The Legal 500

Russell McVeagh acts for high-profile clients on some of New Zealand’s most significant employment matters. Recent highlights include successfully representing SKYCITY in relation to union industrial action and lockout issues, and assisting the New Zealand Post regarding the interpretation of an untested point of law under the Holidays Act. Key clients include Telecom, ABB Limited and Ports of Auckland Ltd. Richard McIlraith is noted for his ‘understanding of politics, and sensitivity’.

Simpson Grierson advises a national and international client base on the full gamut of employment matters. The firm is praised for its ‘excellent business acumen and technical employment law expertise’, and its advice is ‘pragmatic, commercial and technically sound’. The firm was the exclusive employment law adviser to the Auckland Transition Agency in relation to the Supercity amalgamation, with Phillipa Muir the lead partner, and Shan Wilson represented the University of Auckland in a case involving challenges in relation to the university’s academic promotion system and the allocation of academics’ research time.

Bell Gully’s team is led by Rob Towner , who is ‘excellent to deal with’ and gives ‘sound and clear’ advice. It undertakes a mix of contentious and non-contentious work, including corporate support. It advised PRI Flight Catering in the first case on the transfer of employees under new employment legislation, and also advised on the New Zealand aspects of ADT Security’s acquisition of Signature Security.

Buddle Findlay’s team is ‘very responsive and practical’, and ‘provides value for money’; Peter Chemis is ‘particularly good’. Recent work highlights include acting for Onetrack Infrastructure Limited (KiwiRail) in the first New Zealand case to consider ‘triangular’ employment relationships; and advising Massey University in a landmark case concerning the nature and extent of employers’ consultation obligations during restructurings.

Kensington Swan’s Anthony Drake is ‘always able to make time to assist’, and has ‘loads of experience’. Greg Cain was appointed as a partner, bolstering the firm’s Wellington team. Highlights included leading and novel cases such as successfully representing Visionstream Pty Ltd in resisting claims that it breached OECD Guidelines. The standalone health and safety practice acted in a number of high-profile cases, including in relation to the death of a Waitakere City Council employee.

At Kiely Thompson Caisley, senior partner Peter Kiely is an intellectual powerhouse with significant publications and appointments to his credit, and Andrew Caisley is a ‘very experienced and highly regarded advocate’. The firm regularly assists in collective bargaining processes and on the legal and practical aspects of strikes and lockouts. Daniel Erickson is acting for the New Zealand Fire Service Commission in proceedings involving a union dispute. Kiely is acting for Crest Commercial Cleaning in a case set to consider the status of vulnerable workers.

Boutique firm LangtonHudsonButcher, Lawyers has expertise across the full range of employment law issues, including contentious, non-contentious, industrial/union relations, and bargaining matters. ‘The quality of advice is excellent, and also very commercial’. Stephen Langton is ‘pragmatic, and comes up with commercial solutions or recommendations’. Clients include Macquarie and its various holdings.

The team at Minter Ellison Rudd Watts provides ‘high-quality advice’ and is led by Megan Richards, whose ‘professional service’ combines ‘sound advice and well-thought-through strategy’. Clients include multinationals, government departments and Crown entities. The firm has picked up a number of significant new clients as well as being appointed to the Accident Compensation Corporation and Serious Fraud Office panels.

At Chapman Tripp, the team’s ‘business acumen is reflected in the appropriateness of the advice’, which is ‘always pitched at a practical level after a plain-English discussion of the legal issues’. It remains active in the areas of personal grievances, redundancies, restructuring, exit negotiations, and health and safety, and is advising the New Zealand Earthquake Commission.

Boutique firm Swarbrick Beck Mackinnon has a strong presence in retail, with Warehouse a major client. Its varied client base also includes 2 Degrees Mobile and Vero Insurance. The team was recently strengthened by the arrival of senior associate Bridget Smith from Minter Ellison Rudd Watts. Kathryn Beck is recommended.