Hesketh Henry

Hesketh Henry is a premium sector specialist commercial law firm based in Auckland, New Zealand.  We offer comprehensive legal services to a diverse range of domestic and international clients.  We specialise in sectors including construction, insurance, real estate, forestry, insolvency, trade and transport, employment, health and safety, and private wealth.

Hesketh Henry’s main areas of practice:

Corporate and Commercial

Specialist advice on a wide range of legal issues, across a broad spectrum of industries.

We assist with routine corporate compliance matters through to complex commercial issues.  We have a strong track record of assisting overseas investors in investing and conducting business in New Zealand. As a full-service commercial law firm we are big enough to have the resources required for major challenges, urgent issues and fast-moving opportunities.

Construction

One of the largest and most experienced specialist construction teams in the industry.

We act in all areas of construction law, including procurement and contract advice as well as all manner of disputes ranging from the tender period through to the post construction stage and including negotiated solutions, adjudications, ADR and proceedings.

Disputes

Regularly instructed to act on significant and highly specialised litigation, and scale to accommodate the most complex instructions.

We appear at all levels of the court system and in arbitration.  Our sector-specific approach allows us to provide specialised advice for contentious matters in targeted industries including construction, insurance, trade and transport, employment, property and trusts.

Employment

Substantial experience in all aspects of employment advisory, compliance, negotiation and dispute resolution work.

We advise employers, employees, and unions in virtually all sectors and industries.

Health and Safety

Compliance advice, advice on specific issues and onsite training and support for our clients.  We also assist our clients with mandatory notifications and investigations to lower the risk of prosecution or enforcement action. If charges are laid, we appear in Court as defence counsel, negotiate with the prosecution and can apply for enforceable undertakings.

Insolvency and Restructuring

A wealth of experience both domestically and internationally in dealing with legal issues associated with distressed entities: liquidations, receiverships and other formal procedures; Director’s duties and personal liabilities; lending arrangements and security protection; enforcing debt; commercial leasing issues; trust assets and protection; and business advice.

Insurance

Leading insurance law firm.

We advise and advocate across a comprehensive spectrum of issues, including coverage, business interruption, cyber, professional indemnity, health and safety, and regulatory matters. We have a strong recoveries and settlement practice.  We regularly appear at every level of the civil courts, as well as in ADR.  We have represented clients before numerous specialist tribunals and regulatory bodies, including Royal Commissions of Inquiry, the Human Rights Review Tribunal, the Insurance and Savings Ombudsman and professional societies and disciplinary bodies.

Māori Business

Comprehensive legal support tailored to the specific needs of Iwi and Māori entities.

We offer expert advice on pre- and post-treaty settlement transactions, governance, joint venture and limited liability structuring and property law.  Our expertise includes all aspects of land law, commercial contracts, construction projects, forestry, insurance, employment, health and safety, and litigation.

Private Wealth

One of the largest private wealth teams in New Zealand, and a recognised leader in private wealth law.

Our main point of difference is a genuine specialisation in this area that many large and more general commercial firms do not realistically offer.  We are also unique in that we combine a depth of expertise in both contentious and non-contentious areas of private wealth law.

The firm’s heritage goes back to 1865 and we have a significant number of second and third generation family clients.  We are very proud to have maintained these clients over the last 160 years.

Property

Specialised expertise across all areas of property law.

We work with a wide range of property stakeholders encompassing first-home buyers through to retirement village operators, sophisticated commercial and overseas investors, and large non-government entities with extensive holdings like church and iwi (Māori tribal) organisations.  Some of our current institutional clients have been using our services for over a century.

Trade and Transport

One of New Zealand’s small number of recognised specialist firms, and the only one licenced to provide specialist maritime law expertise on English law contracts.

We act in all areas of trade and transport law, and our practice comprises a mix of wide-ranging disputes: charterparties, build/repair, vessel arrest, cargo, collision and grounding, and marine insurance and transactional matters like ship building contracts, charterparties and finance.