Our competition practice has been recognised as the leader in the New Zealand legal market. We are listed in Global Competition Review's GCR100 – a guide to the world’s top 100 competition law practices.

The Commerce Act plays an important role in regulating commercial trade practices, business acquisitions and anti-competitive conduct in New Zealand. Our specialists advise on restrictive trade practices, applications for Commerce Commission clearances and authorisations as well as identifying trading opportunities for our commercial clients. We have successfully assisted clients in many major Commerce Commission investigations.

We contribute to the wider issues surrounding competition law. We are involved in the Competition Law and Policy Institute of New Zealand and our competition practice leader Phil Taylor is a member of the Trans-Tasman Harmonisation Committee set up by the Business Forum backed by the Governments of Australia and New Zealand.  It is charged with reviewing aspects of competition law harmonisation across Australian and New Zealand.

Phil Taylor

Phil leads Bell Gully's national competition law practice.  He is an extremely experienced competition lawyer, who has been involved in the competition law aspects of many leading New Zealand corporate transactions over the past 20 years.

PARTNERS

Phil Taylor

Ian Gault

PARTNER, FIRM CHAIRMAN

Roger Partridge

SENIOR ASSOCIATES

David Blacktop

Jenny Cooper

Torrin Crowther

Simon Ladd

Jenny Stevens

Key Work

  • Woolworths' takeover of the Warehouse
    Bell Gully is advising Woolworths Ltd. in its application to the Commerce Commission for clearance to acquire the Warehouse Group Ltd. and in its subsequent appeal to the High Court over the Commission's decision to decline that application.
  • Commerce Commission's credit card investigation
    Bell Gully is advising ANZ National Bank in proceedings bought by the Commerce Commission under the Commerce Act against all the major banks, Visa and Mastercard concerning price-fixing of multilateral interchange fees.
  • Carter Holt Harvey's acquisition of Lakesawn Lumber
    Bell Gully has advised Carter Holt Harvey in its successful application to the Commerce Commission for clearance to acquire the sawn timber business of Lakesawn Lumber Limited.
  • Goodman Fielder's acquisition of Rivermill Bakeries
    Bell Gully has advised Goodman Fielder in its successful bid to obtain clearance from the Commerce Commission to acquire the flour and bread assets of River Mill Bakeries Limited.

Key Publications