Hesketh Henry

heskethhenry.co.nz

Alison Maelzer is a Partner at Hesketh Henry, with over 20 years of experience in employment law. Alison offers expert advice on all aspects of employment law, with a particular focus on disciplinary issues, managing personal grievances, collective bargaining and union issues, and workplace health and safety. She frequently assists clients at mediation and in private negotiations to achieve pragmatic solutions to employment relationship problems. Key Strengths: Pragmatic, Business-Focused Advice: Alison is known for her practical, solution-based advice, aimed at minimising cost and time for clients. Her guidance is always delivered in plain English. Educational Contributions: Alison frequently presents workshops and seminars – both for clients, and external education providers, on a range of employment and health and safety topics. Industry Recognition: She is regularly sought for her commentary in major New Zealand publications and is a prolific writer on current employment law issues. Alison’s commitment to providing clear, actionable advice and her extensive experience make her a trusted advisor in the field of employment law.

Barret Blaylock

Barret is a Partner in our Commercial Property Team.

Ben is a partner in Hesketh Henry’s corporate and commercial team. He has 15 years of experience in corporate and commercial transactions across New Zealand, Singapore, and Myanmar. Prior to rejoining Hesketh Henry, Ben was a senior associate at Stephenson Harwood LLP in Singapore, specialising in cross-border M&A and foreign direct investment deals in the region. Ben’s extensive business network across South-East Asia complements and adds depth to Hesketh Henry’s growing Asia Practice. At Hesketh Henry, Ben advises on M&A transactions, foreign investment, joint venture arrangements, corporate governance matters, and commercial licencing.. He supports international investors with acquisitions in New Zealand and assists his clients to navigate regulatory requirements under the Overseas Investment Act. He has particular expertise in the telecommunications and forestry sectors. In addition to his corporate and cross border M&A expertise, with his early grounding and extensive experience in New Zealand property law, Ben has advised real estate developers, hotel operators and other property investors on real estate acquisitions, commercial development, disposals, leasing and other property related work across New Zealand and South-East Asia. Ben also advises clients with commercial operations across the Pacific Islands. He is an executive committee member of the New Zealand-Fiji Business Council.

Brian is a partner who practices in the commercial property sector. He is a highly regarded commercial property expert with over 30 years’ experience. He specialises in premium office property sales, acquisitions and leasing. A large part of Brian’s practice has involved representing offshore high net worth investors over the past 20 years in the acquisition and leasing of an extensive portfolio of premium commercial office buildings throughout the country. He is highly trusted by such investors to act as their domestic representative for the purpose of acquiring commercial investment properties and negotiating leasing agreements with corporate and public sector tenants. Notably, his work has also included assisting offshore investors to obtain regulatory consent for the acquisition of islands and other sensitive land in this country. Brian is also an expert in retirement village law in this country. He has advised both large and small corporate operators in the village industry on best practice regulatory compliance and documentation. He has represented Metlifecare Limited, one of the leading retirement village operators in the country and also smaller fresh field village developments such as Speldhurst Village , The Palms Lifestyle Village and Richmond Villas.

Christina Bryant

Christina joined Hesketh Henry in 2003, following postgraduate study and practice in London. She acts for consultants, contractors, manufacturers and their insurers in adjudications, arbitrations and litigation proceedings, including at appellate level. Christina’s insurance practice focuses on liability claims against professional service providers.

Emma Tonkin leads Hesketh Henry’s Private Wealth Team. She specialises in private wealth, real estate and overseas investment, with a strong practice in succession planning. Emma regularly advises on trust structures, both private and charitable, estate and asset planning and enduring powers of attorney. She is an expert in relation to the Overseas Investment Act and guides clients through the often-complex regulatory process surrounding overseas ownership of sensitive New Zealand assets. Emma also acts in contentious matters, such as both pursuing and defending Family Protection Act claims, making claims against estates, and pragmatically negotiating settlements. Emma has both domestic and international experience, working at Addleshaw Goddard in London. She became a partner at Hesketh Henry in 2019. Emma brings an empathetic, responsive and highly client-focused approach to her work. She is adept at understanding family dynamics, and enjoys helping generations with their succession planning as a trusted family advisor.

