Mayne Wetherell > Auckland, New Zealand > Firm Profile
Mayne Wetherell Offices
LEVEL 5, BAYLEYS HOUSE
30 GAUNT STREET, PO BOX 3797
AUCKLAND 1140
New Zealand
- Go to...
- Rankings
- Firm Profile
- Main Contacts
Mayne Wetherell > The Legal 500 Rankings
New Zealand > Banking and finance Tier 2
Mayne Wetherell’s full-service transactional practice is often instructed by leading domestic banks, blue-chip corporates and government bodies in New Zealand a diverse range of financings. Acquisition finance specialist Will Tipping leads the team, which includes Dave Wetherell, one of New Zealand’s leading banking and finance lawyers, with Mei Nah and Daniel Meikle handling securitisation and debt capital markets mandates. Cameron Peachey is another recommended lawyer for acquisition finance, structured finance and project finance.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
ASB Bank Limited
ANZ Bank Limited
M&G Investments Limited
Avanti Finance Limited
Work highlights
- Advising the six lenders in the establishment of a AAA rated auto and equipment finance-backed syndicated securitisation programme for UDC Finance Limited.
- Acting for ASB the sole MLAUB on the financing of the takeover of Abano Healthcare Group Limited by way of scheme of arrangement by a consortium of BGH Capital Pty Ltd and Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board. This deal was complex as it involved a scheme of arrangement presenting a number of legal complexities in the process of acquiring Abano.
- Advising ANZ and First Gas are to the Senior Facilities Agreement and Security Trust Deed, and agreed to amend and restate both the SFA an STD as part of a refinance. First Gas extended and increased some of its existing facilities.
New Zealand > Corporate and M&A Tier 2
Mayne Wetherell‘s corporate and commercial practice is well placed to advise on the full range of M&A activities and on structuring and executing foreign direct investment into New Zealand and on the Overseas Investment Act regime. Matthew Olsen and Michael Pritchard co-head the team in Auckland, specialising on corporate advisory, private equity, capital solutions, foreign investment and securities. Simon Horner is another name to note for takeovers and securities. Clients hail from the private equity, financial services, healthcare, infrastructure, TMT and food and beverage sectors. Simon Horner is the main contact for capital markets and securities mandates.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Work highlights
- Advised Calibre Partners as Receivers in respect of the shares of Burger King New Zealand. Calibre Partners undertook a competitive sales process, which resulted in 100% of the shares in Burger King New Zealand being sold to Tahua Partners.
- Advised on Deutsche Bank’s exit from the Craigs Investment Partners joint venture by way of the sale of its substantial interest in Craigs Investment Partners Limited to CIP Holdings Limited.
- Advised on KKR’s acquisition of approximately 60% of the ordinary equity in Argenta Limited, a research and development and manufacturing provider, specialising exclusively in animal health.
New Zealand > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 2
As one of New Zealand’s top corporate and finance law firms, Mayne Wetherell is often involved in many of the largest and most complex public and private transactions, with the restructuring team led by Will Tipping, acting on the restructuring and insolvency mandates emanating from those deals. Tipping specialises in acquisition financing and special situations.Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Highly capable individuals with a strong work ethic – always available. Highly commercial approach. Strategic thinkers.’
New Zealand > Tax Tier 2
Mayne Wetherell‘s tax practice was established in spring 2021 with the high-profile lateral move of the tax team from Russell McVeagh, comprising partners Brendan Brown and Chris Harker, special counsel Tim Stewart, and senior associate Mitchell Fraser. The newly-formed team has quickly established a strong name for itself in transactional tax and tax disputes, and continues to win new instructions from New Zealand’s leading corporates, attracted by the opportunity to work alongside its finance and corporate practices. Harker was made partner in May 2021 and specialises in M&A and restructuring transactions, financing arrangements, and tax audits and disputes.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Westpac
Prospa NZ Limited
Corporate Taxpayers Group
Deutsche Bank
Work highlights
- Advised Prospa on the tax consequences of the structure and establishment of a $37.5m securitisation warehouse funded by Lion Asia VII (RB) Limited.
Mayne Wetherell > Firm Profile
FIRM OVERVIEW
Mayne Wetherell is a leading New Zealand law firm, known for advising on significant and often complex commercial transactions. Having long been recognised for its market-leading corporate and finance practices, the firm has recently added tax law to its offering, having been joined in 2021 by a team of tax specialists from another New Zealand firm.
MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE
Mergers & Acquisitions: Mayne Wetherell advises on the full range of M&A activity, including listed company takeovers, cross-border transactions, distressed assets, industry consolidations and major divestments. Mayne Wetherell’s lawyers are experienced across a range of sectors, including food and beverage, TMT, property, infrastructure, primary industry, private equity, financial services and healthcare.
Mayne Wetherell’s lawyers are experts in structuring and executing foreign direct investment into New Zealand, including advising on all aspects of New Zealand’s foreign investment consenting regime (the Overseas Investment Act).
