Banking and finance

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Banking and financial institutions need advisers who know their industry, their products, and their clients. We understand that.

Our banking and finance team understands that you work in a diverse and challenging area, governed by a wide range of complex legislation. Voted by clients as ‘Best Provider to Financial and Insurance Services’ in Australasia in the Beaton Client Choice Awards 2022 and ranked Tier 1 by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, we are committed to delivering timely, practical, and innovative solutions to help you realise both your and your clients’ goals.

We are trusted advisers to all New Zealand’s major trading banks, other local and international banks, investment banks, financial institutions, sponsors, issuers, trustees, corporates, and government organisations. We act for significant borrowers who call on our deep insight into banks’ expectations and tolerance. Our strong relationships with the key regulators in New Zealand mean we understand their approach and concerns too.

As part of the worldwide MinterEllison Legal Group, we regularly advise on trans-Tasman and international financing deals, and we are well placed to manage simultaneous work streams across multiple locations. 

Clients come to us for our technical and commercial expertise. With our depth of experience, we can design and implement complex structures, but we know when a simple solution is best.

We have experts to support you with all aspects of banking and finance in New Zealand, including:

  • Leveraged and private capital finance transactions
  • Restructuring and insolvency
  • Asset finance
  • Corporate finance
  • Project finance, including Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) particularly in the infrastructure sector
  • Sustainable finance
  • Property and real estate finance
  • Anti-money laundering and countering of financial terrorism (AML/CFT)
  • Compliance with banking regulation, including the Personal Properties Securities Act (PPSA), Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA) (including the Responsible Lending Code), Fair Trading Act (FTA), FMCA, Banking (Prudential Supervision) Act, and the Reserve Bank’s BS11 Outsourcing Policy 
  • Inquiries and investigations by regulators
  • Debt Capital Markets (DCM)
  • Receivables finance and securitisation
  • Financial crime.
 

One factor that makes this team stand out for me is that they deeply understand our business and our industry, and that really enhances their ability to combine legal guidance with a keen commercial awareness. Above others, they are the firm that will raise with us broader implications for our business not just from regulatory change but also in relation to any given piece of work they are assisting us with. The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022

 

Recent highlights
Financing the acquisition of Pacific Radiology Group

Advising the mandated lead arranger banks in connection with the syndicated financing of Infratil’s acquisition of the Pacific Radiology Group. Subsequently acting for the lending group on the acquisitions of Auckland Radiology and Bay Radiology.

Schools 2 PPP expansion and refinancing

Advising the syndicate of banks on all aspects of refinancing and funding an expansion of the New Zealand Schools 2 Public Private Partnership – achieving a negotiated and documented position acceptable to the Ministry of Education, the sponsors, the financiers, and all other key project parties.

Financing the acquisition of Vodafone NZ

Advising the mandated lead arranger banks in connection with the syndicated and underwritten financing of Infratil’s and Brookfields’ acquisition of Vodafone NZ.

MediaWorks refinancing

Trusted adviser to MediaWorks including supporting it with a refinance of its loan facilities and various mergers and acquisitions including the merger with QMS Media.

CCCFA compliance

Advising major banks on significant regulatory and compliance projects relating to their consumer lending (including home loans). Role has included reviewing and modernising banks’ policies, processes, systems, and controls and providing extensive advice on complex compliance and risk matters.

Tourism Holdings Limited merger with Apollo

Advising Tourism Holdings Limited (NZX:thl) on the banking and finance aspects of its recent entry into a Scheme Implementation Deed to merge with Apollo Tourism and Leisure Limited (ASX:ATL) through an Australian Scheme of Arrangement. This is the first takeover of an ASX listed company by a NZX listed company by way of a Scheme of Arrangement.

Unfair contract terms

Advising a variety of banks and other financial institutions on their significant change projects as a result of the extension of the unfair contract terms regime in the Fair Trading Act 1986 to small business contracts. This is the most fundamental change to finance contracts in a generation.

Acting for corporate developers and investors in commercial property

Acting for a large multinational development group on funding and investing in various developments in New Zealand.

Advising international developer, Hengyi Pacific, on all financing aspects of the 57-storey luxury ‘The Pacifica’ apartment tower in Auckland’s CBD. Achieving completion in 2021, this tower is New Zealand’s tallest mixed-use development.

Trusted adviser for the Newcrest Group on various developments and commercial property investments in New Zealand.
 

Related expertise

Our lawyers provide clients with clear, strategic and commercial solutions that create lasting impacts to their business