Our team
Mary Beacham
Paralegal
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Mary Beacham
Paralegal
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Michael Busch
Partner
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Michael Busch
Partner
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LLB (First Class Hons)
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Expertise
Equity capital markets and securities
Mergers, acquisitions and takeovers
Board and strategic advice
Regulatory and investigations
Business advisory
Michael specialises in corporate and securities law, with particular expertise in mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, equity capital market transactions, joint venture transactions, structuring of commercial arrangements and general contract negotiation. Michael has extensive experience in advising on equity capital market transactions, including NZX Main Board listings (both initial public offerings and direct listings), code company takeovers (acting for both bidder and target), block trades and secondary capital raisings. His experience includes acting for Rua Bioscience Limited on its initial public offering and NZX listing and NZ Automotive Investments Limited on its direct listing on the NZX Main Board.
Derrise Ratcliffe
Duncan Coats
Partner
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Duncan Coats
Partner
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LLB (Hons)
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Expertise
Board and strategic advice
Business advisory
Equity capital markets and securities
Corporate and business structures
Employment, health and safety
Duncan brings a personable and pragmatic approach when advising on legal issues with a focus on building and maintaining strong clients relationships and delivering tailored and practical commercial advice to businesses.
Duncan acts across the spectrum of business law matters. He is honoured to advise international companies, listed companies (both in New Zealand and overseas), SMEs and start-ups. Duncan also undertakes pro-bono work through an association in Auckland.
Duncan worked at a leading UK law firm before joining Lowndes Jordan and is admitted as a lawyer in England and Wales as well as in New Zealand.
Mary Beacham
Caryn Fortune
Lawyer (South Africa)
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Caryn Fortune
Lawyer (South Africa)
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Bcom.Law 2009 (South Africa) / LLB 2011 (South Africa)
Contact
Email:
cf@lojo.co.nzPhone:
+64 9 309 1941Expertise
Property
Private client and trusts
Caryn joined Lowndes Jordan in January 2024. As a South African qualified lawyer and conveyancer, she brings with her experience in property law, commercial law, labour law, litigation and estate administration. Having engaged with individuals and businesses at varying levels, she has developed a practical and strategic approach to managing stakeholders, juggling multiple tasks and providing high-quality work efficiently.
Caryn is a member of the Legal Practice Council of South Africa.
Mary Beacham
Liz Gellert
Partner
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Liz Gellert
Partner
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LLB (Hons) / BA
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Expertise
Liz is an expert commercial litigator who acts for corporates, insurance companies, banks and finance companies, insolvency practitioners, and high-net worth individuals.
She has extensive experience delivering strategic contentious and non-contentious legal advice. She has developed an invaluable understanding of client needs, and has a reputation for delivering high-quality, pragmatic, and future-proofed advice across a range of sectors. Liz has exceptional relationship-building skills.
Karen Nissen
Tracy Huang
Trust Accountant
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Tracy Huang
Trust Accountant
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Expertise
Tracy joined Lowndes Jordan in 2020 as our Trust Accountant. She has accumulated extensive knowledge and experience over 15 years in similar roles, and her duties include overseeing the firm's trust account, practice account, as well as providing general support to other teams. Tracy enjoys the challenges of working in a busy and dynamic environment, and truly believes the value of respecting cultural diversity.
Graham Jordan
Partner
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Graham Jordan
Partner
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LLB (Hons). CMinstD
Contact
Email:
gcj@lojo.co.nzPhone:
+64 9 302 2835Expertise
Business advisory
Corporate and business structures
Board and strategic advice
Mergers, acquisitions and takeovers
Technology, media and telecommunications
Graham is a founding partner of Lowndes Jordan and has wide commercial and governance experience. He is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand and a member of Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association New Zealand.
His legal practice focusses on corporate and commercial law specialising in business advisory, business acquisitions and disposals, capital raising, business and tax structuring and the establishment and management of asset holding trusts. He advises both listed and unlisted companies and a wide range of high net worth business owners.
Graham is recognised for his sound commercially focussed advice. He has a reputation for being available and responsive and for providing well researched and knowledgeable advice which reflects his broad commercial legal experience and his direct involvement in business management as a director and chairperson of local and overseas companies. He is also widely consulted by receivers and liquidators on all aspects of corporate insolvency.
Mary Beacham
Sarah Kerr
Partner
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Sarah Kerr
Partner
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BA/LLB (Hons)
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Expertise
Mergers, acquisitions and takeovers
Board and strategic advice
Equity capital markets and securities
Corporate and business structures
Business advisory
Sarah joined Lowndes Jordan in 2020 and has over 25 years of experience, including 16 years as a partner, at Lowndes Jordan and other leading Auckland law firms. Early in her career, Sarah worked for English law firm Clifford Chance in Frankfurt and for US law firm Holme Roberts & Owen LLP in London.
Sarah practises corporate and commercial law, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, joint venture and shareholder arrangements, capital raising, corporate governance and the drafting and negotiation of high value commercial contracts.
Mary Beacham
Anna Lee
Senior Associate
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Anna Lee
Senior Associate
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BSc/LLB
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Expertise
Mergers, acquisitions and takeovers
Privacy and cybersecurity
Regulatory and investigations
Corporate and business structures
Business advisory
Anna’s core practice areas include capital raising, business structure and governance, ESOPs, mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracts (including technology licensing) and privacy. Anna has extensive experience in capital raising (on both the company and investor side) for technology companies from pre-seed through series E rounds.
