Corporate and commercial law

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Clients tell us we have been a key factor in their business success and that we care for their business almost as much as they do.


Our business law specialists are experts in a wide range of corporate, commercial and transactional legal work. Our partner led service ensures our clients get expert advice whenever they need it from a partner who understands them and their business. Our clients value using us as a sounding board and appreciate the depth of experience and guidance we provide through sometimes challenging situations. We work closely with our property, employment, insolvency and dispute resolution specialists when other expertise is required. 

We are able to provide cost-effective advice on day-to-day legal issues because we are specialists in commercial law, unlike the transactional specialists in many larger firms. Our team has a depth of legal expertise and experience because dealing with day-to-day business legal issues is what we do. We also have significant experience in mergers and acquisitions, and in a wide variety of transactions for both New Zealand and international clients.

Our clients range from privately-held and family-owned business, and investors through to subsidiaries of NZX listed companies, private equity owned companies and local subsidiaries of multi-national companies. They include manufacturers and processors, importers and exporters, agents and distributors, retailers, franchisors, and investors. Our clients operate in a range of sectors, including food and beverage, retail, manufacturing, export, foreign exchange, self-storage and business services industries.  

Our expertise
  • Acquisition and leasing of plant and machinery
  • Buying and selling of businesses and companies
  • Consumer laws
  • Contract and toll manufacturing agreements
  • Corporate governance and strategy
  • Customer and supplier contracts
  • Debt and equity funding
  • Debt recovery and creditor remedies
  • Establishing new businesses
  • Exporting and importing
  • Franchising, licensing and agency agreements
  • International manufacturing, supply and distribution agreements
  • IT and service provider agreements
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Protecting and commercialising brands and intellectual property
  • Resolution of disputes
  • Sales and marketing laws, including review of labelling, advertising campaigns and marketing promotions
  • Structuring investments, including joint ventures and shareholder agreements
  • Structuring and restructuring businesses
  • Succession and exit through share and business sales
Privately-held and family-owned business clients
For our privately-held and family-owned business clients, our business law team works closely with our personal client team to support and guide business owners to structure and protect their assets, and assist with their personal and family legal needs.  More...

Corporate clients
We advise corporate clients on both their day-to-day legal issues and small to medium-sized transactions. Our business law partners bring big firm expertise, service and systems while providing just the right level of partner involvement, not just occasionally, but continuously.  More...
Corporate and commercial experience
  • Advising on the sale of a leading Australasian foreign exchange/currency services company as part of the sale of the Australasian and English group to a Nasdaq listed purchaser.
  • Advising a private-equity owned manufacturer on the purchase of a manufacturing business and assets.
  • Advising a privately-held retailer on its day-to-day operational legal issues and on the sale and (as promoter) the “back-door” listing of its business on the NZX main board.
  • Advising a leading food manufacturer on several long term preferential supply agreements and a proposed joint venture.
  • Acting for a listed retailer on all aspects of its franchising system.
  • Assisting the New Zealand subsidiary of a large international equipment supplier with its tenders for several turnkey plant construction projects and revising its standard terms of trade.
  • Review of labelling, advertising campaigns and marketing promotions for a retailer.
  • Advising two individual investors on the establishment, growth and subsequent sale of a franchise business with over 50 franchisees.
  • Advising a privately-held manufacturer and exporter on its supply and distribution agreements for England and Asia.
  • Advising a local inventor on licensing rights to a U.S. company.
  • Advising an individual investor on his acquisition of a majority shareholding in a premium grocery retailer, and advising the retailer on a range of day-to-day legal issues.
  • Advising a family-owned distributor on its distribution agreement with an Australian food company.
  • Advising a family-owned winemaker on its joint venture with an Australian brewer for the ownership and operation of a New Zealand wine processing facility.
  • Advising a privately-held food manufacturer on the acquisition of a food manufacturing business and on a joint venture with one of the vendors.
  • Providing a legal advice “hotline” service for privately-held New Zealand members of an Australasian trade association.
  • Advising the owners of a successful family business on a range of personal legal issues, including trust restructuring, complex wills and estate planning, and family succession and shareholder restructuring. 
Key contacts​
Darryl Key Contact
Darryl King
PARTNER
Business Law
David Key Contact
David Alizade
PARTNER
Business Law
CONTACT US

Level 13, 41 Shortland Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand

PO Box 3451, Auckland 1140, New Zealand

+64 9 303 3849

enquiry@jacksonrussell.co.nz

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