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We are thrilled that Chapman Tripp Partners Emma Sutcliffe, Laura Fraser and Lauren Curtayne have been recognised on NZ Lawyer’s 2024 Elite Women List.
The list includes 30 exceptional female leaders that have influenced the New Zealand legal profession in a way that demonstrates a passion for the law.
Chapman Tripp Chief Executive Partner, Pip England, said, "Emma, Laura, and Lauren are outstanding leaders, highly valued by their colleagues and clients. They excel in high-pressure fields, that require both pragmatism and innovation. They support their teams and the wider firm, are breaking down barriers that once held women back and are actively working to create a better future for the next generation of female lawyers.”
Emma Sutcliffe is a leading New Zealand legal expert in corporate finance and debt capital markets, with a broad client base including domestic and international banks, corporates and other entities. She advises on a full range of finance-related issues including project finance, debt capital markets, acquisition finance, bank capital and consumer finance. In 2019, Emma advised on the first sustainability-linked loan in the New Zealand market and has since assisted several clients to establish sustainable finance facilities and programmes.
Emma has also Chaired Chapman Tripp’s Board since 2022, playing a key leadership role in fulfilling the Board’s responsibilities.
Emma is recognised as a Leading Lawyer by Chambers Asia Pacific 2023 and as a Leading Individual by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024. She is a core member of Chapman Tripp’s debt capital markets team, which recently won the KangaNews New Zealand Law Firm of the Year Award for the eighth consecutive year.
Laura Fraser has market-leading experience in the conduct of complex commercial litigation, having represented clients in all levels of court in New Zealand and acted in alternative dispute resolution forums across various sectors. She has particular expertise in contentious private and public law, including insurance disputes, directors’ liability claims, financial services regulation and disputes, and administrative law claims.
Laura has established leadership and governance roles within Chapman Tripp and the profession, with a particular focus on championing women and progressing diversity and inclusion. Most recently, she was elected to the Chapman Tripp board.
Recently Laura and her team advised, in a pro bono capacity, a group of young survivors of serious sexual offending to provide affidavits to the Supreme Court on the impacts of offender name suppression on them. The team also provided a submission on the Victims of Sexual Violence (Strengthening Legal Protections) Legislation Bill to the Justice Committee.
Lauren Curtayne is a Corporate & Commercial Partner and leads Chapman Tripp’s nationwide Energy sector. Lauren advises across major projects, M&A, joint ventures, commercial contracts (including power purchase agreements, grid connection agreements and O&M agreements), and energy regulation.
Lauren has a passion for renewable energy and has experience working on projects for all four renewable fuels – wind, solar, hydro and geothermal. Her experience also includes conventional electricity, oil and gas (upstream and downstream), energy storage (both batteries and gas storage), hydrogen and new fuels.
Lauren previously worked for UK magic circle law firm, Allen & Overy, in their Abu Dhabi projects team, and in 2023 she was recognised as the Energy, Natural Resources & Mining Lawyer of the Year at the APAC Women in Business Law Awards.