DEPARTMENT PROFILE

MinterEllisonRuddWatts

Dispute Resolution

2 ranked lawyers

Band 2

New Zealand

Asia-Pacific 2021 View ranking table

chambers review

department information

Ranked Lawyers

Chambers Review

Chambers Research is conducted by 200 Research Analysts, across 200 jurisdictions and provides nearly 6,000 rankings tables. Annually we collect hundreds of thousands of responses from clients, the majority via in-depth interview. Learn more about our methodology.

What the team is known for

Well-resourced group, known for the depth and diversity of its practice and maintaining an impressive client base embracing leading domestic and multinational corporations, leading financial services providers, public sector bodies and high-profile individuals. Offers significant expertise across a range of commercial litigation matters, including construction, environmental, insolvency and insurance-related disputes, and well equipped to advise on cross-border mandates both within and beyond the Asia-Pacific region. Frequently instructed in connection with regulatory investigations and related court proceedings and on High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court litigation.

Strengths

A client reports: "The team have a customer-first ethos and know their stuff, so it gives a client like us a great deal of confidence that the best outcome will be achieved. We have no reason to go elsewhere."

Another client, who calls the team "very good and highly responsive," particularly appreciates the fact that it provides "access to a large cohort of experienced partners."

Work highlights

Acted for Synlait in Supreme Court appellate proceedings concerning its construction of a NZD280 million dairy processing factory on land subject to restrictive covenants confining its use to farming or forestry activity.

Notable practitioners

Practice co-head Andrew Horne offers over 25 years' experience in the disputes space, where he focuses closely on matters arising from the financial services, technology and telecommunications sectors. Interviewees identify him as a "very good, hard-working partner" who stands out for his "considered and measured" advice.

Stacey Shortall draws high praise from clients, one of whom describes her as "absolutely outstanding, highly experienced and calm in a crisis, with lots of tools in the toolbox," while another calls her "all-round amazing, responsive and very easy to deal with." Particularly well known for her handling of health and safety-related litigation, she is active across a broad contentious spectrum which also covers environmental, insurance and white-collar criminal issues.

Department Information

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Overview

MinterEllisonRuddWatts’ dispute resolution team has an outstanding track record for resolving the most challenging disputes, providing clients with practical advice on the law and litigation strategies that enhance its clients prospects of success.

The team has acted on some of the largest cases in New Zealand, and includes some of the country’s brightest and most capable litigators.

The team guides clients through mediation and arbitration (if this is the right option) and is also at home at all levels of the court system including the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and the Privy Council.

Successfully represented Taharoa Ironsands in a high-stakes contractual dispute concerning obligations arising in respect of an attempted share sale of a company
Successfully represented the liquidators of the Mainzeal group of companies in the High Court against its directors for breach of directors’ duties, reckless trading, knowing receipt and transactions for inadequate consideration
Acting for viagogo AG on legal proceedings taken by the New Zealand Commerce Commission for alleged breaches of the Fair Trading Act
Represented Bathurst Resources Ltd to defend claims for a performance payment made by L&M Coal Holdings Ltd, after Bathurst had acquired Buller Coal Limited
Acting for Refining NZ and BT Mining in the first ever climate change High Court proceeding brought against private defendants in New Zealand