Erich is a senior partner of the firm. He has more than 30 years of experience in commercial law. His principal areas of practice are business agreements and transactions, particularly in relation to mergers and acquisitions, foreign investment and regulatory approvals. Erich specialises in assisting overseas entities moving into the New Zealand market through acquisitions or establishing a new business in the country. Erich is fluent in German. Erich is the immediate past president and a board member of the German-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce (GNZCC), the biggest bilateral European Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand. He is also the Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Auckland. He was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2018 (Bundesverdienstkreuz am Bande).

Glen Holm-Hansen

Glen Holm-Hansen is a construction disputes specialist and leads the firm’s construction team. Glen has in-depth experience in a wide range of complex construction litigation. He plays a leading role in large construction disputes involving high profile infrastructure projects and has works closely with key contractor clients including Downer, Dominion Constructors, Form Building & Developments, McConnell Dowell, and CMP Construction. Glen leads significant matters referred to alternative dispute resolution procedures including adjudications under the Construction Contracts Act 2002, with specialist knowledge in payment disputes as well as delay and disruption analysis. Glen also has expertise in insolvency and regulatory matters complementing the skill set he offers to his construction clients given the high rate of insolvency within the construction industry in recent years. In the past 12 months, Glen has had a significant book of work relating to key infrastructure including roading and prisons, hotel developments, as well as high-end apartment complexes and civil infrastructure for new suburban developments. Glen regularly authors articles and is invited to speak at leading industry conferences and presentations. He is a member of NZSCL (New Zealand Society of Construction Law), AMINZ (Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand), and RITANZ (Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association, the professional body for insolvency practitioners). He co-authored Panoramic (Construction) 2024 (formerly “Getting the Deal Through”).

Helen Macfarlane

Helen is a partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution team. She has strong expertise in construction litigation, professional indemnity insurance and property disputes including rent review arbitrations. In the construction field, Helen also has front-end expertise in contract drafting and advice. Helen was admitted as a barrister in London in 1987 completing pupillage at Fountain Court Chambers in 1988 before moving to New York where she worked as a litigation attorney for 15 years with a leading US and international law firm Shearman and Sterling, specialising in commercial litigation and international arbitration. Helen was admitted to the bar of the State of New York in 1989 and to practice before the federal courts of the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the Second Circuit (federal appellate court). Helen joined Hesketh Henry in 2007 as a Senior Associate and in 2017 was appointed partner.

Jim Roberts is a Partner at Hesketh Henry, with over 30 years of experience in employment law. Jim provides extensive expertise across all aspects of employment law, regularly assisting clients from diverse industries in developing and implementing their employment strategies. His areas of focus include collective bargaining, personal grievance processes, disputes, human rights and health and safety. Key Strengths: Strategic Legal Advice: Jim offers strategic legal advice and is often involved in union disputes and collective agreement issues. Industry Engagement: He frequently presents at conferences for various institutes and writes on current trends and developments in employment law, with his work published in various publications. Client Understanding: Jim enjoys getting to know his clients’ businesses and understanding the people behind the issues. Jim’s deep experience and commitment to understanding his clients’ needs make him a trusted advisor in the field of employment law.

Jodi is a specialist employment lawyer who works with employees, employers, and unions on all employment law matters and litigation issues. Her expertise includes day to day advice, performance and disciplinary processes, restructuring and redundancy, medical incapacity as well as drafting and reviewing employment agreements and policies. Jodi has appeared before the Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court, District Court, and High Court, and frequently represents clients at mediations and in negotiations. Key Strengths: Approach: A pragmatic approach to legal issues that delivers practical, commercial outcomes. Communication: Clear, effective and timely communication. Educational Contributions: Jodi regularly presents workshops, seminars, and webinars to clients, as well as for external hosts, institutions and conference providers. Industry Recognition: Jodi writes regularly on current trends and developments in employment law and has been interviewed for New Zealand news topics and publications. Jodi’s knowledge, experience and strengths make her a trusted advisor in the employment law field.

