Dentons New Zealand
The ‘client-focused’ team at Dentons New Zealand leverages the firm’s expansive global network to advise on complex cross-border M&A transactions and is actively involved in a range of domestic acquisitions and joint ventures. Auckland-based practice head Chris Parke has notable expertise in the insurance, infrastructure, TMT, healthcare and food sectors. The ’outstanding’ David Shillson is praised for his ‘breadth of experience and depth of expertise.’ Wook Jin Lee, who is ’smart, commercial and savvy’, regularly acts for listed issuers, private businesses, and private equity fund managers on the full spectrum of corporate deals and capital markets transactions. The team is strengthened by the arrival of tax partner Bruce Bernachhi. Heida Donegan departed.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Wook Jin Lee is the star - excellent to deal with.’
‘Wook Jin Lee is smart, commercial and savvy. Very well respected.’
‘Good professional people who care about doing a great job.’
'They are individually motivated to do their best.'
'Dentons partners are client-focused, attuned to whether we want to be firm or flexible in negotiations.’
‘David Shillson is an outstanding corporate lawyer, with a breadth of experience and depth of expertise.’
Key clients
- Johnson & Johnson
- Warner Music Group
- Downer
- Left Lane Capital
- Oji Fibre Solutions
- Guangxi Fenglin Wood Industry Group
- Pernod Ricard Winemakers Limited
- Bridgestone New Zealand Limited
- Steel & Tube Holdings
- Garmin Inc
- Bathurst Resources Limited
Work highlights
- Advising Ngāti Toa on the recent funding and acquisition structure to enable the acquisition of Crown assets with a value of NZ$370 million, as part of Ngāti Toa’s Treaty settlement under the Ngāti Toa Rangatira Claims Settlement Act 2014.
- Advising the board of directors and senior executives of Kiwi Wealth Management Limited, the shares in which were sold by Kiwi Group Holdings Limited through a competitive sale process and acquired by Fisher Funds Limited for $310m.
- Acting for CBRE Limited in relation to its purchase of the business and assets of the Telfer Young Group, New Zealand’s largest independent property valuation and advisory firm.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Chris Parke