James has advised on some of the largest and most complex deals in New Zealand for close to three decades. James recently led the Bell Gully teams advising Ampol on its acquisition of NZX and ASX-listed Z Energy, Air New Zealand on its comprehensive NZ$2.2 billion recapitalisation package to help position the airline for recovery, including its NZ$1.2 billion pro rata renounceable rights offer and Bentley Systems on its US$1.05 billion acquisition of Seequent. These transactions underscore Bell Gully’s role as the ‘go-to’ firm for international clients on New Zealand’s largest mergers and acquisitions.
He also advises the boards of some of New Zealand’s largest companies, providing guidance on a range of issues including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and continuous disclosure along with other major strategic issues.
“We congratulate James on this well-deserved recognition,” said Bell Gully chair Andrew Petersen. “Clients rely on advisors they can trust, and that is why New Zealand’s leading companies seek advice from James when it comes to significant transactions.” He also congratulated the wider team who have supported James on those transaction, adding: “When one of our team is singled out for a major accolade like this it reflects the esteem their clients hold them in, but also the effort we consistently put in on behalf of those clients together as a team.”
James is widely recognised as a leading corporate M&A lawyer in New Zealand, with top rankings in global directories including being named a market leader for capital markets: equity and mergers and acquisitions in IFLR1000 2022, a top tier corporate and commercial lawyer in Chambers Asia Pacific 2022 and a leading lawyer in The Legal 500 2022. These international publications consider an individual’s track record of legal work, as well as recommendations from both clients and peers.