Iain Thain > DLA Piper New Zealand > Auckland, New Zealand > Lawyer Profile

With the ability to draw on experts across the globe, DLA Piper New Zealand is experienced in supporting clients with cross-border insolvencies. The firm is also regularly instructed by insolvency practitioners, banks, and secured creditors within New Zealand on domestic matters. Michael Thompson, advising on distressed financing restructures and directors’ duties, co-heads the team alongside Iain Thain, a seasoned liquidation advisor. Rachel Brown supports clients with their disposals of interests in distressed situations. In December 2023, Alicia Murray left the firm.

With litigators in over forty jurisdictions to utilise, DLA Piper New Zealand is well-placed to advise on disputes for international clients involving cross-border issues. The firm maintains expertise in commercial and regulatory expertise in contentious contexts. Iain Thain spearheads the practice, bringing significant arbitration and appellate-level litigation experience to the team. Emma Moran brings a regulatory and public law focus, while Cameron McCracken acts in commercial litigation matters. Daniel Street joined the team from Chapman Tripp in July 2023, and Alicia Murray departed in January 2024.

DLA Piper has a notable presence in arbitration work in the Pacific region. In Australia, Sydney-based Gitanjali Bajaj and Cameron Scholes, Brisbane’s Liam Prescott, Melbourne’s Gowri Kangeson, and Perth’s Richard Edwards handle high-profile arbitrations across industries such as energy, transport, and construction. In New Zealand, Iain Thain leads a prominent practice. Turning to South East Asia, in Thailand Don Rojanapenkul and Robert Tang bring strong cross-border and international arbitration experience to the firm’s offerings.