Zoe Barnes

Senior Associate

Zoe is a tax specialist with more than eight years’ experience advising both domestic and international clients. She regularly works with corporates of varying sizes, managed funds, banks, individuals, and trusts.

She advises on all aspects of New Zealand tax law, with focus areas including corporate structuring, cross border investments, financing arrangements, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and employment and executive remuneration. Zoe also advises on the GST consequences of a broad range of transactions and has assisted a number of taxpayers in obtaining favourable binding rulings from Inland Revenue.

Her diverse work experience includes advising a number of charities on establishment, charitable status, and tax concession issues. She also has extensive experience in advising on compliance with New Zealand’s implementation of automatic information exchange under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and the OECD-led Common Reporting Standard (CRS).

Zoe is focused on understanding the needs of her clients and providing advice that is clear and commercially minded. Her strong technical skills and attention to detail are complemented by her personable manner and excellent communication. She is skilled at analysing complex factual and legal scenarios and is solutions oriented.

Zoe is a co-author of the LexisNexis Business Law Module and LexisNexis Property Practical Guidance.

Career highlights

Advising various companies and multinational groups on the design and management of their employee share schemes. This includes advice to a large, listed entity on the reorganisation of its long term incentive plan.

Advising Wellington Gateway Project on various tax related aspects of the Transmission Gully motorway Public Private Partnership (PPP) project.

Assisting in the establishment of the Milford Foundation and Toitū Tahua, the Centre for Sustainable Finance.

Advising the shareholders of Ritchies Transport on the tax aspects of the sale of that company to KKR.

Together with our financial services team, advising Jasper on the tax implications of its activities including joint ventures and capital raisings.

Achievements and recognition
  • Tier 1 team, Tax, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific