Jeremy Muir > MinterEllisonRuddWatts > Auckland, New Zealand > Lawyer Profile

MinterEllisonRuddWatts
PWC TOWER, 15 CUSTOMS STREET WEST
PO BOX 105 249
AUCKLAND 1143
New Zealand

Work Department

Financial Services

Position

Partner and Head of Financial Services

Career

Jeremy is a specialist financial services, funds and investment lawyer.

He is passionate about disruptive innovation in financial services through technology (FinTech). Jeremy is widely recognised as New Zealand’s leading lawyer for cryptocurrencies, digital tokens and coins, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and other blockchain projects. From helping to develop the first NZD stablecoin to being appointed as one of two special advisers to the Finance & Expenditure Select Committee enquiry on cryptocurrencies, he is at the heart of this growing sector.

Jeremy also works with retail and wholesale fund managers (including KiwiSaver and superannuation), online platforms, trustee companies, derivatives issuers, and insurers. His clients include significant Australian and international businesses with interests in New Zealand. He has market-leading expertise in structuring private equity and venture capital (PE/VC) funds, as well as other alternative asset vehicles, including hedge funds, property funds, forestry schemes, and marinas.

An authority on the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 (FMCA), Jeremy assists with managed investment schemes (MIS) and financial services licences. He also advises on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) rules, financial service provider (FSP) registration, non-bank deposit takers (NBDTs), insurance prudential supervision, fair dealing and conduct of financial institutions (CoFI), financial advice, client money and property services (including custody), equity crowd-funding and peer-to-peer lending. He is the author of the Lexis Nexis Practical Guidance text for Offers of Securities under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013.

Languages

English, French

Memberships

Member, NZ Private Capital

Member, New Zealand Financial Innovation and Technology Association (FinTechNZ)

Member, Blockchain Association of New Zealand (BANZ)

Member, Institute of Financial Professionals New Zealand Inc (INFINZ)

Member, Financial Services Council NZ (FSC)

Education

Certificat d’Etudes Juridiques Françaises et. Normandes l’Universite de Caen (2004)

PGDipEcon London (CeFIMs) (2003)

LLM (Hons First Class), University of Auckland (1999)

LLB (Hons), BA (French), University of Auckland (1996)

Lawyer Rankings

New Zealand > Banking and finance

Well-regarded for its ‘pragmatic and commercial’ approach, MinterEllisonRuddWatts is trusted by investment banks, financial institutions, sponsors, issuers, trustees, corporates, and government departments on the full gamut of banking and finance mandates. The ‘top-notch’ team is highly capable of handling regulation and compliance matters, financial restructuring, sustainable finance and leverage, and private capital finance. The practice is jointly led by the ‘diligent’ Steve Gallaugher and Jeremy Muir. Gallaugher is an expert in unitranche, syndicated, and bilateral finance transactions, while Muir is recommended for his expertise in cryptocurrencies, digital tokens and coins, non-fungible tokens, and other blockchain projects. The ‘very experienced’ Kate Lane is a key port of call for New Zealand’s major banks and major corporates. Chris O’Brien has significant public law experience, regularly handling large-scale, multi-disciplinary projects. Other key individuals include Simon Gray, who is noted for his interest in the energy and infrastructure sectors, and associate Allison Hancock, who advises both financiers and borrowers on all types of financing transactions and banking matters.

New Zealand > Investment funds

(Hall of Fame)

Jeremy MuirMinterEllisonRuddWatts

Praised for its ‘depth of knowledge’ and ‘incredibly pragmatic’ approach, MinterEllisonRuddWatts houses a well-regarded transactional and regulatory financial services and investment funds practice. The team acts for a diverse roster of clients and fields an excellent reputation for its work in the fintech and cryptocurrency spaces, publishing extensively and acting for leading businesses in these fields. The team is jointly led by Auckland-based partners Lloyd Kavanagh and Jeremy Muir. Kavanagh, highlighted by a client as ‘the leading investment funds lawyer in New Zealand’, acts for clients on investment funds, financial services regulation and corporate governance, while Muir is noted for his focus on the fintech sector. Associate Bryan Ventura works at the forefront of developing financial services technology and regularly advises on M&A and general corporate law.