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 Law Firm News
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16 October 2008 Simpson Grierson advised ASX Listed retirement village operator Babcock & Brown Communities (BBC) in relation to the New Zealand aspects of the recent strategic review and price discovery process announced to ASX on 8 September 2008. BBC owns and manages a portfolio of 56 retirement villages and 29 aged care facilities across Australia and New Zealand (comprising 10,000 retirement units and 2,200 residential aged care beds). Its New Zealand retirement village assets include villages in Mayfair, Parklane, and Knightsbridge on Auckland’s North Shore, Ocean Shores at Mt Maunganui, and The Peninsula Club at Stanmore Bay. On 1 October 2008, BBC announced that Lend Lease Corporation Limited (Lend Lease) would become BBC’s new manager and strategic stakeholder with an approximate interest of 41 per cent. The transaction included a cash injection of A$170 million by Lend Lease in the form of the subscription for new stapled securities, the acquisition of management rights held by Babcock & Brown in BBC for A$17.5 million, and the acquisition of various retirement villages and an aged care facility by BBC from Lend Lease for around A$133.4 million. Blake Dawson (Sydney) were BBC’s Australian legal advisers. NZLawyer, 9 October 2008 |
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18 September 2008 Simpson Grierson continues its market-leading rankings on Australasian M&A table SIMPSON GRIERSON is the only New Zealand law firm to feature on the just released Thomson Reuters legal advisory table for work in M&A transactions, cementing its position as the leading New Zealand commercial dealmaker of 2008. The firm’s seventh placing for the first eight months of this year, on transactions valued at just under US$18 billion, is the result of a number of significant deals. Simpson Grierson acted for Australian-owned Toll NZ on the sale of the New Zealand national rail business back to the Crown, a highly publicised transaction valued at over NZ$700 million. Acting for BG Group Plc on the New Zealand aspects of its bid for Origin Energy (Australia), Simpson Grierson provided groundbreaking advice on Takeover Code issues and exemption applications relating to Contact Energy, of which Origin Energy owns 51 per cent. “Our place on the table is continued confirmation of the firm’s strong client base, international networks, and global reputation,” says Kevin Jaffe, Head of Corporate/Commercial at Simpson Grierson. “It reinforces the bench strength of our partners and the depth and breadth of our teams’ expertise.” NZLawyer, 18 September 2008
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18 September 2008 Matariki Forests appoints Simpson Grierson as legal advisers for sale process SIMPSON GRIERSON has been appointed legal advisers for the sale of Matariki Forests’ New Zealand assets. Matariki Forests owns the third largest forest estate comprising approximately 140,000 hectares of high quality Radiata Pine spread throughout New Zealand. “To be appointed to represent Matariki on this transaction is a high point for our specialist forestry and wood products team, many of whom have worked together for over 20 years,” said Simpson Grierson commercial partner Peter Stubbs. Stubbs and corporate advisory partner Michael Pollard will be the lead lawyers on this transaction. Matariki Forests is owned by a consortium and managed by Rayonier New Zealand, a subsidiary of Rayonier Inc. Simpson Grierson is also the general commercial and forestry legal adviser for Matariki Forestry Group NZ. NZLawyer, 18 September 2008 |
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17 September 2008 Bell Gully solicitor wins scholarship for Oxford study  WELLINGTON BANKING and finance solicitor Stacey Lulham has won the 2008 Banking and Financial Services Law Association scholarship.
