Simpson Grierson - Edward Warren

Ed has experience in a wide variety of areas of commercial property, including undertaking large scale due diligence reviews, commercial leasing, acquisitions and disposals, and commercial and residential subdivisions.

His clients include large multi-national businesses, local authorities, including Auckland Council and Tauranga City Council, and individuals with significant property assets.

In addition to purely commercial transactions, Ed regularly provides advice to local authorities in relation to the Reserves Act 1977, the Local Government Act 2002, and the Public Works Act 1981.

Ed’s familiarity with property-related legislation combined with an understanding of his client’s motivating forces, assists him to provide timely, accurate and commercially-minded advice.

Work Highlights

Complex and Significant Due Diligence

Managing due diligence projects and the review of property interests in the due diligence for large scale mergers and acquisitions, including:

a proposed share acquisition of New Zealand’s largest wind power network operator
due diligence on the assets held by one of New Zealand’s largest bar and restaurant owners as required for an Initial Public Offering of the Australian parent company
the acquisition of private medical businesses by national and international private health providers.

Lodestone Energy

Acting in its acquisition of five large rural sites throughout the North Island for the establishment of New Zealand’s largest solar power project.

Kordia Limited

Advising Kordia Limited in relation to its easements, registered leases and property acquisitions throughout New Zealand.

Scentre Group (Westfield)

Preparing leases, advising in relation to leasing matters, and assisting in negotiations with lessees.

Private developer work

Acting for two developers in relation to large residential subdivisions in Warkworth and Karaka, on their sale and purchase and subdivision processes.

Small scale due diligence

Regularly undertaking due diligence reviews for freehold and leasehold interests to be acquired by large, mid-size and small commercial clients.

Overseas Investment Act

Assessing sensitive land issues under the Overseas Investment Act 2005 and advising on property aspects of OIA consent applications.

National Storage

Assisting National Storage in the management of its New Zealand property portfolio including due diligence for and acquisition of new sites.

Local Authority Advice

Providing advice to and negotiating and preparing documents on behalf of various local authorities including Auckland Council and Tauranga City Council in relation to:

agreements to lease for large commercial and industrial premises
negotiating and drafting agreements to record the terms of surrender of lease for a large office premises
advice on the disposal of endowment land and relevant procedural requirements under the Local Government Act 2002
assisting in the preparation of an adverse possession claim to bring land under the Land Transfer Act 2017
advising in relation to riparian rights claimed by landowners and their impact on proposed local authority works
preparing variations to registered leases, and the registration of subleases and concurrent leases for a large marina
assisting in negotiations for a design, develop and lease agreement for new local board premises
leasing of reserves.