Duncan Cotterill

Ready to work somewhere that invests in you 📚 Our grads and clerks get hands-on experience, mentorship, and opportunities to grow. Applications for our Summer Clerk & Graduate Programmes open next week. 🔗 Want to know more? Check out our Graduate Hub linked in the comments below.

Meet our new Special Counsel, Alastair Pettitt. Alastair specialises in property law and brings extensive experience across a wide range of commercial property matters. He has particular expertise in local government projects, subdivisions, commercial leasing and property finance transactions.  He has advised local authorities, Crown entities, banks, corporates and individuals on real estate matters including developments, acquisitions and divestments, leasing, public works, overseas investment and property finance.  Alastair also offers broader experience from in-house and private practice roles in both New Zealand and the UK, including work across business banking and compliance. Known for his practical and commercially focused approach, Alastair delivers clear and accessible advice to his clients.  Join us in welcoming him to the team. 🤝

Looking for work life that's not your whole life? ⚖️ Applications for our Summer Clerk & Graduate Programmes open next week.  Check out our Graduate Hub at the link in the comments below – your next step starts here! 🎓

Celebrating our new Te Whanganui-a-Tara home 🥂 Last week, we welcomed clients and friends to our new Level 7 Wellington office for an evening of connection, conversation and canapés as we marked this exciting milestone. Partner Aaron Sherriff gave a speech reflecting on the values that guide everything we do, authenticity, excellence, enterprising and he tāngata. Another special part of the evening was acknowledging the artwork by Hikurangi Edwards, now proudly displayed in our office, serving as a daily reminder of what we stand for. Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate this new chapter!

Save the date 🗓️ One week to go until applications open for our Summer Clerk & Graduate Programmes on March 2nd! Visit our Grad Hub for all the details you need, plus links to apply (linked below in the comments).

Employment Law changes are now live 📢 The Employment Relations Amendment Act 2025 has now come into force, introducing major reforms that will impact employers across the country. Key changes include: - A new “Specified Contractor” gateway test to clarify who is genuinely a contractor - A $200,000 threshold limiting personal grievance claims for unjustified dismissal - Updated remedies for personal grievances, including contributory conduct and serious misconduct provisions - Removal of the 30-day rule for new employees under collective agreements - Expanded protections for employers relying on valid trial periods Employers should review agreements, policies, and contractor arrangements to ensure compliance and reflect the new provisions. Read the full article (linked in the comments) for a detailed breakdown of these changes and what they mean for your business. 🔗

New Zealand continues to navigate a dynamic insurance landscape, shaped by significant legislative reform, evolving regulatory oversight and emerging risks. 🌏 We’re pleased to share that our team has authored the New Zealand chapter of the Chambers and Partners – Insurance & Reinsurance 2026 guide. The 2026 edition explores the key issues shaping the market, including: ▪️ Insurance and reinsurance law in New Zealand ▪️ Overseas insurers operating in the market ▪️ Making an insurance contract ▪️ The role of intermediaries ▪️ Alternative risk transfer (ART) ▪️ Warranties and conditions precedent ▪️ Insurance disputes ▪️ Insurtech developments Authored by our Insurance Partners Aaron Sherriff, Tanya Wood and Nick Laing, the chapter provides practical insight into regulatory developments, dispute trends and emerging risk areas across the New Zealand insurance sector. Read the full New Zealand chapter at the link below.

Wellumio secures Pre-Series A investment to advance stroke diagnostics innovation Duncan Cotterill is pleased to have advised Nuance Connected Capital on its lead investment into Wellumio as part of the company’s Pre-Series A funding round, with the initial completion now achieved. Wellumio is developing cutting-edge stroke diagnostics technology designed to enable faster, more accessible brain imaging – with the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes both in New Zealand and globally. The minimum close of $7.28 million reflects strong investor confidence in Wellumio’s vision and capability. The round brings together a high-quality syndicate of local and international investors, positioning the company for its next phase of growth, including international clinical trials, strategic partnerships, and team expansion. Partner Chris Thomas led the transaction, supported by Solicitor Thomas Lamberton. “Congratulations to the Wellumio team on reaching this milestone,” said Chris. “It’s been a privilege to support Nuance Connected Capital on this investment into a company delivering transformative healthcare technology. We look forward to seeing Wellumio’s continued progress as it scales its impact internationally.” We wish both Nuance Connected Capital and Wellumio every success as they move into this next phase.

The Employment Relations Amendment Bill is in 📢 The much-awaited Employment Relations Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading on 17 February 2026 following the Select Committee’s refinements. The Bill will now receive Royal Assent (which will likely occur within the next week) and enter into effect immediately.  As detailed in our previous posts, this introduces a number of wide-reaching changes to the New Zealand employment law space and will affect the rights and obligations of both employers and employees. The now confirmed changes include:   • Specified Contractors may not challenge employment status: Where contractors meet the new criteria, they cannot challenge their employment status under the current “real nature” test. Existing contractor arrangements may satisfy the new criteria from the commencement date, but this new test will not apply retrospectively.  • Income Threshold for personal grievances: Employees whose annual remuneration exceeds $200,000 per year (inclusive of bonuses or share-based payments) may not bring a claim of unjustified dismissal. For new employees, this change will apply immediately on the date of commencement, but existing employees will have a 12-month window in which to re-negotiate their contracts (particularly around notice).  • Remedies: No remedies for employees where serious misconduct is found, increased readiness for Authority to reduce remedies due to contributory conduct by the employee. This change will apply immediately on the date of commencement. • Removing the 30-day rule: Employers are now no longer required to employ new employees on the terms and conditions of an existing collective agreement when they commence employment. This will apply immediately on the date of commencement. Need help understanding how these changes may impact your business? Contact our employment law team for tailored advice. ⚖️

Shaping the future of the South Island economy 🌍   Last week, Partner Paul Dorrance and Senior Associate Anastasija (AJ) Julian hosted an executive panel discussion in our Christchurch office with Ben Travers (TASKA™ Prosthetics), Mark Rocket (Kea Aerospace) and Justin Mercer (Jade Software Corporation).   From collaboration across industries to building resilience, the panel shared insights into how businesses are innovating, scaling, and contributing to long-term economic growth.   Thank you to our panel for sharing your expertise and to everyone who joined us.