New Partners And Special Counsel For Chapman Tripp

6 NOVEMBER 2024

Chapman Tripp is pleased to announce it is welcoming Philip Ascroft, Tom Jemson and Vonda Engels to the partnership. In addition, Rachael Irvine-Shanks and Melanie Hayes have been promoted to Special Counsel.

Chief Executive Partner Pip England said, “It is a pleasure to recognise these five lawyers, whose dedication, hard work and contributions have significantly improved and enhanced our firm. They are extremely experienced lawyers who have earned their stripes on New Zealand’s most significant legal matters, provide outstanding quality work and client service, and play a big part in the mentoring and development of lawyers in their teams.”

Philip Ascroft specialises in corporate and securities law with a particular focus on equity capital markets, corporate governance, public mergers and acquisitions and listed company compliance. Philip has advised on many of New Zealand's most significant initial public offerings and other equity capital markets transactions. Philip was recognised by NZ Lawyer as a Rising Star in 2022, and a Most Influential Lawyer in 2024. Philip is also an Associate Director of the New Zealand Shareholders’ Association.

Vonda Engels advises clients on all aspects of employment law and health and safety law, assisting a number of the firm’s key clients on a full range of contentious and non-contentious matters. She has represented clients in the Employment Court, Employment Relations Authority and in mediation with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Vonda is an Association of Workplace Investigators Training Institute certified workplace investigator and has carried out a number of independent investigations into conduct and culture issues.

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Tom Jemson specialises in corporate and securities law, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions and capital raisings. He advises domestic and international clients, including private equity funds and publicly listed companies, on a broad range of corporate transactions and in respect of corporate governance issues. Tom re-joined Chapman Tripp in 2021 after a period working in London for the leading US law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. He was recognised as a Rising Star by NZ Lawyer in 2023.

Rachael Irvine-Shanks advises domestic and international clients in the conduct of complex commercial litigation in the High Court and alternative dispute resolution forums. She has particular experience in contractual disputes, product liability claims, regulatory and competition proceedings and class actions. Rachael commenced her career as a Judges’ Clerk to The Honourable Justice John McGrath in the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Prior to re-joining Chapman Tripp in 2016, Rachael worked for Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in London.

Melanie Hayes has over 19 years’ experience managing and resolving disputes for private and public sector clients and has assisted clients across a wide range of business and industry groups. Her particular expertise includes construction, insurance, contractual and statutory interpretation, tort and estate law and the Public Works Act.

All promotions are effective from 1 December 2024, subject to meeting Law Society requirements.

About Chapman Tripp:

Chapman Tripp is a dynamic and innovative commercial law firm at the leading edge of legal practice in New Zealand. With around 56 partners and 400 staff across offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, the firm supports clients to succeed across industry, commerce and government.

The firm is known as the ‘go to’ for complex, business-critical strategic mandates across the full spectrum of corporate and commercial law. Chapman Tripp’s expertise covers mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, banking and finance, restructuring and insolvency, Māori business, litigation and dispute resolution, employment, health and safety, government and public law, privacy and data protection, intellectual property, media and telecommunications, real estate and construction, energy, environmental and natural resources, and tax.

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