The team at Bell Gully fields an impressive track record advising on complex public sector tech procurement projects. Working with a diverse roster of clients, including domestic tech companies and multinational platforms, the practice regularly handles matters pertaining to the emerging tech sector, media law issues, and data and security mandates. The practice is jointly steered by Wellington-based Dean Oppenhuis and Auckland-based Tania Goatley. A litany of clients in the public and private sectors turn to Oppenhuis for his experience advising on tech procurement and implementation matters. Goatley leads the firm’s media practice and is chiefly recognised for her expertise in privacy and cyber security law. Tech specialist Laura Littlewood is a key port of call for tech companies and New Zealand charities.

Buddle Findlay is noted for its ability to ‘seamlessly integrate the firm’s other subject matter experts in areas including tax, indigenous IP, and the public sector’ to provide clients with a fully comprehensive service. Praised for its ‘pragmatic legal support’, the team has demonstrable experience in IT procurement and implementation, cyber security and data privacy risk, compliance and media, and entertainment matters. The practice is jointly led by Wellington-based Amy Ryburn and Auckland-based Allan Yeoman. Ryburn is lauded by clients for her ‘second-to-none’ market knowledge, whilst Yeoman is noted for his ability to advise clients on the full spectrum of TMT issues. Philip Wood is recommended for his experience providing commercial, IT, telecoms, media, and TV and film-related advice. Key contact Renee Stiles specialises in drafting and negotiating large-scale and complex ICT and outsourcing contracts for both public sector and private clients. Damien Steel-Baker is also noted.

Well-regarded for its ‘deep industry knowledge of the sector and local market’ and its ‘commercial and pragmatic’ approach, full-service Auckland-based Hudson Gavin Martin is a specialist TMT and IP firm. With an extensive portfolio of start-ups, SMEs, domestic and multinational companies, the team is well-positioned to assist clients on the full gamut of TMT matters, with a focus on corporate transactions that involve tech, media and IP issues. ‘Consummate professional’ Simon Martin leads the practice and is noted for his work advising on emerging tech joint venture commercial arrangements. Edwin Lim is recognised for his ability to understand the nature of his clients’ tech environment, whilst ‘very strong technical lawyer’ Anchali Anandanayagam is recommended for her specialism in all legal aspects of tech, media and telecoms. The ‘incredibly pragmatic’ Andrew Dentice is noted for his work on tech transactions, IP and corporate structuring.

MinterEllisonRuddWatts is noted for its ability to marry a ‘meticulous attention-to-detail’ with a ‘deep industry knowledge’ across the full spectrum of TMT matters. The team boasts expertise in tech transformation projects, large-scale M&A transactions and emerging technologies. At the helm sits Auckland’s Tom Maasland, who is roundly praised for his ‘extensive knowledge, pragmatic approach, and genuine demeanour’; Maasland frequently advises on emerging tech, including cyber security, AI and blockchain-related matters. Ross Patterson routinely represents clients in New Zealand’s highest profile merger clearances, authorisations and Commerce Commission investigations. The Wellington office is home to John McCay and ‘standout performer’ Jane Parker, who is a key port of call for blue-chip clients on critical tech projects. Associate Kate Cruickshank specialises in commercial law with particular expertise in IT contracts, film financing, and consumer legal issues.

Public sector, financial services, media and emerging tech expertise forms the cornerstone of the TMT practice at Russell McVeagh. The team possesses the capabilities to advise its diverse roster of clients on the full lifecycle of TMT transactions, including funding, development, procurement and supply, partnerships, investments, and commercialisations. Auckland-based Liz Blythe co-heads the firm’s tech practice, and is noted for her focus on tech, digital and telecoms-related matters. Joe Edwards heads the media, marketing law and IP team and fields an impressive track record acting on high-profile TMT cases. The Wellington office is home to Mei Fern Johnson who routinely handles nationally significant tech projects and specialises in complex procurement and structuring for multi-party, collaborative and innovative tech projects. Special counsel Louise Taylor is recommended for her specialism advising on tech contracts and projects.

