Ben Coleman

Ben Coleman

Director

Career experience: 18 years legal experience in New Zealand in private practice, 2 years in the United Kingdom, 2 years in the banking industry in New Zealand.

Legal interest: Agribusiness, banking & finance, commercial, local government, property, private wealth and asset structuring.

Professional standards: Ensures the firm represents our clients to the absolute best of our ability. Passionate about creative and collaborative ideas being promoted for the benefit of our clients and, internally, supporting our talented people to achieve at the highest level.

  • Education
    Bachelor of Arts Majoring in English Literature (Victoria University of Wellington) 1997

    LLB (Victoria University of Wellington) 2000

    Barrister & Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand

Biography

London life: Ben joined the firm after living in London and working at international firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, gaining valuable life and legal experience.

Community involvement: Ben has considerable experience sitting on sporting, community and charitable trust boards. He’s involved with cricket at club and association level, has been a board member of the Highlanders, is a founding trustee of Alps 2 Ocean Ultra Community trust and is retained by many community organisations to advise them.

Away from the office: Ben is a passionate local sports follower, cricket player when time allows and Highlanders supporter. He enjoys hiking, skiing, biking and appreciating the beautiful landscapes of the South Island with his young family.

Examples of work

  • Acting for a local authority on acquisition and disposal of assets; leasing; key legislative compliance processes; freeholding sales; infrastructure and development of assets; road stopping; drafting and passing of legislation; harbour development and subdivisions; contracts for services and sponsorship agreements.
  • Advised several highly successful dairy syndicates from start-up around promotion, equity funding, debt raising, share issue and development of infrastructure through to acquisition of dairy farms, securing water rights and eventual sale and distribution
  • Acted for an industry leading stone materials manufacturer on successful submissions to a local authority regarding a proposed plan change and protection of its existing business activities
  • Acted for a private family trust in a successful application to amend its resource consent including representation at the hearing for the right to construct a new building on Oamaru’s historic main street to its specifications
  • Assisted in drafting and formulating the Highlanders strategic plan including implementing key structural changes, personnel acquisitions and governing the development of a culture of accountability and unconditional support leading to a championship season
  • Won an appeal in the High Court for a local authority on an issue of the exercise of its powers and procedures

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