New Zealand Law Firm of the Year

Russell McVeagh has been named New Zealand's top law firm at the prestigious Chambers Asia-Pacific Awards 2023.

The award recognises a firm's pre-eminence in the region, reflecting their top achievements over the past 12 months including outstanding work, impressive strategic growth and excellence in client service.

Russell McVeagh CEO Jo Avenell said, "We are thrilled to receive this top honour which recognises the outstanding work of our talented team of lawyers. We're committed to delivering the best results for our clients, who we especially wish to thank for the opportunity to work alongside them on their most complex and innovative transactions and matters."

This follows our firm's recognition as a 'leading firm' across the full breadth of our specialist practice areas including Corporate Advisory, Banking and Finance, Competition/Antitrust, Dispute Resolution, Tax, Public Law, Real Estate, Construction, Restructuring and Insolvency, Employment, Energy & Natural Resources, Environment & Resource Management, and Technology, Media and Telecommunications in the latest independent Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific Guide.

Our multi-disciplinary expertise contributed to some of the biggest matters and deals in the market including:

• Advising the underwriters of Air New Zealand's NZ$1.2 billion capital raise - the largest underwritten secondary offering by an NZX listed company (led by Corporate partner David Raudkivi);

• Beijing Capital Group's sale of Waste Management New Zealand to Igneo Infrastructure Partners for NZ$1.9 billion (led by Corporate partners Mei Fern Johnson and David Raudkivi);

• QIC's acquisition of a 50% stake in Vector Metering, in a transaction valued at NZ$2.51 billion (led by Corporate partners Ian Beaumont and Ben Paterson);

• National Australia Bank’s sale of its life insurance business to Partners Life for NZ$290 million (led by Corporate partner Dan Jones, and also a finalist for the NZ Dealmaker of the Year Award at the Australasian Law Awards);

• Cigna NZ on the sale of its NZ Life insurance business to Chubb (NZ) under a global transaction (led by Dan Jones);

• Fisher Funds' acquisition of Kiwi Wealth for NZ$310 million (led by Dan Jones);

• IAG on its retail offer and issue of unsecured subordinated notes - at the date of issue, there had been no other Tier 2 issuances in the Australasian market in 2022 (led by Banking and Finance partner Guy Lethbridge);

• Genesis Energy on the issuance of its NZ$285 million 30 year unsecured, subordinated NZX listed green capital bonds (led by Banking and Finance partner Jesse Fairley);

• New Zealand Local Government Funding Agency Limited (LGFA) on its offers of five senior bonds which raised a total of NZ$1.96 billion in 2022 (led by Banking and Finance partner Deemple Budhia); and

• T&G Global's first sustainability linked loan, valued at NZ$180 million (led by Banking and Finance partner John Powell).

Russell McVeagh is a finalist ahead of the upcoming Australasian Law Awards for the NZ Deal Firm of the Year and the NZ Dealmaker of the Year (Corporate partner Dan Jones) awards, with the winners to be announced on 18 May in Sydney. 

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists from last night's Chambers Asia-Pacific Awards 2023.