ZURU
Sponsored by

LANE NEAVE IN-HOUSE LAWYER OF THE YEAR
- Anton Shead, Goodman New Zealand
- Beth Keightley, Wellington City Council
- Chris Bougen, The New Zealand Refining Company
- Hayley Cassidy, Bank of New Zealand
- Katharine Armstrong, Metlifecare
- Kathryn Mitchell, Crown Infrastructure Partners
- Mary-Elizabeth Tuck, Auckland International Airport
- Melissa Anastasiou, Spark New Zealand
- Natalie Bryant, Sharesies
Sponsored by

FINANCIAL SERVICES IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR
- AIA New Zealand
- ANZ
- ASB Bank
- Bank of New Zealand
- Legal Team at Sharesies
- Suncorp New Zealand Legal Team
- Westpac NZ Regulatory Affairs, Corporate Services and Legal team (RACLS)
RUSSELL MCVEAGH IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR
- Air New Zealand Legal Team
- Airways Corporation NZ Legal Team
- Crown Infrastructure Partners
- Fonterra Legal Team
- Genesis Energy Legal Team
- Serko In-house Legal Team
- Sky Team Legal
Sponsored by

FIRM AWARDS
EMPLOYMENT LAW SPECIALIST FIRM OF THE YEAR
- Dundas Street
- Dyhrberg Drayton Employment Law
- McBride Davenport James
- Richard Upton
- SBM Legal
LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
- Gilbert Walker
- K3 Legal
- Morris Legal
- Norling Law
- Rice Speir
- Shine Lawyers
- Wilson Harle
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
- AJ Park
- Ellis Terry
- Henry Hughes Law
- James & Wells
- Zone Law
PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
- AlexanderDorrington
- Domain Legal
- Kate Sheehan
- Thompson Blackie Biddles
INSURANCE SPECIALIST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
- Fee Langstone
- Gilbert Walker
- Robertsons
- Shine Lawyers
- Wotton + Kearney
BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
- BlackmanSpargo Rural Law
- Couch Harlowe Kovacevich
- Flacks & Wong
- Franks Ogilvie
- Hudson Gavin Martin
- Morrison Mallett
- Sykes Legal
- Webb Henderson
ARTEMIS EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT EMPLOYER OF CHOICE (<50 LAWYERS)
- James & Wells
- Juno Legal
- Norling Law
- Norris Ward McKinnon
- PwC Legal
- Smith and Partners Lawyers
- Webb Henderson
- Wotton + Kearney
- WRMK Lawyers
Sponsored by

ARTEMIS EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT EMPLOYER OF CHOICE (51-100 LAWYERS)
- AJ Park
- Lane Neave
- Tompkins Wake
- Wynn Williams
Sponsored by

ARTEMIS EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT EMPLOYER OF CHOICE (>100 LAWYERS)
- Anderson Lloyd
- Anthony Harper
- Bell Gully
- Buddle Findlay
- Chapman Tripp
- MinterEllisonRuddWatts
- Russell McVeagh
- Simpson Grierson
Sponsored by

RESOLUTION INSTITUTE MEDIATOR OF THE YEAR
- Hayden Wilson, Dentons Kensington Swan
- Matthew Clayton, Talk-Meet-Resolve
- Wi Pere Mita, Laidlaw Consultants & Tūhono Collective
Sponsored by

YOUNG PRIVATE PRACTICE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (35 OR UNDER)
- Anna Cherkashina, Norling Law
- Ashton Goatley, Webb Henderson
- Beatrix H Woodhouse, John Miller Law
- Brad Ward, Bell Gully
- Ed McGimpsey, Buddle Findlay
- Michelle Needham, Lane Neave
- Nick Valentine, DLA Piper
- Stephanie de Groot, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
- Tom McLaughlin, Dentons Kensington Swan
- Will Irving, Russell McVeagh
MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR (≤100 LAWYERS)
- Angela Parlane, Shine Lawyers
- Edwin Morrison, K3 Legal
- Philip Maw, Wynn Williams
- Sally Morris, Morris Legal
- Sam Hood, Norris Ward McKinnon, Hamilton
- Tim Walden, James & Wells
MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR (>100 LAWYERS)
- Anne Callinan, Simpson Grierson
- Haydn Wong, Bell Gully
- Jennifer Caldwell, Buddle Findlay
- Malcolm Hurley, Anthony Harper
- Richard Greenaway, Anderson Lloyd
REGIONAL/SUBURBAN LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
- BlackmanSpargo Rural Law
- Dean & Coleman Law
- Norris Ward McKinnon
- WRMK Lawyers
MID-SIZE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
- Cavell Leitch
- Harmos Horton Lusk
- Martelli McKegg Lawyers
- Mayne Wetherell
- Norris Ward McKinnon
- Tompkins Wake
- WRMK Lawyers
- Wynn Williams
LARGE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
- Anderson Lloyd
- Anthony Harper
- Bell Gully
- Buddle Findlay
- Chapman Tripp
- Lane Neave
- MinterEllisonRuddWatts
- Russell McVeagh
- Simpson Grierson
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR
- Buddle Findlay
- Simpson Grierson