The 2017 New Zealand Law Awards were revealed at a glamorous ceremony in Auckland on 17 November.
An estimated 700 legal professionals gathered at The Langham hotel for the 28 awards available.
The evening was hosted by radio broadcaster Leah Panapa and included entertainment from musicians Mark Cunningham and Annie Crummer.
The winners were:
Firm Awards
Regional/ Suburban Law Firm of the Year
Winner: BlackmanSpargo Rural Law Ltd
Automio Boutique Law Firm of the Year
Winner: Webb Henderson
Crowe Horwath Mid-Size Law Firm of the Year
Winner: Anderson Lloyd
Highly Commended: Lane Neave
Large Law Firm of the Year
Winner: Russell McVeagh
Employment Law Specialist Firm of the Year
Winner: Dundas Street
Crowe Horwath Litigation & Dispute Resolution Specialist Law Firm of the Year
Winner: Wilson Harle
Intellectual Property Specialist Law Firm of the Year
Winner: AJ Park
Property & Construction Specialist Law Firm of the Year
Winner: Thompson Blackie Biddles
Highly Commended: AlexanderDorrington
AIG Insurance Specialist Law Firm of the Year
Winner: DAC Beachcroft New Zealand
Legal Personnel Employer of Choice (1-50 Employees)
Winner: Webb Henderson
Legal Personnel Employer of Choice (51-100 Employees)
Winner: Wynn Williams
Legal Personnel Employer of Choice (>100 Employees)
Winner: Russell McVeagh
Resolution Institute Mediator of the Year
Winner: Timothy McMichael
Artemis Executive Recruitment Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year (Under 35)
Winner: Jeremy Johnson, Wynn Williams
NZ Lawyer Deal Team of the Year (<100 Employees)
Winner: Anderson Lloyd Infrastructure Team
Highly Commended: Mayne Wetherell Corporate Team
NZ Lawyer Deal Team of the Year (>100 Employees)
Winner: Russell McVeagh Corporate Advisory Team
Highly Commended: Bell Gully Corporate Team
Crowe Horwath Managing Partner of the Year (<100 Employees)
Winner: Jared Ormsby, Wynn Williams
Crowe Horwath Managing Partner of the Year (>100 Employees)
Winner: Peter Chemis, Buddle Findlay
In-House Awards
Anthony Harper Young In-House Lawyer of the Year (Under 35)
Winner: Patrick Gamble, Complectus Group
Highly Commended: Jemma Stevenson, Powerco
Financial Services In-House Team of the Year
Winner: Kiwibank In-House Team
Russell McVeagh In-House Team of the Year
Winner: Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited
MinterEllisRuddWatts In-House Lawyer of the Year
Winner: Sasha Daniels, Senior Counsel Competition & Regulation, Spark
Deal Awards
MYOB M&A Deal of the Year
Allnex acquisition of Nuplex Industries
Capital Markets deal of the Year
Synlait Milk’s Capital Raising and dual listing
Mid-Market Deal of the Year
Patties Foods Acquisition of Leader Foods
Consumer, Media and Tech Deal of the Year
NBCUniversal-MediaWorks for Bravo channel launch
International Deal of the Year
Silver Fern Farms share sale
New Zealand Deal of the Year
Allnex acquisition of Nuplex Industries