Bio
Lance Jones is a leading corporate transactional lawyer with more than 20 years' experience advising clients on domestic and cross border mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, complex commercial contracts and shareholder/joint venture arrangements. In particular, Lance is highly experienced and adept in helping buyers and sellers of small, medium and large businesses plan and successfully execute their transactions, known for his ability to cut through the issues and get the job done.
Lance is also one of New Zealand's most experienced and expert advisers on the Overseas Investment Act. He regularly advises international private equity firms and institutional investors on their inbound investment transactions, including advising on the applicability of the 'OIO' regime and applying for and obtaining consent from the Overseas Investment Office. Lance also advises international law firms on the applicability of the regime to their global transactions that have a New Zealand nexus.
Clients value Lance's responsiveness, solutions-focused approach and his clear, direct and helpful advice.
Recognition
Qualifications
- LLB (Hons, First Class), BCom – University of Canterbury
- Admitted in New Zealand – 2003
- Admitted in New South Wales – 2005
Work highlights
- Advising SGX-listed Hotel Properties Limited on its $180 million acquisition of Precinct Properties 1 Queen Street Limited, including OIO exemption advice.
- Advising Millari Group on its acquisition of the Juken timber mill and related business assets, including obtaining OIO consent.
- Advising the board of NZX-listed CDI on conflicts matters related to the contested public takeover offer of CDI's majority shareholder, MCK.
- Advising NZX-listed General Capital on its acquisition of Bridges Financial Services.
- Advising Banyan Software on OIO aspects of its acquisition of Medtech.
- Advising I-MED Radiology Network on its acquisitions of Hamilton Radiology, Midland MRI and Taranaki Radiology, including obtaining Overseas Investment Office consent, and assisting I-MED with its day-to-day corporate legal work in New Zealand.
- Advising Lineage Logistics on its acquisitions of Emergent Cold (including obtaining OIO consent) and Cold Storage Nelson, advising on New Zealand aspects of its NASDAQ IPO, and assisting with its day-to-day corporate legal work in New Zealand.
- Advising Fisher Funds on its acquisitions of Kiwi Wealth (including obtaining OIO consent) and AON New Zealand's superannuation business.
- Advising Complectus Group (now Perpetual Guardian) on the acquisitions of New Zealand Trustee Services, Covenant Trustee Services, Foundation Corporate Trust and others, the group's partial divestment to Direct Capital and related joint venture arrangements, and the simultaneous buy-out of Direct Capital and sale of its corporate trust division (The New Zealand Guardian Trust Company and Covenant Trustee Services Limited) to Tricor.
- Advising Fonterra on various corporate and commercial matters, including complex commercial contracts, joint ventures, acquisitions and disposals.
