MinterEllisonRuddWatts

Banking and Finance

Partner

Michael is a highly regarded lawyer specialising in banking, financial law, property development, construction finance, restructuring, and insolvency. His in-depth experience spans domestic and cross-border financings.

Michael acts for local and international banks, mezzanine lenders, other financial institutions, corporate borrowers, directors, and insolvency practitioners.

Highly experienced in construction/development financings and commercial property, he assists major trading banks with syndicated and bi-lateral transactions and many of the mezzanine funders and developers with construction projects and property investments. His clients include BNZ, ANZ, ASB, Westpac, and Kiwibank, as well as multinational developers such as Icon Developments, Hengyi, and Newcrest.

Recognised as a leading insolvency and restructuring lawyer by multiple legal directories, Michael advises on solvent and insolvent restructuring/workouts, selling distressed debt and security, security enforcement, and recovery strategies. He assists insolvency practitioners in their role as receivers, voluntary administrators, and liquidators and on all aspects of insolvency law, security, trading, and asset disposal. He has acted for various distressed debtors, including JUCY Rental Group in the restructure and sale of its distressed rental and hotel business following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michael also advises directors (particularly on directors’ duties in a distressed context), unsecured creditors, and corporate borrowers on all aspects of financings, insolvency, and restructurings.

Michael has international experience, having worked at Mayer Brown and Hogan Lovells in London before joining the firm.

English

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

Member, Restructuring, Insolvency and Turnaround Association of New Zealand Inc (RITANZ)

Member, Asia Pacific Loan Market Association (APLMA)

LLB, BA, University of Auckland