Morrison Partners Limited

Some exciting news as we approach our first anniversary - we are thrilled to be included in the list of finalists for Boutique Firm of the Year at the 2024 Law Awards! Thanks to our fantastic team for all your hard work and to our wonderful clients for your support. Congratulations to all other finalists.

It was pleasing to see the reforms to the Companies Act 1993 announced by the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs last week. The proposed reforms aim to modernise, simplify, and digitise the legal framework for companies in New Zealand. Of note, the proposed reforms will also: 1. Introduce a new requirement for a unique identifier for company directors and general partners. This unique identifier is intended to identify all companies that any relevant director is associated with, which should enhance the ability to identify and enforce against poor and illegal business practices (eg phoenixing). 2. Allow directors and shareholders to replace their residential addresses with a service address on the Companies Register, addressing safety and privacy concerns of many individuals. 3. Implement various changes to insolvency law, such as extending the clawback period for voidable related party transactions and revising preferential claims on liquidation of a company to extend the employee preferences to include long service leave and to include a new claim for gift cards and vouchers. Additional reforms to the Companies Act are to be announced following a review of directors’ duties and liabilities, offences and penalties, and more effective enforcement mechanisms, which is to commence in 2025.  Following recent directors' duties cases in New Zealand, including Mainzeal, we welcome changes to the law of directors' duties that provide a clear and sensible framework for NZ directors. #CorporateLaw #CompaniesActReform #LegalUpdate #BusinessLaw #NZLaw #Compliance #MorrisonPartners Diagram sourced from MBIE website: Modernising the Companies Act 1993 and making other improvements for business | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (mbie.govt.nz)

Delighted to announce that Cameron Fraser has joined the Board at Morrison Partners!

We are hiring.   We are looking for a star litigator to join our busy commercial litigation team. We are interested in candidates from graduate level up to senior associate level. We are receiving a steady stream of fantastic commercial litigation instructions, all relating to High Court and above, from our existing client base and from leading barristers. Every litigator in our firm will receive training and guidance both from within the firm and from the barristers we work with, including direct contact with clients and barristers, and court time where possible. We are also on the lookout for a talented corporate / commercial solicitor to join our corporate team. We are interested in candidates with 3 years plus PQE who are looking for a collaborative team culture as well as a range of interesting work on private M&A, corporate advisory, business structuring and restructuring, and joint venture projects.   Morrison Partners is outward looking and collaborative in approach. We are passionate about providing great service to our clients as well as providing an environment for our team to thrive in.   If you have top-tier experience (or excellent grades if you are graduate level) and are a self-starter based in Auckland, we would love to hear from you. We offer competitive salaries, bonuses and other benefits. We are also genuine regarding flexibility - if you are senior associate level and looking to work in private practice but practice law your way and / or on a part-time basis, we are keen to discuss what that might look like for you and us.   Please contact Victoria Anderson (Donnison), Ben Morrison or Cameron Fraser to discuss. You can also contact us at enquiries@morrisonpartners.co.nz

Morrison Partners is looking for a senior solicitor or senior associate to join our tight-knit corporate/commercial team.    Commercial team members work closely with our hands-on corporate directors, Victoria Anderson (Donnison) and Ben Morrison, advising clients on a range of corporate advisory, M&A, business ownership structuring, succession and restructuring matters. Where needed they also work alongside our busy commercial litigation experts on corporate aspects of disputes.   Your experience with complex restructuring, management buy-outs, private M&A and capital raising would be highly valued in our team. Experience with trusts is also beneficial, as we work closely with our clients on their business ownership and succession matters.   Morrison Partners is outward looking and collaborative in approach. We are passionate about providing great service to our clients as well as providing an environment for our team to thrive in.    If you have top-tier experience and are a self-starter based in Auckland, we would love to hear from you. We offer competitive salaries, bonuses and other benefits. We are also genuine regarding flexibility - if you are senior associate level and looking to work in private practice but practice law your way and / or on a part-time basis, we are keen to discuss what that might look like for you and us. Please contact Victoria Anderson (Donnison) or Ben Morrison to discuss. You can also contact us at enquiries@morrisonpartners.co.nz

We are delighted to announce the promotion of Steffi Tindale to Senior Solicitor in our Commercial Litigation team, effective 1 April 2024. Steffi is an integral part of the team at Morrison Partners and a skilled commercial litigator.    Steffi has particular expertise in contract law disputes, including fiduciary duties, joint ventures and the law of penalties. She also advises clients on commercial property disputes and insolvency matters. Steffi is valued for her constructive and collaborative approach to assisting our clients, our team and the barristers that we work closely with. She is a capable advocate in her own right, and well-regarded junior counsel with experience in courts of all levels from the District Court to the Supreme Court.   You can read further details about Steffi and the wider Morrison Partners team on our new website. We are very pleased to announce that our new website is now live – www.morrisonpartners.co.nz

Morrison Partners is ranked in the latest The Legal 500 (Legalease) Asia Pacific 2024 rankings for both Corporate/M&A and Dispute Resolution.   Great recognition for our new firm and the work of our fantastic team. Victoria Anderson (Donnison) Ben Morrison Cameron Fraser