With offices spread across Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown, the ‘extremely diligent’ team at Anderson Lloyd serves a diverse roster of public and private clients on a range of TMT issues. The practice is steered by Queenstown-based Derek Roth-Biester who has extensive experience in tech procurement, outsourcing and the delivery of complex IT projects. In the Christchurch office, Josh Williams is noted for his experience advising on M&A matters in the tech and software sector, whilst ‘outstanding’ senior associate Megan Pearce regularly acts for public and private sector clients on a host of TMT issues and is described as ‘extremely diligent, knowledgeable and fair'.

Counting blue-chip tech companies, leading banks, media companies and government entities among its key client roster, Chapman Tripp frequently handles tech-related M&A work and telecoms-related regulatory matters. The team is jointly led by Wellington-based Tim Sherman and Auckland-based Kelly McFadzien. Sherman specialises in corporate and commercial law, with an emphasis on ICT projects, outsourcing, IP, procurement and data protection, whilst McFadzien is recommended for her experience advising clients on IP-related issues in the tech sector.

Praised for its ‘responsive and pragmatic’ approach, the team at Dentons New Zealand is noted for its wide-range of capabilities in the full spectrum of TMT matters, which includes advising on matters involving privacy issues, compliance, the procurement and deployment of tech, and e-commerce regulation. Leveraging the firm’s extensive global network, the practice regularly assists international clients on a host of complex tech-related transactions. In Auckland, the ‘excellent and really pragmatic’ Hayley Miller leads the practice. Miller is recommended for her expertise advising on the law relating to the development, use, procurement and deployment of tech, with a particular focus on the launch of SaaS offerings.

The team at Simpson Grierson is noted for its ‘high quality output and advice’ in major tech and telecoms projects. The practice regularly handles matters pertaining to privacy and data protection, emerging tech, media law and regulatory issues. Steering the practice are Auckland-based partners Karen Ngan and Jania Baigent. Ngan, praised for her ‘very good eye for detail and a clear understanding of commercial drivers’, leads the firm’s tech and telecoms team, whilst Baigent leads the media, cybersecurity and data disputes team and is recommended for her strength in media and information law, regularly acting on disputes and litigation. Simon Vannini is described as a ‘standout performer with a wealth of experience in the TMT space’.

The ‘strong’ TMT practice at DLA Piper New Zealand handles a range of matters for its diverse portfolio of clients, including public and private companies and start-ups. The team possesses the capabilities to assist on the full spectrum of work, with a particular focus on tech transactions. Praised for his ‘strong technical knowledge’, Nick Valentine leads the practice and is noted for his ability to advise public and private sector clients on the full-range of tech transactions, from BAU deals through to large-scale digital transformation projects. Associate Edward Eisdell-Moore is noted for his experience leading the negotiation, drafting and implementation of complex TMT transactions.

Spread across the Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Queenstown offices, Duncan Cotterill's practice is noted for its breadth of knowledge across the full gamut of TMT matters, spanning IP, privacy, procurement, regulatory compliance, cloud service and SaaS arrangements, and cyber security issues. The team is spearheaded by Michael Moyes who excels in providing end-to-end support on complex tech projects and who has demonstrable experience on software development and procurement matters. Mark Cathro advises on a wide-range of tech, corporate law and governance issues, whilst Peter Fernando is recommended for his broad commercial experience.

Webb Henderson's practice regularly advises some of the world’s largest telecoms operators, and media and tech companies on the array of TMT matters. Jordan Cox is the key contact in the Auckland office and is noted for his focus on telecoms infrastructure, where his work supports the ever-increasing demand for internet capacity through the rollout of submarine cable, satellite and terrestrial fibre networks.

Specialist litigation firm Wilson Harle's 'focused' TMT practice regularly acts for a diverse roster of clients on a range of matters, including defamation and media law disputes. Allison Ferguson is a routinely engaged on media law cases, whilst Felicity Monteiro is noted for her expertise on regulatory matters, and media and advertising campaigns. Guy Tompkins and Chris Browne are also recommended.