Top Tier Law Firm Announces New Year Promotions

Media Release

12 December 2014

Top Tier Law Firm Announces New Year Promotions

Top tier law firm Minter Ellison Rudd Watts is pleased to announce our promotions effective 1 January 2015. The firm has further strengthened its Dispute Resolution team in Wellington with Oliver Meech joining the partnership subject to satisfying Law Society requirements, and promoting Emma Warden to the role of Special Counsel.

• Oliver Meech to Partner (Dispute Resolution, Wellington)

• Emma Warden to Special Counsel (Dispute Resolution, Wellington)

• Adrianne Reid to Senior Associate (Banking & Financial Services, Wellington)

• Nikki Chamberlain to Senior Associate (Dispute Resolution, Auckland)

• Gina Fogarty to Senior Associate (Construction, Auckland)

Partner Promotion

Oliver Meech (Dispute Resolution, Wellington)

Competition and Litigation expert Oliver Meech will join the partnership in the New Year. Oliver will continue to be based in our Wellington office, where he was previously a Special Counsel, using his international best practice experience to grow the Wellington Dispute Resolution practice.

A strong academic achiever, Oliver has an LLB (Hons) from Otago and a Master of Laws from the University of Cambridge. He began his career with the firm, then Rudd Watts & Stone, as a solicitor in 1996, before moving to London in 2000 to work at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Oliver was welcomed back to the firm in 2005.

Oliver is recognised by clients as an astute advocate, readily able to handle large-scale, complex commercial litigation. As a senior member of the Wellington Dispute Resolution team since 2007, Oliver has utilised his international experience to advise clients in all aspects of commercial and dispute resolution disputes, to principal case manager level. A significant part of his practice is providing advice to clients in competition, consumer and regulatory law.

Oliver commented that: “I am excited to be joining the Minter Ellison Rudd Watts’ partnership, having been with the firm for most of my legal career. I am looking forward to new challenges next year, and the opportunity to contribute to the continued growth of the Wellington DR practice. We have a strong team and great clients, whose support in getting to this point I have greatly appreciated, and I am looking forward to working with them heading into 2015.”

In announcing the appointment, subject to satisfying Law Society requirements, Mark Weenink, Managing Partner, said: “Oliver has worked tirelessly, where he has significantly grown our national Competition and Regulatory practice, and is a leader in our Wellington Dispute Resolution team. This promotion is recognition of Oliver’s technical skills, his dedication to our clients and his growing practice. We warmly welcome Oliver to the partnership.”

Oliver is available for interviews upon request.

Special Counsel Promotion

Emma Warden (Dispute Resolution, Wellington)

Emma is a senior practitioner of our Dispute Resolution practice in Wellington. An employment specialist, her practice also traverses immigration, health & safety and public law. She has an outstanding wealth of knowledge in these areas, and has a reputation for providing strong advice on complex and difficult issues in both the private and public sector.

Emma joined the firm in 2000 as a Summer Clerk, later rejoining as a Law Clerk. She worked her way up through the ranks until promoted to Senior Associate in November 2006. Emma has built a national practice, taking the opportunity to base herself in both our Wellington and Auckland offices in this role for four years apiece.

Emma’s promotion to Special Counsel recognises her significance to the Dispute Resolution team, where she regularly advises our client’s senior management and boards. Client’s recognise Emma for her commercial approach and solid understanding of the industries in which our clients operate.

Senior Associate Promotions

Adrianne Reid (Banking & Financial Services, Wellington)

Adrianne joined the firm in 2007 as a Law Clerk, and has since been active in building the team’s profile amongst all of our key banking and finance clients in Wellington. Adrianne works with significant firm clients and has particular expertise advising the public sector on commercial matters. She has strong relationships with clients who have singled her out for her ability, dedication and calmness under fire. As well as her general banking experience, Adrianne has specific expertise in insolvency law, real and personal property security law, and public law.

Nikki Chamberlain (Dispute Resolution, Auckland)

Nikki is a commercial litigation lawyer that joined the firm in 2006 as a Summer Clerk. Nikki is a very capable senior lawyer that has specialist knowledge and experience in disputes involving contract law, insolvency law, family law, trusts, company law and professional negligence litigation. She represents major corporate, banking and financial institutions in New Zealand and regularly appears in court for her clients. Nikki has appeared in the Court of Appeal, High Court, District Court and Family Court, and also regularly acts for family law clients who require specialist advice in relation to substantial asset disputes and complex trust disputes. Clients say that Nikki is commercial and results driven, working closely with clients to advise them of their options and assess their risks.

Gina Fogarty (Construction, Auckland)

Considered to be a key member of the Construction team with a high level of specialist knowledge in the areas of infrastructure and energy, Gina originally joined the firm in 2007 as a Summer Clerk, and stayed on after the summer as a Law Clerk. She advises many of the firm’s key clients in the infrastructure and energy sector, including advising government entities on large infrastructure projects, and advising clients across the energy sector; including primary industries, generators, lines companies and retailers of electricity. Gina provides a very high level of service to the firm’s key infrastructure and energy clients and consistently shows commitment, enthusiasm and a high degree of care about clients.
We are also pleased to announce seven Senior Solicitor promotions:

Senior Solicitors

Daniel Fielding (Dispute Resolution, Wellington)

Emma Kurtovich (Construction, Auckland)

Jonathan Falconer (Corporate, Wellington)

Kelly Bunyan (Real Estate, Auckland)

Nick Maday (Dispute Resolution, Auckland)

Rob Harris (Construction, Auckland)

Stephanie de Groot (Real Estate – Environment, Auckland)

About Minter Ellison Rudd Watts

Minter Ellison Rudd Watts is a top tier New Zealand law firm. The firm is known for providing clients with technically excellent legal solutions and innovative advice, contributing as trusted advisors who work alongside clients to ensure their success. It is proud to be a New Zealand law firm with a global outlook and reach. It has offices in Auckland and Wellington, but also has the unique ability to access a worldwide network of offices, advisors and markets through the Minter Ellison Legal Group, a leading firm in the Asia-Pacific.

ENDS

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