Expertise Areas

Agribusinesses form the backbone of the New Zealand economy. Flow-on effects from New Zealand's prosperous primary sector are felt throughout the country, from provincial towns to the biggest cities – and across sectors.

Our intellectual property team has strong experience to meet a wide range of clients' intellectual property needs - both transactional and contentious. This includes advising on trade mark registrations and disputes, copyright issues, designs, patents, confidential information, information technology and the use of the internet.

Successful business enterprises in Asia need the support of professionals who understand the region and its diverse legal systems. Bell Gully advises Asian investors in New Zealand, New Zealand companies doing business in Asia, and companies based in Asia.

Bell Gully's litigation practice is New Zealand's largest and widely acknowledged as its strongest. With a team of experts covering the full range of commercial and public law expertise, our practice deals with complex and contentious commercial disputes in all areas. Our team of more than 50 barristers and solicitors regularly appear before courts and tribunals at all levels and are involved in a significant proportion of the major commercial litigation conducted in New Zealand.

Bell Gully has the strongest aviation practice in New Zealand. We represent national and international airlines, industry bodies and underwriters as well as having specialist expertise in aircraft financing and leasing, aviation competition, trade law issues, aviation insurance, liability claims, emergency plans, and dispute resolution.

We have a long and proud history of assisting iwi to achieve their legal and commercial goals. Our work in this area has changed and matured over time, reflecting the path followed by many iwi in resolving their Treaty settlements, dealing with governance issues and investing settlement assets for future generations.

We have one of the largest financial services practices in the country. We provide a comprehensive range of services to leading banks, financial institutions, investment banks, corporates and sovereigns. All of our partners have practised as financial services lawyers in either London or New York. Our team help structure, negotiate and complete transactions, advising on project financing, capital and credit market issues, derivatives, structured finance, securitisation and other asset-backed financing, cross-border leasing, project financing, investment management and insolvency.

Bell Gully's marketing and sales law team has the specialist knowledge and experience to advise on all stages of the trading relationship and the legal aspects of marketing strategies. Our focus is on providing fast, robust and practical advice.

Successful securities offerings and capital raisings are a crucial component of many transactions and business expansions. Bell Gully is New Zealand's pre-eminent capital markets law firm. We have advised clients on some of the most significant public offerings seen in New Zealand and provided legal solutions for major debt issues that were noted for their complexity.

Bell Gully's media and entertainment group advises clients across print and broadcast media and film and television. Our work for print and broadcast media companies includes defamation, intellectual property issues, employment and mergers and acquisitions.

With the introduction of an emissions trading scheme in New Zealand, climate change has become a key influence on the business landscape. Bell Gully is the only New Zealand law firm named in the top climate change legal practices in the world by Chambers Global 2012.

Successful outcomes for clients result from carefully managed transactions. Bell Gully is consistently ranked as a leading legal adviser for mergers and acquisitions. Our strength in this area means we continue to advise on landmark mergers, acquisitions and disposals.

Our competition practice led by Torrin Crowther is recognised as a leader in the New Zealand legal market. Global Competition Review's GCR100 – a guide to the world's top competition law practices – has recognised Bell Gully as a leading international competition practice for the past eight years, and we hold its top ranking as an 'elite' practice in New Zealand.

Bell Gully provides a fully integrated service for overseas entities and individuals seeking to invest in or do business in New Zealand.

Bell Gully's full service team offers clients a comprehensive approach to legal advice on major projects involving construction and development.

Private equity forms an important part of Bell Gully's corporate practice. We bring our considerable knowledge and experience in M&A, finance and securities to transactions involving private equity clients and to companies as sellers or purchasers in transactions with private equity houses. We also advise private equity funds in their establishment, financings and restructures.

Bell Gully's corporate team has earned a national and international reputation for providing practical commercial and innovative legal advice.

Property ownership, use, development and financing require wide-ranging legal skills. Our approach draws on multidisciplinary skills to provide strategic advice across all aspects of a transaction or project. We focus on providing practical commercial advice to assist our clients achieve their business and project objectives.

Customs and Revenue authorities in all jurisdictions have wide ranging powers. In dealing with investigations and resolving disputes relating to Customs and Excise, specialist expertise shows a significant advantage. If your goods have been stopped by customs, you have issues with excise taxes or queries in relation to rules of origin, or if you require advice in relation to the application of Free Trade Agreements, Bell Gully can help.