The A$40,000 scholarship funds postgraduate study in banking and finance law and is open to all graduates from across Australasia. It was awarded at the 25th Annual Banking and Financial Services Law and Practice Conference, held in Queenstown in July. Lulham is the first New Zealander to be awarded this scholarship since Bell Gully senior associate Rachel Paris won it in 2002. She will commence her studies in the Bachelor of Civil Law programme at Oxford University in September this year. Lulham, based in Wellington, has been with Bell Gully since 2005 and will return to the firm’s Banking and Finance practice on completion of her studies. |
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7 August 2008 DLA Phillips Fox’s 61 graduate recruits get together in Sydney SIXTY-ONE DLA Phillips Fox graduate recruits from across Australasia converged on Bondi’s Swiss Grand Hotel last week for the firm’s inaugural combined graduate workshop. Representing each of the firm’s eight offices across Australasia, the graduates spent three days at Bondi, where they met key executives and partners from across the firm as well as each other, and increased their knowledge and skills on fundamental competencies. New Zealand-based Kate Weaver, DLA Phillips Fox’s Head of HR Operations Australasia, said the initiative had been a huge success and was an ideal way for graduates to receive a first-hand solid introduction to the firm, its structure, people, and values. The 17 graduate New Zealanders (nine from Auckland, eight from Wellington) who attended each benefited professionally from the workshop. Relationship building with their peers and the firm’s leadership team had also been important, she said. Jessica Hogan, a graduate working in the firm’s Auckland corporate team, said that gaining insight and understanding of the direction, motivation, and leadership behind DLA Phillips Fox was a significant highlight of the workshop. “We heard first-hand from key figures about the future and direction of DLA Phillips Fox: about the ideals and aspirations the firm embodies and those it will be embracing in the future. These parts of the DLA Phillips Fox story were particularly significant to ourselves as graduates because we are effectively the future story-tellers for the firm.” NZLawyer, 7 August 2008 |
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17 July 2008 Who’s Who Legal NZ law firm of the year: third time running for Bell Gully BELL GULLY has again been named New Zealand Law Firm of the Year in the Who’s Who Legal 2008 awards. The firm has now received the award every year since its inception three years ago. Who’s Who Legal uses nominations from clients and private practice professionals to identify leading firms in 50 countries and five US states annually. Who’s Who editor in chief Callum Campbell says, “In a highly competitive field, receiving the Who’s Who Legal Law Firm of the Year Award for New Zealand a third time is a truly outstanding achievement. “Bell Gully’s continuing success is reflected in the consistently positive feedback we received recognising the firm’s exceptional individual and collective talent. We have no hesitation in declaring Bell Gully the leading firm in the country.” Campbell said the publication lists only the leading practitioners in each field, based on the findings of an independent six-month research process. The awards are based on factors including ongoing feedback, past performance, and the overall aggregate number of weighted votes cast in their favour. In May, The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers 2008 listed 11 Bell Gully partners as leading individuals across nine practice areas – more than any other firm in New Zealand. The Bell Gully partners named as leaders in their practice areas are: David Boswell, for regulatory communications; David McPherson, for aviation; David Simcock, for corporate tax; Gavin Macdonald, for mergers & acquisitions; Jonathan Ross, for banking and capital markets; Mark O’Brien, for commercial litigation; Murray King, for banking; Niels Campbell, for corporate tax; Phil Taylor, for competition; and Rob Towner, for labour and employment. NZLawyer, 17 July 2008 |
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10 July 2008 Gaze Burt celebrates Auckland Uni’s top postgrad law students  ON THURSDAY, 5 June, the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Law held an informal prize-giving in the Faculty Common Room to recognise its top students in the Master of Laws programme. The Gaze Burt Prize for Master of Laws (Commercial) was won by German student Florian Maier, who was the overall top Masters student for 2007 in commercial law subjects.
The Gaze Burt Prize in Franchising Law was presented to Augustine Nelson, who received the best grades in franchise law in the LLM degree. Nelson’s research examined the basis for the regulation of franchising in New Zealand, a topic that has since become a matter of government inquiry. Gaze Burt was particularly pleased with Nelson’s relevant and timely research as it underlined the importance of academic endeavour in providing critical insights into how law, and thus society, was organised and governed, said franchising partner David Munn. Having established the two prizes seven years ago, Munn said the firm was pleased to support the University and its students. Professor David Williams presented the Fowlds Memorial Prize (Faculty of Law) for the most distinguished Masters student in the Faculty to Guy Sinclair. Photo: David Munn, Augustine Nelson, and Ross Dillon at the prize-giving. NZLawyer, 10 July 2008 |
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12 June 2008 Andrew Matthews named leading competition lawyer  Andrew Matthews, corporate and competition partner in Minter Ellison Rudd Watt’s Auckland office, has been named as “one to watch” among the world’s leading competition lawyers under the age of 40 – and he is also the only New Zealand competition lawyer to make the list.
Every five years, the Global Competition Review carries out a survey to find the world’s leading young competition lawyers. This year, more than 1,000 practitioners were nominated. To narrow the list down, over 1,100 leading lawyers in the International Who’s Who of Competition Lawyers were asked to cast their votes on who should make the final cut. This was whittled down to only 40 finalists, with a further 10 lawyers named as ones to watch out for – all of whom narrowly missed out on making the final cut. Matthews advises on all competition matters, including mergers, cartels, and leniency applications, and heads Minter Ellison Rudd Watts competition and regulatory team. He works across a range of industries including transport and logistics, health, agriculture and diary sectors, and had a 100 per cent success rate on merger cases in 2007. NZLawyer, 12 June 2008 |
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4 June 2008 Anthony Harper’s Insolvency team undertakes high profile business recovery transactions  ANTHONY HARPER’S specialist insolvency team is currently advising the voluntary administrator of a South Island-based building company. This is one of New Zealand’s first voluntary administrations since the new insolvency regime and business rehabilitation scheme came into effect and the second in the country where creditors have accepted a Deed of Company Arrangement.
