Auckland-based Hesketh Henry is ‘a stand out in the New Zealand market for its construction litigation practice’, handling a wide range of complex and high-profile construction disputes. The team garners praise for being ‘practical and commercially robust’ and ‘easy to work with’, and is led by Nick Gillies, who ‘combines excellent technical skills with strong commercial acumen.’ Christina Bryant is a key contact, with a solid track record in handling disputes up to Supreme Court level; Glen Holm-Hansen combines insolvency, regulatory and litigation expertise. Additionally, Gillies works alongside Helen Macfarlane to assist clients with construction and consultancy contracts. On the real estate side. Robert Berry is well known for advising on ground leases; he jointly heads the group with Brian Coburn, who acts for international high-net-worth individuals. Jacintha Tan, Barret Blaylock, and Sarah Holderness are names to note.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Their approach to appointing experts is excellent. The team are open to suggestions, and they recognise the value in finding the answer to the question rather than manufacturing a value for strategic positioning.'
- 'Nick is a considered and diligent lawyer. He is open to suggestions and is willing to pivot the approach without the rigidity that is commonplace in the legal industry. The overriding strength Nick holds is his knowledge of construction. To my mind, this places him and his practice front and centre in the NZ market for complex construction disputes.'
- 'The partners and associates all understand practically what's involved in the Construction & Civil Works industries. It's vital to have professionals who can understand the nuances of these industries, particularly so when cases become adversarial.'
- 'Specialist construction knowledge from the contractor's perspective.'
- 'Nick Gillies is approachable, helpful, has excellent industry knowledge and gives pertinent advice. Glen Holm-Hansen is hard working with excellent industry knowledge and measured advice.'
- 'Hesketh Henry is a stand out in the New Zealand market for its construction litigation practice. The team is a devastating combination of clever practitioners who know the law inside out, aligned with practical and commercially robust thinkers who devise clear and effective strategies for their clients.'
- 'Nick Gillies is an outstanding construction litigator. He combines excellent technical skills with strong commercial acumen. He is also terrific to work with and has a first rate knowledge of the construction market.'
- 'The construction team at Hesketh Henry punches above its weight. It is truly client-focused and easy to work with.'
Key clients
- McConnell Dowell
- Fulton Hogan
- Naylor Love
- SRG Global
- WSP
- Norman Disney & Young
- AECOM
- Gensler
- Russell Group
- Form Building & Developments
- CMP Construction
- Mainmark Ground Engineering
- MAXRaft
- Steelcraft Engineering
- BW Group
- Kahawai Point Developments Ltd
- Octagon Developments Ltd
- Octagon (Terrace Management) Ltd
- The Marianne Caughey Smith-Preston Memorial Rest Homes Trust Board
- The General Trust Board of the Diocese of Auckland
- Airedale Property Trust
- New Zealand Methodist Trust Association
- Synergy Properties
- The Palms Lifestyle Village Ltd
- Pinefarm 25 Joint Venture
- 22 Terrace Investment Limited
- Speldhurst Country Estate Limited
- Richmond Villas Limited
- Wellington Investment Group Limited
Work highlights
- Representing a New Zealand subsidiary of the SRG Global Group in a procedurally complex, high-value dispute going to the Supreme Court.
- Acted for Norman Disney & Young in a case involving multiple defendants, concerning responsibility for an allegedly defective hot water system in a new private hospital.
- Defending WSP in proceedings brought by a developer concerning a new commercial CBD building.
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Nick Gillies, Robert Berry, Brian Coburn