Minter Ellison Rudd Watts has just announced its New Year promotions, which in particular will strengthen its dispute resolution team in Wellington.
The firm has revealed one partner promotion, a special counsel addition and three new senior associates.
Oliver Meech will be joining the Minter Ellison Rudd Watts (MERW) partnership on 1 January 2015, subject to satisfying Law Society requirements.
The competition and litigation expert will significantly strengthen the firm’s dispute resolution team in the Wellington office.
A strong academic achiever, Meech has an LLB (Hons) from Otago and a Master of Laws from the University of Cambridge.
He began his career with the firm - then Rudd Watts & Stone - as a solicitor in 1996, before moving to London in 2000 to work at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. He then returned to the firm and NZ in 2005.
As a senior member of the Wellington dispute resolution team since 2007, the lawyer has utilised his international experience to advise clients in all aspects of commercial and dispute resolution disputes, to principal case manager level. A significant part of his practice is providing advice to clients in competition, consumer and regulatory law.
MERW managing partner Mark Weenink says the appointment is recognition of Meech’s astute technical skills and dedication.
“Oliver has worked tirelessly, where he has significantly grown our national Competition and Regulatory practice, and is a leader in our Wellington Dispute Resolution team,” he says.
And to further build on the firm’s dispute resolution practice in Wellington, Emma Warden has been promoted to special counsel.
Although an employment specialist, her practice also traverses immigration, health & safety and public law.
She’s known for her outstanding wealth of knowledge in these areas, and has a reputation for providing strong advice on complex and difficult issues in both the private and public sector.
Warden joined the firm in 2000 as a summer clerk, later re-joining as a law clerk. She worked her way up through the ranks until she was promoted to senior associate in November 2006.
The lawyer then set about building a national practice, taking the opportunity to base herself in both the MERW’s Wellington and Auckland offices for four years apiece.
The firm has also announced the promotion of three new senior associates: Adrianne Reid (banking & financial services, Wellington), Nikki Chamberlain (dispute resolution, Auckland) and Gina Fogarty (construction, Auckland).
All three have been recognised particularly for the strong relationships they have built with key MERW clients.
Photo: Oliver Meech, Emma Warden