Other recent projects undertaken by the team include the receivership of Target Pest Enterprises, including the sale of five divisions to separate purchasers. The team is also advising the receivers of two finance companies. The Anthony Harper team is led by partner Crispin Vinnell, with high-level support from the firm’s banking and corporate advisory teams. Vinnell has 12 years’ experience acting for specialist insolvency practitioners as well as banks and finance companies. Managing partner David Gould said Anthony Harper’s ability to offer a package encompassing dedicated insolvency advice coupled with support from experienced banking and corporate lawyers has been well received. In addition, its Auckland office enables the firm to be more available to its Auckland-based clients. NZLawyer, 4 June 2008 |
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3 June 2008 NZ LAW keeps on growing and growing WITH THE admission of Dunedin’s Downie Stewart and Lower Hutt’s Gillespie Young Watson to NZ LAW Limited, the group has grown to 56 member firms. Pleased to welcome the new firms to the NZ LAW team, NZ LAW Chairman Gary Simpson said, “Having two highly regarded law firms join NZ LAW will continue to strengthen the membership and, ultimately, benefit the clients of member firms.” Downie Stewart, a long-established Dunedin firm, has a large general practice that focuses, in particular, on business, trust, and property law. The firm’s clients are advised by four partners, two consultants, two staff solicitors, and three legal executives. Said Gerard De Courcy, Downie Stewart’s managing partner, “NZ LAW is a well organised and effective group with an excellent reputation in the marketplace. We are confident that joining NZ LAW will help to keep us at the forefront of the industry and provide significant long-term benefits for our clients and staff.” Gillespie Young Watson partner Greg Kelly agreed. “We are very pleased to be accepted as a member of NZ LAW. Membership will give the firm and our clients many benefits in terms of pooling ideas and resources.” He was particularly interested in NZ LAW’s regular benchmarking programmes, which he said will be very useful in ensuring Gillespie Young Watson continues to deliver a high standard of cost-effective service to their clients. The firm specialises in property, commercial, and trust law. With six partners, one consultant, five staff solicitors, and two legal executives, Gillespie Young Watson is one of the Hutt Valley’s largest law firms. NZLawyer, 3 June 2008 |
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23 May 2008 2008 Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellows celebrated at Government House function  AWARD-WINNING New Zealand writers Brigid Lowry and Paula Morris were formally celebrated as the 2008 Buddle Findlay Sargeson fellows at an event on Monday, 19 May at Government House.
The event was hosted by the Governor-General, the Honourable Anand Satyanand and his wife, Susan Satyanand, and was attended by the Prime Minister, friends and members of the Sargeson Trust, and Buddle Findlay partners and clients. Lowry took up residence in the Auckland-based Sargeson Centre in February, and is nearing the end of her tenure, with Morris set to begin hers in July. Both writers receive a $20,000 grant and will use the fellowship to focus full-time on their writing and to complete literary projects. The Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship (Fellowship) aims to offer outstanding New Zealand writers the opportunity to write full-time, free from financial pressure. This year is the eleventh anniversary of Buddle Findlay’s sponsorship of the Fellowship. Past Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellows (from 1997 onwards) include: Fiona Samuel, Peter Cox, Karyn Hay, Craig Marriner, Toa Fraser, Debra Daley, Denis Baker, Riemke Ensing, Vivienne Plumb, Chad Taylor, Shonagh Koea, Diane Brown, Catherine Chidgey, Sarah Quigley, Tina Shaw, Kapka Kassabova, Sue Reidy, James Brown, Charlotte Grimshaw, Emily Perkins, and James George. Photo caption:
Celebrating the 2008 Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellows are (from left) Barbara Clarke (Buddle Findlay National Marketing Manager), Paula Morris (2008 Buddle Findlay Fellow), Right Honourable Helen Clark, Susan Satyanand, Brigid Lowry (2008 Buddle Findlay Fellow), Honourable Anand Satyanand, Peter Chemis (Buddle Findlay National Chairman), Christine Cole-Catley (Chair, Sargeson Trust), Graeme Lay (Secretary, Sargeson Trust), and Elizabeth Aitken-Rose (Sargeson Trust). NZLawyer, 23 May 2008 |
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7 May 2008 James & Wells Intellectual Property highly recommended, says PLC Which Lawyer 2008 JAMES & WELLS Intellectual Property has been named as a highly recommended firm in the fields of Intellectual Property and Life Sciences in this year’s PLC Which Lawyer 2008 Yearbook, with special mention for its track record in IP litigation. Partners Ian Finch and Jason Rogers were also identified as highly recommended individuals in the fields of Intellectual Property and Life Sciences respectively. The annual survey is based on confidential feedback from clients and in-house counsel from over 5600 companies throughout the world, as well as interviews with private practitioners conducted by the Which Lawyer research team. NZLawyer, 7 May 2008 |
