Ranking tables
Banking & Finance | Asia-Pacific
New Zealand
Rankings overview for Departments
Band 1
- Russell McVeagh 15 Years Ranked
- Bell Gully
- Buddle Findlay
- Chapman Tripp
- Mayne Wetherell
Band 2
- MinterEllisonRuddWatts 15 Years Ranked
- Simpson Grierson
Band 3
- Dentons New Zealand 12 Years Ranked
- DLA Piper New Zealand 10 Years Ranked
- Anderson Lloyd
- Anthony Harper
Senior Statespeople
- Dave WetherellMayne Wetherell
- David McPhersonBell Gully
- Murray KingBell Gully
- Peter OwlesBuddle Findlay
Eminent Practitioners
Band 1
- Deemple Budhia Russell McVeagh9 Years Ranked
- Geoff BuschAnderson Lloyd
- Mark ReeseChapman Tripp
- Will TippingMayne Wetherell
Band 2
- John Powell Russell McVeagh14 Years Ranked
- Kate Lane MinterEllisonRuddWatts14 Years Ranked
- Liz Lim Dentons New Zealand7 Years Ranked
- Steve Gallaugher MinterEllisonRuddWatts8 Years Ranked
- Andrew HarknessSimpson Grierson
- Cathryn BarberChapman Tripp
- Mei NahMayne Wetherell
- Miriam AndrewsBuddle Findlay
- Paul FarrugiaBuddle Findlay
Band 3
- Chris O'Brien MinterEllisonRuddWatts7 Years Ranked
- David Weavers Russell McVeagh4 Years Ranked
- Evelyn Jones Lane Neave4 Years Ranked
- Michael Thompson DLA Piper New Zealand5 Years Ranked
- Tom Hunt Russell McVeagh6 Years Ranked
- Cameron PeacheyMayne Wetherell
- Daniel CollinsBuddle Findlay
- Daniel MeikleMayne Wetherell
- Gerard SounessChapman Tripp
- Jennifer GunserBell Gully
- John-Paul RiceVince&Rice
- Josh CairnsSimpson Grierson
- Luke FordChapman Tripp
- Nicole XanthopolWebb Henderson
- Nigel OliverAnthony Harper
- Stuart EvansSimpson Grierson
Up and Coming
- Jesse Fairley Russell McVeagh1 Years Ranked
- Rachel Brown DLA Piper New Zealand2 Years Ranked
- Dominic ToomeySimpson Grierson
- Pauline HoThompson Blackie Biddles
- Sam DykesBell Gully
- Zac Kedgley-FootBell Gully
All Departments profiles
Band 1
1 Russell McVeaghBanking & Finance2025 | Band 1 | 15 Years RankedRussell McVeagh has a leading Auckland-based transactional and regulatory practice across the full range of banking and financing arrangements in New Zealand. The law firm acts on major infrastructure financings and has noteworthy expertise in bond issuances, refinancings and acquisition financing mandates. It frequently acts for lenders on securitisations and offers strong corporate financing capability, as well as servicing clients in substantial debt restructuring.
Band 2
2 MinterEllisonRuddWattsBanking & Finance2025 | Band 2 | 15 Years RankedMinterEllisonRuddWatts houses a diverse, full-service national practice, renowned for its representation of domestic and international banks in complex, high-value acquisition finance matters, as well as in project, infrastructure, asset and corporate financing matters. The team offers local expertise in novel financial arrangements such as ESG-linked loans. It fields additional capability on DCM as well as refinancing matters.
Band 3
3 Dentons New ZealandBanking & Finance2025 | Band 3 | 12 Years RankedDentons fields extensive experience in structured finance arrangements and corporate finance transactions. Its banking team acts for a broad client base of major New Zealand and Chinese banks, as well as other lenders active across the region. The firm is recognised for its work in the infrastructure and construction, healthcare, hospitality and commercial sectors, acting for top financial institutions and domestic corporates. It is also adept at advising on debt capital markets and consumer finance matters.3 DLA Piper New ZealandBanking & Finance2025 | Band 3 | 10 Years RankedDLA Piper New Zealand houses a respected international practice with solid expertise in a range of global financial transactions. The firm is regularly at the forefront of syndicated lending transactions and remains active on property finance, acquisition finance and complex securitisation. Its team is also well regarded in the DCM space, with experience advising on the full range of mandates. The law firm offers notable capability in fintech mandates.