Senior Solicitor / Senior Associate - Corporate ECM / M&A

Chapman Tripp; Auckland; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Wellbeing allowance

Extra leave

Team events

Job summary

Chapman Tripp in Auckland seeks a Senior Solicitor or Senior Associate to join our high-performing Corporate team. You will work directly with leading equity capital markets and governance lawyers, handling significant listings, capital raisings and M&A transactions for NZX issuers and international clients.

The role offers ownership of workstreams, direct client engagement and a clear development pathway, with focus on governance, takeovers, private equity, and cross-border deals.

Qualifications

• 5+ PQE in corporate law (NZ or equivalent)
• Strong grounding in securities law, NZX Listing Rules and FMCA
• Experience running transaction workstreams and due diligence
• Ability to deal directly with clients and advisers

Responsibilities

• Lead significant corporate and capital markets transactions (IPOs, M&A, governance)
• Advise NZX-listed issuers on disclosures and governance
• Manage transaction workstreams and client communications
• Mentor junior lawyers and contribute to team development

Skills

Corporate law

Securities law

Due diligence

Client management

Team mentoring

Education

New Zealand law qualification

Job description

Work at the centre of New Zealand’s capital markets

We’re looking for a Senior Solicitor or Senior Associate to join our high-performing Corporate team in Auckland. You’ll work directly with Rachel Dunne and Philip Ascroft, two of the country’s leading equity capital markets, M&A and governance lawyers, with significant responsibility for matters and direct exposure to clients from the outset.

The work

You’ll play a central role on the most significant listings, capital raisings and public and private M&A transactions in the New Zealand market and will advise a range of issuers on their governance and disclosure obligations. The role offers a breadth of transactional and listed company work, including:

• IPOs and equity capital raisings: initial public offerings, direct listings, placements, accelerated entitlement offers and other rights offers for listed issuers as well as private capital raisings
• Public M&A: takeovers, schemes of arrangement and significant allotments or acquisitions made in compliance with the Takeovers Code, advising both target companies and investors/bidders as well as block trades of shares in listed issuers by cornerstone shareholders
• Private M&A and inbound investment: acquisitions and divestments for a stable of established listed issuers (both domestic and international), offshore corporates, private capital and infrastructure investors entering or expanding in New Zealand
• Corporate governance and listed company compliance: advising a range of NZX listed issuers on continuous disclosure, periodic reporting, shareholder activism and engagement, NZX Listing Rules compliance, share based incentive schemes, share buybacks, dividend reinvestment schemes, directors’ duties and other corporate governance matters
• Market and regulatory developments: contributing to the team’s commentary and submissions on capital markets reform, developments in public and private capital markets and NZX rule settings

Recent work in the team includes billion-dollar equity raises for NZX-listed companies, the first NZX listed IPO of scale in five years, a $1.7 billion infrastructure acquisition, and other significant cross-border deals for international clients.

You won’t just support these transactions. At this level, we want you taking ownership of workstreams, dealing directly with clients and other advisers and developing your own profile in the market.

You will bring

• Corporate law experience with 5+ PQE, whether gained at a leading New Zealand firm or in another sophisticated corporate practice
• Technical grounding in securities law, the NZX Listing Rules and the FMCA, or the aptitude to build it quickly
• Experience running transaction workstreams, due diligence and documentation, with the confidence to deal directly with clients and other advisers
• Sound commercial judgement and the composure to deliver accurately to tight deal timetables
• A collaborative approach, and an interest in developing junior lawyers

You don’t need to arrive as an ECM specialist. If you are a strong corporate lawyer with excellent transactional skills and want to deepen your public markets expertise, we’d be keen to hear from you.

What we offer:

• Top-tier national and international clients and work
• A genuine opportunity to accelerate your career, with direct partner access, early responsibility and a clear pathway for development
• Inclusive, values-led culture - guided by integrity, collaboration, curiosity, respect and excellence
• Wellbeing & benefits – health insurance, annual wellbeing allowance, extra leave
• Groups and activities to suit your interests - sports, arts & culture, regular team and firm events for connection

For a confidential discussion about the role, contact Sam Moodley, Talent Acquisition Specialist, at [e-mail] or 09 357 9014.