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7 May 2008 MGF Webb negotiates introduction of telco competition for Vanuatu Government SPECIALIST TECHNOLOGY and regulatory law firm MGF Webb has announced the finalisation of negotiations on behalf of the Government of Vanuatu, which have resulted in the introduction of competition into the Vanuatu telecommunications sector. Malcolm Webb, partner at MGF Webb, was appointed by the Vanuatu Government to lead the negotiations with Cable & Wireless Plc and France Telecom. The deal became unconditional in March 2008. The outcome of the negotiations was the termination of the exclusive licence granted to Telecom Vanuatu (majority owned by Cable & Wireless and France Telecom) and the issuance of new, non-exclusive licences to Telecom Vanuatu and to Digicel Vanuatu. “This deal, where an incumbent operator has agreed to the early termination of its exclusive licence, is one of the only deals of this type that has taken place anywhere in the world. Our team worked on a huge number of complex issues around licensing, interconnection, universal service, competition law, radio spectrum, and numbering to finalise the negotiations,” said Webb. “Competition will reduce prices and increase mobile and Internet coverage from less than 20 per cent to more than 85 per cent of the population within two years. These changes have the potential to revolutionise lives and livelihoods. It is fantastic that the Vanuatu population will now realise the many benefits that competition will bring to the country.” The Minister for Infrastructure and Public Utilities in Vanuatu, the Honourable Edward Natapei, said, “The completion of these negotiations to open up the telecommunications market is a significant achievement for the people of Vanuatu. I would like to thank Malcolm and the MGF Webb team on behalf of the Government for their expert support in leading the negotiations. We would not have been able to complete this deal successfully without Malcolm’s considerable skill and dedication.” Economic consultancy Covec assisted MGF Webb on economic modelling-related matters and telecommunications experts Network Strategies provided advice on technical issues. Vanuatu’s telecommunication reforms are supported by the Australian Government through AusAID, which manages Australia’s overseas aid programme. AusAID recently announced a commitment of A$6 million to Vanuatu for rural telecommunications access programmes and regulatory support. NZLawyer, 7 May 2008 |
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1 May 2008 Chapman Tripp makes finals of ALB Awards 2008 THE ALB Australasian Law Awards 2008 (ALB Awards) recognise and promote outstanding professional achievement and the best legal work of 2007, across both Australia and New Zealand. Chapman Tripp, proud sponsor of the award for the New Zealand In-house Team of the Year, congratulated those companies named as finalists in this award for 2008: • Auckland International Airport;
• Contact Energy;
• Fonterra Co-operative Group;
• Telecom New Zealand; and
• Westpac New Zealand. The winning in-house team will have played a significant role in achieving completion of a number of major transactions for its employer. Chapman Tripp has also been nominated as a finalist in three categories of the ALB Awards:
• New Zealand Deal Team of the Year – Chapman Tripp Corporate M&A;
• New Zealand Dealmaker of the Year – John Strowger; and
• CSR Firm of the Year. In addition, two of the deals in which Chapman Tripp were involved have also made the finals in the ALB Awards:
• Wesfarmers acquisition of Coles (finalist for the M&A Deal of the Year); and
• Boart Longyear IPO (finalist for the Equity Market Deal of the Year). This year’s ALB Awards ceremony will be held in Sydney on Thursday, 22 May. NZLawyer, 1 May 2008 |
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22 April 2008 Brook Asset Management winner of Chapman Tripp Equity Fund Manager of the Year award BROOK ASSET Management Limited was awarded the Chapman Tripp Equity Fund Manager of the Year award at the National Business Review 2008 INFINZ Industry Awards in Wellington on Wednesday, 16 April 2008. Nominees for the Award were assessed across a range of criteria, including people, performance, organisation, and products, with background assessment work undertaken by actuarial consultants Melville Jessup Weaver. The judges, Mark Weaver, Phil Williams, Deepak Gupta, and Paul Hocking, were unanimous in giving the award to Brook Asset Management. In addition to producing the best outcome based upon the assessment criteria, the company was also judged to stand out for its strong advocacy role. Mark Brighouse, Managing Director of Brook Asset Management, says the company is delighted to be selected for the Award. “We believe this Award reflects our rigorous investment process, [our] talented team of people, and the strong results we have achieved for clients.” AMP Capital Investors and AllianceBerstein New Zealand were finalists for the Equity Fund Manager of the Year award. NZLawyer, 22 April 2008 |
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4 April 2008 Queenstown’s Brent Law expands to meet demand TWO YEARS ago, solicitor Stephen Brent began a solo practice in downtown Queenstown. In March of this year, he celebrated the opening of Brent Law’s new premises, a new staff member, and new branding with a breakfast at the firm’s new offices in Camp Street’s ASB building. “Business people in Queenstown are busy people,” said Brent, “so we thought breakfast was a great time to get people together.”
