Barney is a senior associate in the tax group. He has a wide range of experience in all aspects of New Zealand's domestic and international tax law. He specialises in the tax aspects of structured finance transactions, advising clients from a number of overseas jurisdictions (including Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom) on tax-efficient structures for investment into New Zealand, advising New Zealand clients on tax-efficient structures for international expansion, and resolving tax disputes for clients (in some cases, alongside the firm's litigation specialists).
Barney also has particular expertise in the area of employee share option and purchase plans. He has advised many domestic and offshore clients on the tax implications, with emphasis on tax minimisation for participating employees.
Examples of Work
- Westpac Banking Corporation - multi-billion dollar financing and capital-raising transactions
- New Line Cinema - financing structure for The Lord of the Rings films
- Swift Energy - New Zealand operations, structuring, and acquisition of assets
- Goodyear - restructuring of New Zealand business
- Mars Inc - New Zealand tax and legal aspects of the global purchase of Wrigley
Other Credentials
- New Zealand chapter, International Comparative Legal Guide to Corporate Tax 2010 - Co-author
- Inaugural Future Auckland Leadership Programme run by The Committee for Auckland in 2004-2005 - Participant
- Compensating Executives and Other Key Employees in the High-Tech Industry - New Zealand Tax and Legal Implications (International Bar Association, 2003) - Co-author
- Taxation chapter in Law and E-Commerce (Brookers, 2002) - Contributor
- Tax Treatment of E-Commerce in New Zealand (International Fiscal Association Cahiers, 2001) - Contributor
