Jeremy is a specialist financial services, funds and investment lawyer.
He is passionate about disruptive innovation in financial services through technology (FinTech). Jeremy is widely recognised as New Zealand’s leading lawyer for cryptocurrencies, digital tokens and coins, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and other blockchain projects. From helping to develop the first NZD stablecoin to being appointed as one of two special advisers to the Finance & Expenditure Select Committee enquiry on cryptocurrencies, he is at the heart of this growing sector.
Jeremy also works with retail and wholesale fund managers (including KiwiSaver and superannuation), online platforms, trustee companies, derivatives issuers, and insurers. His clients include significant Australian and international businesses with interests in New Zealand. He has market-leading expertise in structuring private equity and venture capital (PE/VC) funds, as well as other alternative asset vehicles, including hedge funds, property funds, forestry schemes, and marinas.
An authority on the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 (FMCA), Jeremy assists with managed investment schemes (MIS) and financial services licences. He also advises on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) rules, financial service provider (FSP) registration, non-bank deposit takers (NBDTs), insurance prudential supervision, fair dealing and conduct of financial institutions (CoFI), financial advice, client money and property services (including custody), equity crowd-funding and peer-to-peer lending. He is the author of the Lexis Nexis Practical Guidance text for Offers of Securities under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013.
Jeremy co-leads the firm’s Banking & Financial Services Division, is in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific’s Hall of Fame for Investment Funds, and is ranked in the top tier for Financial Services by Chambers Asia-Pacific. His thorough understanding of the financial services industry sets him apart. One client describes him simply as a "great operator with incredible knowledge" – Chambers Asia-Pacific 2022. He is also praised as an expert who "explains regulations very well, gives good, balanced advice and makes time to help when urgency requires." - Chambers Asia-Pacific 2021.
Jeremy spent several years working for Ogier, a major offshore law firm, and is admitted to the bar (non-practising) in both Guernsey and the Cayman Islands.
Career highlights
Acting for Sharesies since its inception in the first FinTech Accelerator programme, through projects including development of its fractional investment model, NZX market participant status and introduction of Australian and US equities.
Acting for many New Zealand and overseas clients, including (publicly) Techemy, Techemynt, Brave New Coin, Centrality, Altered State Machine, Sylo, TrackBack, Trust Alliance NZ, Toha, Glorious Digital, Cryptovoxels, 0xNodes, Easy Crypto, Zap, FreeDAO and others, including leading global exchanges and platform providers. Appointed Special Advisor to Finance & Expenditure Select Committee enquiry on cryptocurrencies.
Structuring and establishment of wholesale only limited partnership funds for managers including Pioneer Capital, Icehouse Ventures, Nuance Capital, Continuity Capital, Movac, Better Bite, Alt Ventures, Milford Private Equity, Origin Capital, Pacific Channel, New Ground Capital.
Day-to-day regulatory advice and launch of new products (including new KiwiSaver and other unit trust funds) for retail fund managers including Generate, PIE Funds and others. Developed and helped launch Squirrel’s retail unit trust offering.
Providing specialist advice on implementation of large regulatory projects, e.g., external advisers to Westpac on its financial advice reform project across all parts of the bank.
Acting for sellers and buyers of financial services businesses including the sale by Westpac of its wealth advisory business to Forsyth Barr, and for Macquarie on its acquisition of AMP Capital’s global equity and fixed income business.
Affiliations
- Member, NZ Private Capital
- Member, New Zealand Financial Innovation and Technology Association (FinTechNZ)
- Member, Blockchain Association of New Zealand (BANZ)
- Member, Institute of Financial Professionals New Zealand Inc (INFINZ)
- Member, Financial Services Council NZ (FSC)
Achievements and recognition
- Hall of Fame, Investment Funds, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific
- Tier 1 team, Investment Funds, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific
- Band 1, Financial Services, Chambers Asia-Pacific
- Band 1 team, Financial Services, Chambers Asia-Pacific
- Recognised, Business law - Most Influential Lawyers 2022, NZ Lawyer
- Recognised, Investment and Mutual Funds, Best Lawyers
- Recognised, Financial Institutions, Best Lawyers