The continuing high level of business now being conducted in the Queenstown area had necessitated the firm’s expansion to enable it to cope with the growing demand for its commercial and property law services, he said. Joining Brent and legal executive Andrea Gilbert is legal executive Jacqui Wilson, who brings with her “a wealth of experience”, said Brent.
The firm has rebranded to represent better its specialist areas of practice and values of integrity, trust, and timely delivery of services; it “harks back to an era of enduring service values”, said Brent. “We have designed our brand to reflect our commitment to clients and strong codes of best practice.” Prior to establishing Brent Law in Queenstown, Brent worked extensively for some of New Zealand’s larger corporates including Smiths City, Masterpet, Cash Converters, and WINZ. Servicing clients not only in Queenstown but throughout New Zealand and Sydney, Brent said he brought “big city”, trans-Tasman experience to Queenstown. “My approach since setting up has been to offer knowledge, insight, and experience along with a real ‘can do’, fresh, and personal approach,” he said. NZLawyer, 4 April 2008 |
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20 March 2008 Rodney District Council legal exec tops the class  OPEN POLYTECHNIC of New Zealand student and Auckland resident Valerie Coffey has been named the top national Legal Executive graduate for 2007.
Coffey achieved the highest overall marks out of students from eight different tertiary institutions who completed the New Zealand Law Society (NZLS) Legal Executive Course last year. Her efforts earned her the top graduate prize offered by the New Zealand Institute of Legal Executives, along with a $150 prize from the NZLS for also achieving the highest mark for 2007 in the Estates Law and Practice course. “Rapt” with her win, Coffey said the flexibility of being able to study by distance and the excellent support provided by her Open Polytechnic tutors helped her achieve her outstanding results. Currently working at the Rodney District Council, Coffey, who always wanted to work in the field of law, said her legal executive skills were vital in her role as an appeals administrator. NZLawyer, 20 March 2008 |
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7 March 2008 Bell Gully: New Zealand Law Firm of the Year for fifth straight year BELL GULLY has been named the IFLR New Zealand Law Firm of the Year for an unprecedented fifth consecutive year. Firm chairman Roger Partridge and corporate partner David Flacks were at the IFLR Asia Awards 2008 ceremony in Hong Kong last night to collect the award. Respected global legal publisher International Financial Law Review presents annual awards to the market-leading law firms in major jurisdictions in Asia-Pacific, recognising the outstanding advisers in international corporate and financial transactions over the past year. It is the fifth year in a row, and the sixth time in seven years, that Bell Gully has received top honours in New Zealand. Partridge says receiving the prestigious IFLR award for the fifth year running is a “very satisfying achievement”. “We are aware that winning this award is dependent on providing our clients with both the highest level of service and expertise. This would not be possible without the hard work of our dedicated people in Auckland and Wellington. “We focus each year on how we can improve the service we offer our clients and on how we can make Bell Gully the best place to work for talented people. While this is something we never take for granted, we believe our commitment and consistency in this is the platform for continuing success. “With the support of our clients, and the outstanding team of lawyers at Bell Gully, we will continue to challenge ourselves to set the standard as New Zealand’s leading law firm.” NZLawyer, 7 March 2008 |
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21 February 2008 DLA Piper posts record global revenue for 2007 DLA PHILLIPS Fox’s alliance partner, DLA Piper, has announced its global revenue for the year ending 31 December 2007, which is up 18.7 per cent to over US$2.1billion. DLA Piper also indicated that its profits per equity partner were up 8.3 per cent for the year to US$1.281 million. These numbers confirm that the firm has performed increasingly well across practices and key markets, while still investing in new and existing offices, delving more deeply into emerging markets, and continuing operational integration.
