Qualifications
LLB (1st Class Hons), Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, Victoria University of Wellington
Admitted
2005, New Zealand; 2009, Victoria, Australia
Jessica is a competition law and regulatory specialist with more than 15 years’ experience spanning policy and practice in both New Zealand and Australia.
Jessica’s practice is focused on assisting clients to manage day-to-day competition law risks, as well as engagement with the Commerce Commission on mergers, cartels, and other competition law matters.
Prior to joining Chapman Tripp, Jessica worked in other market-leading competition and regulatory teams at top-tier firms in New Zealand and Australia. She has advised clients across a diverse range of industries, including government, grocery, health, transport/logistics, and consumer products.
Jessica was part of the team that advised Toll Holdings in Australia on the competition aspects of Sea Swift's proposed acquisition of certain parts of Toll's Australian marine logistics business. This work was shortlisted by the Global Competition Review for “Merger Control Matter of the Year – Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa” in 2017.
Recent highlights
- Advising the Infant Nutrition Council on its application under the Commerce Act 1986 for authorisation of its Code of Practice for the Marketing of Infant Nutrition Formula.
- Advising a range of domestic and international clients on the implications of potential mergers under Australian and New Zealand competition laws, including preparing submissions to regulators and successfully obtaining clearances.
- Delivering competition and consumer law compliance training for a range of clients.
- Advising New Zealand Bus/Infratil on proceedings brought by the Commerce Commission for their acquisition of Mana Coach services – the first case ever brought under the prohibition on anti-competitive mergers under section 47 of the Commerce Act.
- Advising clients in relation to Overseas Investment Act consents for landmark and complex transactions, including Infratil and Brookfield’s acquisition of Vodafone New Zealand, and Kinetic’s acquisition of Go-Bus.
Affiliations
- Competition Law and Policy Institute of New Zealand.
- Law and Economics Association of New Zealand.
- Wellington Women Lawyers’ Association.