Recent transactions include:
- Acting for global investment firm KKR in relation to a number of its transactions in New Zealand, including the acquisitions of Ritchies (a New Zealand bus and coach business), Education Perfect (a New Zealand based online education business), Argenta (a leading animal health-focused pharma services platform) and Natural Pet Food Group (a New Zealand-based premium pet food business).
- Acting as lead counsel to the vendors in relation to their sale of Ziwi, a leading New Zealand-based pet food exporter and the global leader of air-dried pet nutrition, to Fountainvest Partners a Hong-Kong based private equity firm.
- Acting for Waterman Capital on its acquisition, aggregation and subsequent divestment of Provincial Education Group to Busy Bees Australia.
Contact: Michael Pritchard
Tel: +64 9 921 6073
Email: Michael.Pritchard@maynewetherell.com
Banking & Finance: Mayne Wetherell has acted for all the major banks; the firm has also provided all banking and finance related advice to New Zealand’s largest company, Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited, as well as to Auckland International Airport, 2degrees and Transpower.
Recent transactions include:
- Acting on multiple transactions for global credit funds, such as Goldman SSG, Varde, Merricks, M&G, Blackstone, KKR and others.
- Acting for Auckland Council, Auckland International Airport, Fonterra and Transpower and other corporates in relation to their treasury-related work, including bilateral and syndicated facilities, various issuances of debt securities in New Zealand (both retail and wholesale; and listed and unlisted), various Australian MTN issuances, US private placements and other offshore issuances, including green bond issuances.
- Acting for originators, financiers and independent trustees (as applicable) in relation to multiple warehouse and term securitisation transactions. Mayne Wetherell’s clients on these transactions have included Avanti Finance Limited, Bank of New Zealand, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Bank AG, M&G Investments, Goldman Sachs and other originators, global banks and investment funds and independent trustee companies.
Contact: Will Tipping
Tel: +64 9 921 6074
Email: Will.Tipping@maynewetherell.com
Tax: Mayne Wetherell’s Tax team was formed when a team of tax lawyers joined from another New Zealand firm in 2021. The team has advised on:
- Tax disputes, including numerous cases before the courts (involving tax avoidance, transfer pricing, capital/revenue, depreciation, and judicial review of the exercise of Inland Revenue’s powers) and in the MAP process.
- Obtaining Inland Revenue rulings.
- Regulatory capital-raisings for banks.
- M&A transactions, demergers and other corporate restructurings.
- The formation of investment funds.
- Customs and excise issues.
- Tax issues for individuals and family trusts.
- Tax reform initiatives, in which the team has advocated for clients and industry bodies.
While providing support to Mayne Wetherell’s transactional teams, the Tax team is also instructed directly by clients across a range of industries and has worked alongside transactional lawyers in a number of other firms.
One attribute setting the team apart is its involvement in the tax reform process. This helps the team to advise not only on the ‘black letter law’ aspect of an issue but also on the broader policy context and Inland Revenue’s approach, which is critical to determining the best strategy and achieving practical outcomes.
The team also has an in-depth understanding of international tax issues, including the BEPS reforms enacted since 2017 and latest OECD proposals. The team has advised on several transfer pricing cases including cases that led to litigation or referral to MAP. The team has an in-depth knowledge of New Zealand’s Tax Treaty network and has co-authored the New Zealand chapter of the IBFD Global Tax Treaty Commentaries.
Contact: Brendan Brown
Tel: +64 4 260 2231
Email: Brendan.Brown@maynewetherell.com
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banking & Finance; Special Situations & Restructuring; Structured Finance & Securitisation; Private Equity & Venture Capital | Will Tipping | will.tipping@maynewetherell.com | +64 9 921 6074 |
| Structured Finance; Special Situations & Restructuring; Mergers & Acquisitions; Capital Markets | Daniel Meikle | daniel.meikle@maynewetherell.com | +64 9 921 6015 |
| Leading and project managing major transactions; Mergers & Acquisitions; Private Equity & Venture Capital; Structured Finance & Securitisation; Banking & Finance; Special Situations & Restructuring; Capital Markets | Dave Wetherell | dave.wetherell@maynewetherell.com | +64 9 921 6003 |
| Capital Markets; Structured Finance; Banking and Finance; Financial Services Regulation | Mei Nah | mei.nah@maynewetherell.com | +64 9 921 6005 |
| Mergers & Acquisitions; Corporate Advisory; Private Equity & Venture Capital; Capital Markets | Matthew Olsen | matthew.olsen@maynewetherell.com | +64 9 921 6097 |
| Mergers & Acquisitions; Commercial Services; Capital Markets; Private Equity & Venture Capital; Corporate Advisory | Michael Pritchard | michael.pritchard@maynewetherell.com | +64 9 921 6073 |
| Tax | Brendan Brown | brendan.brown@maynewetherell.com | +64 4 260 2231 |
| Tax | Chris Harker | chris.harker@maynewetherell.com | +64 9 921 6004 |
| Acquisition finance; Structured finance; Project finance; General corporate and property finance | Cameron Peachey | cameron.peachey@maynewetherell.com | +64 9 921 6013 |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 32 Number of partners : 9Languages
English- Banking and finance
- Corporate and M&A
- Restructuring and insolvency
- Tax