Qualifications
BA, LLB (Hons), University of Otago
Admitted
1991, New Zealand
Matt has over 25 years’ partner-level experience across a range of legal and business areas – from structured asset finance and cross-border asset leasing to the innovative delivery of social services.
He specialises in government/commercial projects and advisory work at the interface between the private and public sectors.
He has supported public sector agencies with their design and delivery of novel and complex projects, from planning, procurement, and establishment through to operation.
Matt is a clear and effective communicator who provides guidance, insight and useable advice on matters of strategic importance to clients. He regularly works peer-to-peer with senior executives, general counsel and other external advisors.
Matt has been the Managing Partner of the firm’s Wellington office as well as a member of the firm’s board for over a decade. He also manages the firm’s All-of Government external legal services contract.
Recent highlights
- Advising Social Investment Agency, including during its time as the Social Investment Unit and Social Wellbeing Agency, as lead legal advisor and secondee/consultant on its establishment, the design and prototype testing phases, and development of new partnering contract arrangements, including partnering with Methodist Mission South (Integrated Services Hub), and the establishment of a social investment fund and the development of template contracts for social investment initiatives.
- Advising Ministry of Education on matters relating to the establishment and subsequent dis-establishment of the original Partnership Schools Kura Hourua programme.
- Advising Ministry of Health and Oranga Tamariki on their social impact bond pilots - an innovative, performance-based contracting model using private sector investment to deliver social services, under which the Government pays for outcomes rather than service delivery.
- Advising Te Puni Kōkiri as lead legal advisor for establishment of the original Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency model and the subsequent localised commissioning pilots. This included design and procurement, core contract and support documents (including variations and renewals to expand services and incorporate lessons from operational experience), and all facets of ongoing operational matters (monitoring and reporting), disputes and negotiation of supplemental services, including regarding intellectual property ownership and use.
- Advising CentrePort on redevelopment of marine/landside infrastructure to support new Interislander ferries, including development agreements and leasing arrangements. Matt also performs an external general counsel role for CentrePort across a full range of business and governance related matters.
- Advising Department of Corrections on the New Christchurch Mens’ Prison Public Private Partnership procurement.
- Advising Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment on its urgent respond to fuel supply disruptions caused by conflict in the Middle East, including securing additional fuel storage capacity from Channel at its Marsden Point facility.
