Elisabeth is a partner in the firm's commercial group. She heads the firm's energy and natural resources group and is a lead partner in the competition group.
She is adept at advising on complex commercial transactions with a particular focus on oil & gas (upstream and downstream), and electricity, including alternative energy sources. Her expertise encompasses multi-party joint ventures, procurement and supply, operations outsourcing (including public/private partnerships), and emissions trading. Her reputation is for a strongly analytical approach with a focus on strategic issues and commercial solutions.
Elisabeth has a wealth of experience advising on competition and regulatory matters. She advises on transaction structures, approvals, and authorisations from the competition regulator, as well as assisting clients in the electricity and telecommunications sectors on industry regulation matters.
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Asia Pacific Legal 500 Projects & Resource Management 2011 - Leading Lawyer
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Chambers Global Energy & Natural Resources 2011 - Leading Lawyer
Examples of Work
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BP Oil New Zealand - principal legal adviser on all commercial and regulatory matters including joint ventures, acquisitions, terminals, strategic partnerships, supply biofuels, emissions trading, and competition compliance
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OMV - led the team advising on renegotiation of the Maui gas contract and implementation of open access on the Maui pipeline; led the team advising on Pohokura field development and associated contractual arrangements, including gas supply arrangements
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Upstream oil and gas exploration - advising on a range of operational issues, including Crown Minerals Act compliance, farm in arrangements, sole risk, infrastructure access, joint venture governance, competition compliance, field development, product supply arrangements, and emissions trading
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Downstream gas participant - advising on procurement, storage, and tolling arrangements as well commercial supply and emissions trading
- Electricity industry - advising the national grid owner/operator and a number of distribution lines companies on a wide range of commercial and regulatory matters, including targeted price control under the Commerce Act, Electricity Industry Reform Act, Electricity Act, Electricity Governance Rules and Regulations and previous multilateral industry self governance arrangements, as well as advising on a number of wind and renewable generation projects
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Ministry of Economic Development - led the team advising on initial phases of the Crown's Ultra Fast Broadband Initiative
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Department of Corrections - led the team advising on the Mt Eden Correction Facility contract management of prisons project
- PPPs - led the team advising a consortium bidder on the New Zealand Schools PPP and adviser to PPP operator of Wellington waste water treatment plant; advised a bidder on refurbishment of hydro generation and transmission infrastructure in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Other Credentials
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Energy Law Association - Chairperson (2005-2008) and executive committee member (2000-present)
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Australian Mining & Petroleum Law Association - Member
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Competition Law and Policy Institute of New Zealand - Member
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Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand (PEPANZ) - Executive committee member (1995-2000), policy subcommittee member
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Solicitor, Queensland and New South Wales
