Profile
Work Department
Position
Chair and Partner
Career
Chair of the MinterEllisonRuddWatts partnership, Janine is a specialist construction, property, and projects disputes lawyer. A sought-after industry commentator and adviser, she is passionate about shaping the construction industry and legal landscape in New Zealand.
Janine acts mainly for principals and consultants, but also advises other participants in the construction and property industry. Her clients include Metlifecare and Generus Living (major New Zealand retirement village owners and operators) and international corporations such as AECOM.
She has particular experience in project disputes and arbitration, having led a number of arbitrations of significant complexity. Janine regularly acts on matters relating to defective buildings and advises on landlord and tenant obligations and contentious rent review disputes. As well as being a seasoned litigator, Janine assists with risk management, aiming to identify and resolve issues before they escalate.
Known for her pragmatic approach, Janine adopts either litigation and/or dispute resolution to achieve a commercially effective outcome for her clients. She excels at navigating complex construction disputes of significant quantum and managing large teams of lawyers and experts. She regularly appears in various dispute forums, including mediation, arbitration, and defended hearings and trials in the High Court and Court of Appeal. Janine also brings governance experience to her work, including in her role as former Chair of Mercy Ships New Zealand from 2017-2022.
Recipient of the Resene Women in Property Award in 2017, Janine is also recognised in major legal directories for her construction expertise.
Janine is actively engaged in thought leadership on issues impacting the property and construction industry. She contributes to several publications, presents widely on complex construction and property issues, and lectures on construction law at both the University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology. She has served on the Construction Sector Accord Steering Group (2019-2022), and the New Zealand Government’s Building Advisory Panel (as the sole legal appointee) (2017-2022).
Languages
Memberships
- Trustee, Mercy Ships NZ
- Independent Director, Black Interiors
- Fellowship in Arbitration, AMINZ I Arbitrators' and Mediators' Institute of New Zealand
- Member, Institute of Directors New Zealand
- Member, Society of Construction Law New Zealand
- Former Member, Building Advisory Panel, MBIE (2017-2022)
Education
LLB, BA (Psychology), University of Auckland
Content supplied by MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'MinterEllisonRuddWatts’ commercial property practice stands out to me for its deep expertise in commercial property and its ability to balance legal precision with practical, business-focused advice. The team consistently considers both business and reputational risk, ensuring solutions are not only legally sound but also commercially viable.' 'David Gilbert provides exceptional advice based upon many years of experience in the NZ property market. Katrine Kofoed has huge capacity for delivering accurate, dependable and well considered legal advice.' 'The partners are embedded in the construction industry, with decades of combined experience acting for owners, contractors, subcontractors, and consultants across the entire project lifecycle. They speak the language of construction, understand the technical and commercial drivers behind every project, and translate complex legal risk into clear, actionable advice that keeps projects moving.' 'Janine Stewart and Grant de Lisle are outstanding construction law advisers. Janine’s strategic foresight and ability to translate complex issues into practical solutions is unmatched. They respond quickly, think ahead, and go above and beyond to protect our interests and keep projects on track. Supported by an exceptional team, they set the benchmark for construction law excellence in New Zealand.' 'Probably the best team in the country in terms of front end and back end expertise.' 'Holly Hill has strong legal knowledge across the government and commercial sectors. She considers matters from both a legal and commercial view point and becomes an excellent collaborator within a project team. Her advice is given with confidence and a willingness to have it tested if needs be but always with a suitable level of caution.' 'Sarah Sinclair is a leading construction and infrastructure lawyer who is very well connected, with great industry profile and contacts and who has fantastic vision. Janine Stewart is an excellent litigator and has built a strong industry profile.' 'Two individuals who particularly stood out are David Gilbert and Jennifer Campbell. They demonstrated strong teamwork, professionalism, and a calm, steady approach that we found especially impressive. They have become our trusted, go-to team for management contract negotiation.'
Key clients
- ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited / Arawata Assets Limited Argosy Property Limited Bupa Care Services New Zealand Limited IKEA New Zealand Limited Kiwi Property Group Precinct Properties Holdings Limited Metlifecare Limited Milford Asset Management New Zealand Government (Multiple agencies and departments) Stride Prop & Stride Invest Mgmt Ltd Westpac (NZ) Investments Ltd Z Energy Limited Auckland Council | Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau Channel Infrastructure Cooper & Company Crown Infrastructure Delivery Department of Internal Affairs | Te Tari Taiwhenua Ferry Holdings Fulton Hogan Generus Living Group Jacobs New Zealand Kiwi Property Group Metlifecare Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment | Hīkina Whakatutuki Ministry of Transport | Te Manatū Waka Tait Communications Wellington Gateway Partnership