John is a highly experienced commercial and trust lawyer. He has a particular interest in small to medium enterprises and family businesses and advises their owners and operators on a wide range of legal issues affecting their personal, trust and business affairs including business and trust restructuring, succession planning for individuals and exit and transition planning for the businesses they own. John also advises leading and offshore companies operating in New Zealand across a diverse range of industries. In his professional capacity, John is a director of a number of private companies and a trustee of various family trusts.

Julika Wahlmann-Smith

Julika is a Partner in the Corporate and Commercial Team. Julika’s experience includes advising on a wide range of corporate and commercial law issues, with a focus on advising clients in the context of business sales or acquisitions, foreign investment, advertising law and intellectual property rights. She is fluent in German and regularly advises foreign investors. Julika is President of the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance (GALA) Asia Pacific Region (an alliance of lawyers located throughout the world with expertise and experience in advertising, marketing and promotion law). Julika became a Partner in January 2023.

Kate is a Partner in the Corporate and Commercial team. Kate’s principal area of practice is general corporate and commercial law. Kate regularly advises clients on a range of commercial agreements including joint venture and shareholder agreements, manufacturing agreements, distribution agreements, sponsorship agreements and terms of trade. She also assists corporate clients in relation to compliance with a wide range of legislative matters, including the Companies Act 1993, Fair Trading Act 1986, Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, Takeovers Code 1993 and Overseas Investment Act 2005. In addition, Kate has extensive experience advising clients in relation to acquiring, disposing of and investing in businesses. Kate is a director of Project Employ Ltd, a charitable company that helps young people with disabilities learn the skills they need to gain meaningful employment in the community. Hesketh Henry provides pro bono legal assistance to Project Employ. Prior to joining Hesketh Henry, Kate practised in large law firms in both Australia and the United Kingdom. Kate became a partner at Hesketh Henry in 2012.

Mary Joy Simpson

Mary Joy is a specialist in complex estate and trust planning. Her clients include UHNW and HNW individuals, families and business people, as well as charitable organisations. She regularly advises on personal asset management plans, charitable entities, and relationship property planning, and undertakes complex restructuring to ensure existing structures remain durable and workable. Mary Joy also acts in contentious matters, for example in family disputes regarding the running of trusts and businesses and the division of trusts and estates among beneficiaries. Relationships are important to Mary Joy; she is a legal professional that her clients can relate to, developing strong and trusted client relationships. She also works closely with other professional advisors. Her knowledge and experience mean she is frequently asked to speak at seminars, including for Legalwise, the New Zealand Law Society and the Law Association of New Zealand. Mary Joy is a full member (TEP) of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Nick Gillies is a leading construction lawyer in New Zealand and the managing partner of Hesketh Henry. He has played a pivotal role in developing the firm’s major projects and infrastructure practice. Trusted by top tier civil and vertical contractors, international design consultancies, and specialist subcontractors, Nick advises on all aspects of construction law from contract negotiation to dispute resolution. He has extensive experience handling complex project issues across commercial and infrastructure projects, both in New Zealand and internationally. Recognised as a leader in construction law, Nick is frequently invited to present to industry bodies such as the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NZIQS), the New Zealand Society of Construction Law (NZSCL), and the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ). His insights have also been published in the Arbitrator & Mediators Journal, the Building Law Journal, and Build Law. Key Strengths: Industry Leadership:A respected figure in the construction sector, Nick regularly presents to key industry bodies and contributes to leading legal and industry publications. Expertise in Construction Matters: Nick provides strategic advice to commercial and infrastructure clients throughout the project life cycle, with particular expertise in resolving complex delay, disruption, and variation claims. Nick’s experience and leadership in construction law make him a trusted advisor in the industry.

Robert is a Partner in the Commercial Property team at Hesketh Henry. He is experienced in complex business and property and also has an extensive insolvency practice. Robert has over 17 years corporate, commercial and property experience, acting for a wide variety of corporates, businesses, property owners, not-for-profit organisations and individuals. Robert joined Hesketh Henry as a partner in 2006.

Simon Cartwright

Simon is a partner at Hesketh Henry and is a transport and trade law specialist.