Joanna is a Senior Associate in the Commercial Department and works in Christchurch.

She helps clients to achieve their business goals by advising on contracts and business dealings, risks and opportunities.  She is focussed on meeting timeframes and facilitating relationships.

Joanna is experienced in advising companies on the Securities Act and on the NZSX and NZAX Listing Rules.  She has worked on IPOs and secondary offers, including rights issues and preference share issues and private placements.  She has worked with listed companies and has been involved in new listings and in de-listings. 

She helps companies with all aspects of corporate governance, from Companies Act compliance to board policies and regulatory compliance programmes. 

Joanna has a special interest in the energy industry.  She has advised on electricity supply agreements, electricity sale agreements, network agreements, regulatory compliance, and general policy.

She is able to advise on issues in the climate change area, including on the sale and purchase of carbon credits (regulatory and voluntary) and how climate change initiatives affect businesses generally.

Joanna has built up expertise in competition, fair trading and consumer law.  She also advises on superannuation law.

She has spent periods on secondment with Westpac in their legal team in Wellington, giving her a great exposure to working within a business. 

• Advising on the sale of verified emission reduction units and Kyoto units and advising on participation in the Emissions Trading Scheme
• Advising companies on corporate governance, such as Companies Act 1993 compliance and compliance with industry specific regimes including the banking regime and the electricity regime
• Advising on all aspects of the Securities Act 1978 including public offers, employee share schemes, exemptions, and drafting all related documentation
• Advising on listing on the NZX and on ongoing compliance with the Listing Rules 
• Competition, fair trading and consumer legislation advice, including undertaking proactive client training to avoid competition law breaches, running marketing legal compliance programmes, advising on terms of trade, and reviewing specific advertising
• Analysing potential acquisitions for competition issues 
• Advising on legislation and rules for the electricity industry 
• Preparing and commenting on electricity connection agreements and supply agreements 
• Preparing aircraft sale and purchase agreements for transactions within New Zealand and internationally and involving import and export of aircraft
• Property and business sales and purchases and leases
• Checking legal documents that have been translated from English to Mandarin