The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Chapman Tripp is a first tier firm,

Chapman Tripp is ‘a top firm’ with a ‘very good level of service’. The team has built on its strength in debt capital markets and covered bond work for domestic and international clients, including advising Rentenbak and ANZ as arranger on its NZ$50m bond offering. It also advised a syndicate of banks on unsecured bilateral facilities totalling NZ$500m to Genesis Energy, and acted for ANZ National Bank in its refinancing of dairy firm Synlait Milk following an equity investment by Shanghai-based Bright Dairy.

Within Corporate and M&A, Chapman Tripp is a first tier firm,

The ‘easy-to-work-with’ team at Chapman Tripp is one of the largest in New Zealand, spanning the three main centres of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and advises on all facets of M&A work. It advised the merger parties on the unprecedented merger of MARAC Finance Limited, Canterbury Building Society and Southern Cross Building Society to form a NZ$2.2bn listed financial services group intended to become New Zealand’s only listed registered bank. It also acted for AMP NZ Office Trust on its corporatisation, and advised EnergyHedge on arrangements with ASX to create a New Zealand electricity derivatives hedge market. ‘Dealmaker’ John Strowger is recommended.

Within Dispute resolution, Chapman Tripp is a first tier firm,

Chapman Tripp’s team is recognised for its depth and breadth, with experts in all aspects of dispute resolution, including litigation and international arbitration. It recently acted for the New Zealand Post Limited in cyber-squatting and brand-jacking litigation. Jack Hodder and Adam Ross are recommended.

Within Employment, Chapman Tripp is a third tier firm,

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.

Within Intellectual property, Chapman Tripp is a second tier firm,

Chapman Tripp has one of the best-established IP teams among New Zealand’s full-service law firms. Its breadth of expertise is reflected in its work for significant investors and IP owners, particularly in pharmaceuticals (Roche, GlaxoSmithKline and Merck); telecoms and media (Telecom, ACP Media, and PBL); primary production (Fonterra); and energy (Genesis, Mighty River Power, and Vector).

Within Projects and resource management, Chapman Tripp is a second tier firm,

Service levels at Chapman Tripp are ‘excellent’; the team provides ‘very good, pragmatic and strategic advice’. Recent work highlights include acting for the New Zealand Transport Agency on the Waterview Connection project, and advising Meridian Energy on property, stakeholder, consenting, construction and procurement issues in relation to its proposed North Bank hydro generation scheme.

Within Real estate and construction, Chapman Tripp is a first tier firm,

Chapman Tripp recently advised the Eden Park Redevelopment Board on consultancy arrangements and construction contracts in relation to its NZ$240m upgrade, in preparation for the 2011 Rugby World Cup; and AMP Capital Property Portfolio on the NZ$174m sale of the Lynnmall Shopping Centre in Auckland. Other clients include The Warehouse, Mighty River Power and Meridian Energy. Mark Nicholson was promoted to partner.

Within Restructuring and insolvency, Chapman Tripp is a first tier firm,

Chapman Tripp’s national restructuring and insolvency group is acting for ANZ National Bank in its refinancing of dairy firm Synlait Milk, following an equity investment by one of China’s largest dairy companies. Michael Anderson leads the firm’s work for McGrathNicol, advising on all aspects of the South Canterbury Finance receivership. Other key clients include PwC, ASB Bank, BDO Christchurch/Auckland, KordaMentha and KPMG.

Within Tax, Chapman Tripp is a second tier firm,

Chapman Tripp acted in relation to the setting up of the only Kauri Bond Programme of 2011, and advised the Treasury on a range of tax issues in connection with its Crown support package for AMI Insurance, which holds 1.2 million policies across the country. The firm also advised MARAC Finance, CBS Canterbury and Southern Cross Building Society on tax aspects of the unprecedented NZ$2.2bn Heartland merger. Graeme Olding was promoted to partner, and co-leads the firm’s tax litigation practice.