Focus of Practice, Background and Expertise

I have set up my practice to focus principally on being available to:

Assist corporates:

with general commercial / corporate work;
with specific projects or issues;
by acting as in-house counsel, on a part-time or project driven basis;
by consulting in relation to the legal risks associated with their business(es) and what systems and processes (or modifications to existing systems / processes) could be put in place to mitigate those risks;
by consulting on the appropriateness of an in-house legal resource for their business(es);
by consulting on the use of external counsel and ways to maximise the effectiveness of the legal spend.

Assist In-House Counsel:

with any urgent or other project needs;
with any overflow of general commercial / corporate work;
in relation to peer review matters / issues / documents;
by acting act as a sounding board on issues;
by providing locum / cover support arising from maternity leave, sickness or while a full time replacement is being found.

Assist Start-up / New Venture businesses:

by helping them get "legal traction" on the fundamental legal issues confronting start-ups;
by acting as in-house counsel, on a part-time basis; and
by assisting with general commercial / corporate work.

and generally to provide the services of a:

Background and Expertise

22+ years of experience as in-house counsel (of which 16+ was in a General Counsel capacity);
13+ years private practice experience (New Zealand 5+ years; Canada 2 years; and Hong Kong 5 + years);
10+ years public company (NZX and ASX) experience (Carter Holt Harvey Limited);
5+ years major private company experience (Rank Group - a multi-national group of companies owned by billionaire Graeme Hart);
3+ years working as part-time General Counsel for a small start-up venture; and
3+ years working as part-time legal counsel for an NZX public listed company.

has given me exposure to a wide range of opportunities and issues across a number of businesses and jurisdictions. These have included:

Leadership:

Advising the board of directors and senior management in relation to a wide range of both strategic (including the public takeover of Carter Holt Harvey) as well as day to day business related issues;
Managing a wide range of legal issues across a number of businesses and jurisdictions, including multi-million dollar litigation issues;
Being a member of the NZX Disciplinary and Regulatory Committee and also of the NZX Special Division;
Being president of the Corporate Lawyers Association of New Zealand

Commercial dealings:

Managing the legal aspects of a significant number of both large and small business acquisitions and dispositions (both assets and share deals);
Managing, negotiating and overseeing numerous commercial contracts:

including:

Significant procurement, services and supply arrangements;
Joint site service arrangements;
New venture businesses, start-up agreements and associated documents;
Joint venture agreements;
EPC and other contracts for significant construction projects associated with pulp and paper and timber mills;
Outsourcing of maintenance activities;
Outsourcing of IT services;
Significant funding arrangements.

Problem solving / dispute resolution:

Managing a broad range of big and small dispute / litigation issues across a broad range of issues including:

Managing a number of mediations, arbitrations, judicial settlement conferences - in various jurisdictions

Governance, Compliance and Risk:

Managing a broad range of regulatory compliance issues, including ones arising out of being: publically listed on the NZX and the ASX; a subsidiary of a USA listed company (which was subject to Sarbanes Oxley requirements); subject to financial reporting requirements in various jurisdictions;
Managing general compliance issues, including ones arising out of: contractual arrangements; debt obligation arrangements (covenants etc.); undertakings given to third parties;
Managing the provision of company secretarial services to the Board of Directors and across numerous subsidiaries in various jurisdictions
Developing and implementing delegated authorities for use across the businesses and integrating them with business case approvals and contract library systems;
Developing a Code of Conduct and advising on various company policies, in line with industry best practice;
Developing, implementing and overseeing effective legal compliance policies and training programmes focused on up-skilling employees and contractors in relation to key legal issues, compliance with laws, regulations company policies and ethical behaviour generally;
Assisting with the placement and renewals of insurances

Legal Function:

Managing the provision of quality legal advice and services across all relevant levels of the organisation;
Developing and implementing systems and processes to promote and manage the effective provision of legal services across the businesses, to up-skill employees and contractors in respect of legal issues and to enhance the overall level of legal compliance and ethical behaviour;
Developing, implementing and managing a legal matter management system, enabling the tracking of legal issues across the businesses and enhanced reporting and transparency of issues;
Developing precedent documentation, to promote a more consistent approach across the businesses to legal and other risks;
Developing and implementing a contract lifecycle processes – from the business case development, through approvals to lodging in the contract library and subsequent renewals;
Managing the relationship with external legal service providers, to ensure the provision of timely and cost effective external legal services;

Other:

Being recognised by the Australasian Legal Business (ALB) magazine as one of the “Hot 10 in New Zealand” in 2003;
Developing and managing an in-house legal team that was recognised as the New Zealand In-House Team of the Year at the Australasian Legal Business Australasian Law Awards – in both 2005 and 2007;
Being appointed as a Notary Public (MANZCN).
Being appointed as a Fellow of the Chartered Secretaries of New Zealand (FCIS).