Andy Coupe to chair Takeovers Panel

Takeovers Panel Deputy Chairperson Andy Coupe has been appointed Chairperson, effective from 1 October 2016. Mr Coupe will take over from David Jones, who has been a member of the Panel since its formation in 1995, serving first as Deputy Chair and then as Chair from 2007. Andy Coupe has practised as…

Three lawyers join Buddle Findlay

Samantha Barrington Prowse has rejoined Buddle Findlay's Wellington office as a senior associate in the banking and finance, and corporate and commercial teams.  Samantha advises on corporate transactional banking, acquisition finance, property finance, debt restructuring and recovery as well as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and general corporate advisory matters.  Oliver Gascoigne has…

Danny Tuato'o promoted to Associate

Danny Tuato'o has been made an associate at Marsden Woods Inskip Smith in Whangarei.  Danny has been part of the firm since 2014 in the property and commercial team.  He practises in residential and rural property, business sales and purchases including leases, joint ventures and shareholder agreements, easements and advising Māori trusts…

New lawyers join Morrison Kent

Debbie Dunbar has joined Morrison Kent in Wellington as a partner, adding a family law practice to the firm.  Debbie specialises in all areas of family law, with a focus on separation and relationship property matters as well as contested estates.  Maretta Twentyman has joined the family law team at the firm…

New special counsel at Buddle Findlay

Buddle Findlay has appointed two new special counsel.  Myles O'Brien advises on transactional banking and restructuring in the Auckland insolvency team. Myles specialises in advising financiers on corporate transactional banking and property finance and also advises financiers and insolvency practitioners in relation to distressed debt solutions and enforcement of security.  Blake Cescon is…

Kate Mitchell joining Tasman Law Ltd

Kate Mitchell will return to work on 1 August 2016 at Tasman Ltd in Richmond after a break to raise her family. Kate has experience in public law, predominantly in the fields of resource management, local government and Māori legal issues.  Antoinette Besier established Tasman Law Ltd in July 2015. Antoinette specialises in…

Catherine Deans promoted at Claro

Catherine Deans has been promoted to senior solicitor at health law specialist firm Claro.  Catherine is based in Claro's Christchurch office, having previously worked in the litigation team at Chapman Tripp and then for a human rights firm in India. She joined Claro in February 2015 after completing her LLM and…

Sir Grant Hammond to teach law at Waikato University

Recently retired Senior Court of Appeal judge and former president of the New Zealand Law Commission, Sir Grant Hammond is joining the Waikato University Faculty of Law on a part-time basis as a Professor of Judicial Studies. Sir Grant was knighted in 2011 for services to law and he received Waikato…

FMA reappoints Code Committee members

The Financial Markets Authority has announced the reappointment of two members of the Code Committee.  The Committee was established in July 2009 to draft a code of Professional Conduct for Authorised Financial Advisers. Kensington Swan partner David Ireland, Chair, and insurance broker Gary Young have each agreed to extend their term for…

Karin Thomas appointed to REAA

Hamilton lawyer Karin Thomas has been appointed a member of the Real Estate Agents Authority, replacing David Russell. Her appointment, from 1 July 2016, is for a three-year term. Ms Thomas was admitted in September 1997 and holds a law degree and post-graduate diploma in strategic leadership and management from the University…