Mary Beacham
Stephanie Nicolson
Special Counsel
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Stephanie Nicolson
Special Counsel
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LLB, BSc
Contact
Email:
sjn@lojo.co.nzPhone:
+64 9 309 4928Expertise
Commercial disputes
Property
Restructuring and insolvency
Regulatory and investigations
Private client and trusts
Stephanie is an experienced senior litigator whose main area of practice is in commercial litigation and disputes resolution. She is experienced in insolvency, company law and directors’ duties, and regulatory prosecutions, as well as general contract, tort and equitable disputes, and trusts and property law.
Karen Nissen
Karen Nissen
Paralegal
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Karen Nissen
Paralegal
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Expertise
Karen has been a legal secretary for just over 20 years, joining Lowndes Jordan in June 2019. Prior to 2019, she worked at two of New Zealand’s top tier national firms, where she supported senior partners and teams in corporate, competition/public law, and litigation. Karen supports two partners, a senior associate and two associates in the Dispute Resolution team.
Caitlin O'Carroll
Office Administrator
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Caitlin O'Carroll
Office Administrator
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Expertise
Caitlin joined Lowndes Jordan in May 2024, bringing valuable experience as a legal secretary and project manager. As the Office Administrator, Caitlin ensures the smooth operation of our office, providing essential support to our legal professionals, support team, and clients with her friendly and efficient approach.
Caitlin is currently in the penultimate year of her Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Gender Studies.
Derrise Ratcliffe
Paralegal
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Derrise Ratcliffe
Paralegal
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Expertise
Derrise has been a Legal Secretary for over 30 years. She has worked in general law practices in Hawke’s Bay and Auckland before joining Lowndes Jordan in February 2024.
Rick Shera
Partner
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Rick Shera
Partner
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LLB, M.Com.Law (Hons). CITPNZ, CMInstD
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Expertise
Board and strategic advice
Corporate and business structures
Intellectual property
Technology, media and telecommunications
Property
Rick has two main areas of practice. He is a leading New Zealand business, information technology and media lawyer (particularly digital, internet, cybersecurity and privacy law), and has a first class masters degree in internet and copyright law. He is the first lawyer to have obtained the IT Professionals, CITPNZ certification.
He combines this with corporate and commercial expertise including advising individuals and families on their property, asset planning, commercial, business and governance arrangements, based on close working relationships with business clients for over 25 years.
Derrise Ratcliffe
Benedict Stewart
Senior Associate
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Benedict Stewart
Senior Associate
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BA/LLB (Hons)
Contact
Email:
bas@lojo.co.nzPhone:
+64 9 309 5841Expertise
Equity capital markets and securities
Mergers, acquisitions and takeovers
Board and strategic advice
Corporate and business structures
Intellectual property
Benedict advises on a wide range of corporate and commercial transactions. He has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, shareholding arrangements, commercial contracts, technology law, privacy law, employee share ownership and bonus schemes, and general commercial work. Benedict also advises on securities law and corporate compliance matters for listed issuers.
Before joining Lowndes Jordan, Benedict was a solicitor at Chapman Tripp and then general counsel at a fast-growing start-up based in Auckland. His unique background comprising top tier private practice and in-house experience at a high-growth start-up means that he is well placed to advise a wide variety of clients. Benedict prides himself on delivering practical solutions for his clients which work for them in the context of their unique circumstances and risk profile.
Derrise Ratcliffe
Karl Stolberger
Partner
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Karl Stolberger
Partner
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BA/LLB (Hons)
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Expertise
Commercial disputes
Marine, aviation, transport and logistics
Restructuring and insolvency
Regulatory and investigations
Notarial services
Karl is regularly instructed in commercial litigation matters and has advised on a number of complex high value disputes including in relation to contracts, claims against professionals, fraud claims, and insolvency. Karl has acted for insurers and insureds on liability disputes. He also advises clients on policy coverage issues.
He has a particular interest in shipping, transport and international trade law and regularly advises on disputes and transactions in the maritime and aviation sectors, including admiralty claims, transport related litigation, marine casualties, conflicts of laws and insurance matters, aircraft and ship sale and purchase and financing transactions, and on transport related regulatory and compliance issues. He has had extensive involvement with vessel construction and repair matters, ship registration, chartering issues, project cargoes, port operations, transport and logistics documentation and related agreements, and with cargo claims and securities enforcement.
Karen Nissen
David White
General Manager
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David White
General Manager
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Expertise
David has 24 years of experience in senior leadership roles in the insurance industry throughout Asia and New Zealand, most recently as Chief Operating Officer of Southern Cross Travel Insurance.
He is a qualified Chartered Accountant, having started his career on arriving in New Zealand in the business advisory team at KPMG.
David has extensive financial and operational experience and a high level of strategic and people and culture expertise.
Away from the office David is a keen golfer and runner.
Zong-Pei Zhao
Senior Associate
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Zong-Pei Zhao
Senior Associate
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Expertise
Commercial disputes
Business advisory
Zong-Pei specialises in court work, litigation, education law and public law advocacy, but comes with a diverse career background encompassing law, management and education.
Karen Nissen