Nigel Knowles, joint Chief Executive Officer of DLA Piper, commented: “We have performed well and our continued growth is underpinned by the DLA Piper model, which delivers for our clients and for us as a business. We expect our progress to continue unabated through 2008, albeit under more challenging market conditions. I am delighted that as a business we are pushing geographical boundaries and responding to the needs of our clients by being technically excellent and solutions orientated.” Frank Burch, joint Chief Executive Officer of DLA Piper, commented: “These numbers are strong across all of our core practice areas. They reinforce the decision we made three years ago to be a leading business law firm on a global scale. I am most proud of the fact that we are reaching these strategic milestones based on the quality of our services and the strong relationships we have and continue to develop with our clients, large and small, around the world.” “I am very pleased with the firm’s global revenue numbers in 2007,” said George J Mitchell, Chairman of DLA Piper. “They reflect the hard work and tremendous contribution our lawyers have made throughout the year to advance our growth and maintain our momentum. By building global practices, focusing on the needs of leading mature and emerging companies, and having the capacity to advise clients no matter where in the world they need us, we have established ourselves as a leading global business law firm.” In addition to impressive revenue growth within the firm’s core practice areas, DLA Piper also invested significant resources into CSR and pro bono legal work in offices around the world throughout the year. In 2007, DLA Piper’s 64 offices all met the rigorous ISO 14001 certification, establishing the business as one of the most sustainability conscious in the sector. NZLawyer, 21 February 2008 |
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4 February 2008 2008 Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellows announced TWO NOTED New Zealand authors have been announced as the joint winners of this year’s Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship. Brigid Lowry and Paula Morris will each spend five months in the Sargeson Centre in Auckland, with Brigid taking up tenure in February, and Paula in August. Each fellow will also receive a $20,000 grant, allowing them to focus full-time on their writing. Brigid is both an author and a creative writing teacher. Her 1996 young adult title, Guitar Highway Rose (Allen & Unwin), was shortlisted for a number of major prizes in Australia, and more recently her novel With Lots of Love from Georgia (Allen & Unwin) was the 2006 winner of the NZ Post Book Awards Young Adult category. Her seventh book, Juicy Writing: Inspiration and Techniques for Young Writers (Allen & Unwin), will be released in March. Paula, who also teaches creative writing, is the author of three novels. Queen of Beauty (Penguin Books) won the 2003 Montana NZ Best First Book Award for fiction. The film rights of her second novel, Hibiscus Coast (Penguin Books), have been optioned by Eyeworks Touchdown. She is currently working on a short story collection, Forbidden Cities. Brigid will use her time to complete a collection of poetry and to begin a novel for adults, while Paula plans to work on her fourth novel, Rangatira, inspired by the life of her ancestor, Paratene Te Manu. This year is the twenty-first anniversary of the award and the eleventh year of Buddle Findlay’s sponsorship of the fellowship. Buddle Findlay National Chairman Peter Chemis said the Sargeson Fellowship is about giving New Zealand writers the freedom to craft their stories. “It has given creative space to some of our most notable writers, allowing them time to develop and polish their ideas into works that can become part of our cultural heritage. “Being a writer is not an easy task. In many cases it requires purpose and self-sacrifice. Our involvement with the fellowship acknowledges this.” The Fellowship was established in 1987 to commemorate Frank Sargeson and to provide assistance for New Zealand writers. It aims to offer outstanding writers the opportunity to write full-time, free from financial pressure. Last year’s holder of the Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship was writer James George who used his tenure to complete the final draft and editing of his fourth novel, Theme from an Imaginary Western, and to undertake work on his fifth novel, Two Rivers. Both novels will be published by Huia Publishers. Past Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellows (from 1997 onwards) include: Fiona Samuel, Peter Cox, Karyn Hay, Craig Marriner, Toa Fraser, Debra Daley, Denis Baker, Riemke Ensing, Vivienne Plumb, Chad Taylor, Shonagh Koea, Diane Brown, Catherine Chidgey, Sarah Quigley, Tina Shaw, Kapka Kassabova, Sue Reidy, James Brown, Charlotte Grimshaw, and Emily Perkins. NZLawyer, 4 February 2008 |
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