Russell McVeagh is shortlisted for 16 awards ahead of this year's NZ Law Awards, including Large Law Firm of the Year and Employer of Choice, thirteen deal awards across all six deal categories, and Litigation partner Will Irving is named as a finalist for the 'Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year' title.
This comes off the back of a successful 2020 Law Awards, where Russell McVeagh was recognised as New Zealand's Large Law Firm of the Year and Employer of Choice (for firms with >100 lawyers), and for its role in market-leading deals, particularly for New Zealand's major infrastructure projects – winning 'Project Finance Deal of the Year' and multiple Excellence Awards in this category.
The firm has been a lead adviser on 13 deals that are named as finalists across the full spectrum of deal categories, including:
M&A Deal of the Year
Market-leading M&A deals are recognised including:
Debt Market Deal of the Year
- Banking and Finance partner Deemple Budhia led the Russell McVeagh team advising UDC on the establishment of its landmark $2 billion AAA rated auto and equipment finance-backed syndicated securitisation programme – New Zealand's largest ever non-bank securitisation – which was undertaken in connection with ANZ's sale of UDC, which Russell McVeagh, led by corporate partner Ian Beaumont advised ANZ on;
- Also recognised is the firm's work on Kiwibank's NZ$275 million retail offer of tier 2 notes - the first New Zealand dollar bank capital deal since RBNZ finalised its capital requirements in December 2019, led by partner Guy Lethbridge; and
- Scentre Group, as part of a multi-jurisdictional team, on its US$3 billion subordinated hybrid note issue in the United States market, led by partner John Powell.
Equity Market Deal of the Year
Russell McVeagh advised on five of the equity market deals named among the finalists, including:
- Auckland International Airport's NZ$1.2 billion capital raise by way of an underwritten placement and share purchase plan – the largest secondary offering in New Zealand history, led by partner Ian Beaumont;
- Sky TV's NZ$157 million placement and accelerated renounceable entitlement offer, led by partner Dan Jones;
- Kathmandu's NZ$207 million capital raise, led by partner David Raudkivi - the first accelerated non-renounceable entitlement offer of its kind under the new class waivers issued by NZX to address the unprecedented impacts from COVID-19;
- My Food Bag's IPO, led by partner Ian Beaumont; and
- Pushpay's NZ$98 million block trade sell down of shares, led by partner Dan Jones.
Project Finance Deal of the Year
Russell McVeagh's continued involvement in many of New Zealand's biggest infrastructure projects saw the team recognised for its work on Transmission Gully, the largest public private partnership asset currently under construction and due to open in 2021. Partner Tom Hunt and Special Counsel Bevan Peachey led the team advising the Bank of New Zealand as facility agent on behalf of a syndicate of New Zealand and international lenders on the financial settlement and amendments to the project and finance documents.
Mid-Market Deal of the Year
Corporate partners David Raudkivi and Joe Windmeyer led the team advising on Freightways first major business acquisition, of Big Chill Distribution for NZ$117 million.
Insolvency and Restructuring Deal of the Year
The firm's work on Tahua Capital's acquisition of Burger King New Zealand, led by Ben Paterson was also named a finalist.
Additionally, Russell McVeagh has had a role in the Metlifecare NZ$1.3 billion sale to Asia Pacific Villages Group, and Claymark Group receivership, which are named as finalists in the M&A and Restructuring and Insolvency Deal of the Year categories respectively.
The firm would like to extend congratulations to all finalists, particularly in the in-house categories, and wish them well for the upcoming awards ceremony which is due to be hosted in Auckland on 18 November at The Cordis.
A full list of finalists can be viewed here.