Partner - Auckland

John Stephens

John is an authority on major transactions. He’s trusted to help deliver some of New Zealand’s largest joint ventures and acquisitions, including the $4.2 billion Auckland City Rail Link.

John is an authority on major transactions. He’s trusted to help deliver some of New Zealand’s largest joint ventures and acquisitions, including the $4.2 billion Auckland City Rail Link.

John Stephens

About

John acts for government departments and agencies, local government bodies, public and private companies, and high-net-worth individuals.

New Zealand and overseas clients value his pragmatic and commercially astute guidance, particularly around commercial structuring, acquisitions and funding.

He advised Auckland Council on New Zealand’s largest infrastructure project, and the Ministry of Education on its multi-billion-dollar nationwide school building programme.

He advised an international private equity fund, acting as lead counsel in the US, UK, Australia, Fiji and New Zealand on asset acquisition, capital raising, debt financing, restructuring, and contractual arrangements for resort acquisition and management, including joint ventures with Time Warner, the Rockefeller family and the Crown Estates in the UK.

Recent Cases & Achievements

Villa Maria Receivership

Advising Sir George Fistonich in relation to his dispute with the receivers at Villa Maria.

City Rail Link Project

Advising Auckland Council on the $4.2b City Rail Link project undertaken via a joint venture with Crown.

Project Manawa

Advising QLDC on Project Manawa, being a joint venture with Ngāi Tahu to redevelop part of Queenstown's Civic Centre.

Tauranga CBD Redevelopment

Advising one of the largest private developments in New Zealand, a $200m plus retail and residential development in Tauranga.

Credentials

Admitted as NZ Barrister and Solicitor, 2002

Admitted as UK Barrister and Solicitor, 1994

CPE/LSFE, Guildford College of Law

BA(Hons), University of Exeter (UK)