Chamber & Partners Ranking – Banking & Finance
Basic facts about the department
Head of department: Geoff Busch – 6 partners – 8 other qualified lawyers
What the team is known for
Well-regarded practice that continues to extend its reputation for assisting international and domestic clients in debt financing transactions. Recognised for its substantial PPP experience and notable track record on infrastructure financing.
Strengths
The team’s compact nature and hands-on approach is praised. As one client reports: “They are top-tier lawyers at a smaller firm that responds to clients’ needs in an attentive way.”
The quality of the practitioners is singled out by another client, who says: “They are an incredibly experienced and impressive team.”
Work highlights
Acted for Northern Express Group on the syndicated debt financing of its bid for the NZD700 million Puhoi to Warkworth PPP project.
Advised Next Step Partners on the syndicated debt financing for the NZD275 million Auckland East Prison PPP project.
Significant clients
ANZ, BNZ, Dunedin City Council, Foodstuffs New Zealand, OceanaGold.
Notable practitioners
Head of department Geoff Busch is a “switched-on, highly responsive and pragmatic lawyer with good technical ability,” sources say. He is widely acknowledged as a leading New Zealand PPP financing practitioner and acted for Future Schools Partners on the syndicated debt financing of the NZD220 million New Zealand Schools Two PPP project.
Holly Anderson is a senior associate who is building a solid reputation with her developing experience on financing matters related to PPPs. She played a key role advising the Farmlands Co-operative Society regarding the refinancing of facilities made available by BNZ and is praised by sources as “very sharp and able to get fully up to speed quickly.”