Buying or selling a house will be the largest single transaction many individuals and families make. It can be complex, sometimes stressful and mistakes can be costly. Bell Gully's Residential Property Team focuses exclusively on residential transactions ensuring that the sale or purchase of your home is our top priority.

Human resources management has a significant impact on a business' success and reputation. Bell Gully's employment law team works with our clients to manage effectively all employment law, industrial relations, occupational health and safety, disciplinary and restructuring / redundancy issues. We have a strong appreciation of the needs of employers and we aim to find commercial and innovative solutions to their often complex employment and industrial issues.

Bell Gully takes the lead in advising on a wide range of environmental, resource management and local government issues.

Bell Gully maintains its premier position in the energy sector in New Zealand.

Bell Gully has a wealth of expertise and experience in insolvency, corporate restructuring, receivership and liquidation law in New Zealand. We have been involved in the largest, most complex and significant cases in New Zealand for several decades. Our specialist team is also regularly engaged to assist on major cross-border insolvency issues.

Bell Gully takes the lead in advising on a wide range of environmental, resource management and local government issues.

Bell Gully's tax team is consistently recognised as the market leading legal tax team in New Zealand, delivering general corporate tax advice and tax policy, acting as counsel during tax litigation hearings, and advising on customs & excise matters and trusts, both domestically and for international clients.

The forestry industry is a very significant export industry in New Zealand, being the third largest export earner after dairy and meat.

Bell Gully's technology practice works with clients on issues at the forefront of industry development and innovation. We combine a commercial approach with extensive industry know-how to secure excellent outcomes for clients.

Bell Gully has broad experience of all types of investment products including unit trusts, retail and employer-sponsored superannuation, group investment funds, and overseas arrangements.

Bell Gully advises on a variety of international trade issues drawing on expertise in contract and commercial law, taxation and intellectual property, environmental law, labour relations, standards, conformance and investment issues.

Our public law practice brings with it the depth of experience forged over many years of providing clients with policy, regulatory and strategic advice.

Bell Gully offers a full trade mark clearance and filing service in New Zealand, Australia, the Pacific Islands and all other jurisdictions around the world. We liaise directly with the trade mark registries in New Zealand and Australia and with those Pacific jurisdictions which allow us to act directly. In other jurisdictions we have an established network of intellectual property professionals in reputable firms with whom we work to meet clients' requirements in a cost efficient manner.

Health sector reforms have increased the demands on management with the resulting need for specialist advice. We assist clients with service provision contracts, trade practice issues under the Commerce Act and other legislation, compliance programmes, medical issues and pharmaceutical concerns. Our extensive industry background includes completing the legal establishment of the Crown Health Enterprises. We also advise on financing, taxation, employment, reorganisation, asset transactions and joint ventures in the health sector.

Bell Gully's experience with major transport projects will help clients secure commercially exceptional results in this era of change and development.

Bell Gully's employment law practice has a strong focus on health and safety in the workplace. The team advise employers on health and safety obligations and liability, risk management and compliance programmes for occupational safety and health. The team have expertise in workplace accidents and Department of Labour investigations, as well as in health and safety prosecutions (including appearing as counsel in defended hearings and presenting pleas in mitigation).

The core aims of personal asset planning are to ensure that assets can be managed and preserved and protected from creditors and relationship claims (both for you and your children), in a flexible, tax-efficient way. Trust and company structures can achieve these aims and allow you to provide for yourself and future generations.

Bell Gully's infrastructure and projects group draws together leading specialists who provide advice on all aspects of planning, documenting, project managing and implementing major infrastructure projects.

Waste streams are diverse and their management requires consideration of a wide range of environmental, technical, economic and market-related issues.

Bell Gully has a wealth of expertise and experience in insolvency, corporate restructuring, receiverships and liquidations. We have been involved in the largest, most complex and significant cases in New Zealand. Our specialist team is also regularly engaged to assist on major cross-border insolvency issues.

Bell Gully has a depth of knowledge and understanding of the issues facing New Zealand's water industry and provides stakeholders with a range of commercially-focused legal solutions.

In 1859 one of Bell Gully's founding partners was instrumental in establishing New Zealand's first insurance company, the New Zealand Insurance Company. Today the firm continues to provide a range of expertise including corporate, commercial and litigation advice.

Bell Gully has forged a strong reputation as advisors to a range of alcohol industry interests over several decades.