New Public Law Firm Enters New Zealand Market

New Public Law Firm Enters New Zealand Market

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Stephen Franks starts new public law & commercial law firm

A new public law firm has opened in Wellington, with former Chapman Tripp partner Stephen Franks starting his new firm, Franks & Ogilvie, with former Telecom counsel Rob Ogilvie.

Franks has been a partner with Chapman Tripp since 1981, although he spent six years in parliament. He has worked as a specialist in securities law and is anxious to take on "interesting" public law work that Chapman Tripp is unable to do.

"As a top flight large firm it almost always has major clients with strong and sometimes conflicting interests in the outcome of public law advocacy. We see a real gap to be filled for public law legal advice tied to deep commercial experience," he said.

" No independent firm has focused around public law since Sir Geoffrey Palmer left Chapman Tripp in the early 1990s to set up Chen and Palmer. We will remedy that, with the additional element of starting and ending with commerce at the heart of our interests."

The new firm will also handle commercial work, particularly where commerce and government "meet" and with an emphasis on commercial or regulatory law matters.

Franks' network of commercial and government contacts and his high profile will help the new firm develop its client basis quickly, experts predict.

"Wiith our combined experience as commercial lawyers, company directors, in Parliament, as a regulator, government advisers, in-house counsel, and commercial negotiators there are few processes on which we have not had experience on both sides".

He also says that his contact with Chapman Tipp will remain close and the new firm will draw on its capabilities for assistance that only a "full service" firm can provide.

ENDS

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