Qualifications
BA, LLB (Hons), University of Canterbury
Admitted
1994, New Zealand
Michael leads Chapman Tripp’s Restructuring & Insolvency practice and is one of New Zealand’s most experienced advisers in this field.
Focusing exclusively on restructuring and insolvency, he brings deep expertise to distressed situations. For over 20 years, Michael has acted for all major New Zealand banks, significant insolvency practitioners, distressed companies, distressed debt and special situations participants, acquirers of distressed assets and directors.
As the recognised market-leading adviser to distressed boards, Michael regularly acts for companies facing the complex legal, regulatory and reputational challenges of insolvency and financial distress. His experience includes advising boards of listed companies, high-profile private enterprises, and a number of venture capital and private equity firms.
Michael is recognised as a Band 1 lawyer by Chambers Asia Pacific, a Market Leader by IFLR1000, and is in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific Hall of Fame.
Recent highlights
- Advising Calibre Partners as receivers of the Seascape Development, a partially complete $300m development in Auckland’s central business district.
- Advising Compass Group NZ on the accelerated distressed acquisition of the assets and business of Libelle Group from its liquidators for $7.5m, enabling the continuation of the Ministry of Education’s Healthy School Lunches Programme.
- Advising Crown Regional Holdings on the Crown’s position as secured creditor in the voluntary administration of Ruapehu Alpine Lifts Limited, including the sale of Whakapapa ski field and related Crown funding arrangements.
- Advising the Miraka Group on an accelerated sale to Open Country Dairy, including negotiating standstill arrangements with Bank of New Zealand and major shareholder creditors, coordinating shareholder approvals and implementing a solvent liquidation, with more than $34m due to Bank of New Zealand.
- Advised international shareholders on the receivership of Exsurgo Limited.
- Advising Baker Tilly Staples Rodway, as receivers of the Peacocks entities, on the receivership of three Auckland early childhood learning centres, including Ministry of Education licensing, employment and creditor priority issues, and $19.15m sale of the centres’ assets and businesses.
- Advising Calibre Partners, as receivers of Futureverse Corporation Limited, on all aspects of the appointment, including employee and occupancy arrangements, privacy and data issues, a hibernation strategy to preserve value, and the cross-border sale of assets across New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Affiliations
- Chair of Board of Trustees First Foundation.
- Member of the Institute of Directors.
- Officer of the International Bar Association Insolvency Section.
