Chapman Tripp is pleased to announce the appointment of two special counsel in its Wellington office. The appointments are effective from 1 December 2019.
Chapman Tripp Chief Executive Partner (Hoa Rangapū Whakarae) Nick Wells says, “The special counsel designation recognises specialised knowledge, expertise and experience and is used for only a very select group of our most senior lawyers.
“Their appointments strengthen our depth and insight into different industries, and will enable the firm to maintain our leading position in the market. We know our clients’ success require a wide range of insight from our firm.
“Special counsel enhance what we offer to our clients and wider market. The appointments of Vivian Cheng (pictured) and Nicholas Wood fit the bill and more,” concludes Wells.
Vivian joined us in 2012 and has been an integral part of the growth and success of our Wellington Tax practice. She has 17 years’ experience advising clients on all aspects of taxation law, with particular expertise in business structures and reorganisations, mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions and cross-border taxation. Vivian is recognised by both clients and fellow practitioners as a leading tax lawyer. She is a regular speaker and past chair at the annual NZLS Tax Conference, a regular contributor to the New Zealand Law Journal and ranked by Chambers Asia Pacific as an Associate to Watch. In addition, Vivian has built up an industry respected practice advising on FATCA and the automatic exchange of financial account information and cemented herself as the leading legal expert in New Zealand in that area.
Nicholas provides clear, focused and practical advice on dealing with commercial disputes, civil litigation and arbitration, as well as on managing the risk of disputes before they arise. In recent years, he’s been responsible for the day-to-day oversight and management of a large portfolio of insurance litigation arising out of the Canterbury earthquakes, and he successfully defended an insurer in two High Court trials brought by dissatisfied homeowners. Last year he published a legal textbook, Sale of Goods in New Zealand, which won the JF Northey Memorial Book Award for 2018. He has been a co-author of McGechan on Procedure for many years.
The appointments of Vivian Cheng and Nicholas Wood will bring the firm’s special counsel to six.
