The 15th annual New Zealand Law Awards were held on Thursday 21 November at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland. The awards are presented and managed by Australian-owned niche publishing company Key Media.
The criteria for judging is work completed and services provided between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019. After nominations are made, a research process selects the finalists in each category. Finalists are asked to provide a detailed finalist submission to an independent panel of judges, which selects the winner.
The winners were:
Deal Awards
M&A Deal of the Year
Shell New Zealand divestment programme
Firms: Ashurst; Bell Gully; Chapman Tripp; Simpson Grierson
Capital Markets Deal of the Year
Xero convertible note issuance
Firms: Allens; Bell Gully; Chapman Tripp; Gilbert + Tobin; Linklaters
Mid-Market Deal of the Year
Waimea Community Dam
Firms: Anderson Lloyd; Chapman Tripp; Pitt & Moore; Russell McVeagh
Consumer, Media and Tech Deal of the Year
Bounty Fresh takeover of Tegel
Firms: Chapman Tripp; MinterEllisonRuddWatts; Russell McVeagh
International Deal of the Year
AIA acquisition of sovereign life insurance business from CBA
Firms: Ashurst (AU); Bell Gully; Debevoise & Plimpton; Herbert Smith Freehills; Russell McVeagh
New Zealand Deal of the Year
Shell New Zealand divestment programme
Firms: Ashurst; Bell Gully; Chapman Tripp; Simpson Grierson
In-house Awards
Anthony Harper Young In-House Lawyer of the Year (35 or under)
Paris Bree, New Zealand Oil & Gas
MinterEllisonRuddWatts In-House Lawyer of the Year
Marion Franks, Downer
Simpson Grierson Financial Services In-House Team of the Year
AIA New Zealand Legal Team
Russell McVeagh In-House Team of the Year
Spark New Zealand
Firm Awards
NICHE Recruiting Specialists Employment Law Specialist Law Firm of the Year
Dundas Street
Litigation & Dispute Resolution Specialist Law Firm of the Year
Gilbert Walker
Intellectual Property Specialist Law Firm of the Year
AJ Park
Property & Construction Specialist Law Firm of the Year
Thompson Blackie Biddles
Insurance Specialist Law Firm of the Year
Wotton + Kearney
Boutique Law Firm of the Year
Flacks & Wong
Legal Personnel Employer of Choice (<50 Lawyers)
WRMK Lawyers
Legal Personnel Employer of Choice (51-100 Lawyers)
Anthony Harper
Legal Personnel Employer of Choice (>100 Lawyers)
Bell Gully
Resolution Institute Mediator of the Year
Mark Kelly, Barrister & Commercial Mediator
Artemis Executive Recruitment Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year (35 or under)
Liz Blythe, Russell McVeagh
Managing Partner of the Year (<100 Lawyers)
Jon Calder, Tompkins Wake
Managing Partner of the Year (>100 Lawyers)
Anna Buchly, Bell Gully
Deal Team of the Year (<100 Lawyers)
Webb Henderson
NZ Lawyer Deal Team of the Year (>100 Lawyers)
Russell McVeagh, Corporate Team
Law Plus Regional/Suburban Law Firm of the Year
WRMK Lawyers
Mid-size Law Firm of the Year
Tompkins Wake
K3 Legal Large Law Firm of the Year
Chapman Tripp