Torrin heads Bell Gully’s market-leading competition law team.

Torrin practises competition law exclusively and has been involved in a large number of high profile competition law transactions.  He has extensive experience in the M&A context and also in structuring commercial arrangements (e.g. discount/rebate/loyalty structures, distribution agreements, joint ventures, joint collaboration) to avoid competition law issues.

He has acted for a number of corporate clients to successfully resolve Commerce Commission investigations into alleged cartel and market power conduct, and works with clients to develop and implement compliance programmes. He also acts for firms seeking leniency from the Commerce Commission under its cartel leniency policy and advises on the application of sector-specific competition regimes / Commerce Act exemptions.

Chambers Asia Pacific 2013 ranks Torrin in its top band, noting "he is lauded by peers as 'a very strong leader,'" while clients describe his advice as 'absolutely spot-on.' He is 'a very good lawyer with a natural ease and excellent academic ability.'" Earlier editions say he "impresses with his 'amazing accessibility and outstanding level of knowledge in the competition sphere' as well as his 'ability to simplify complex issues'."

He is also listed as one of the leading New Zealand competition/anti-trust specialists by Who's Who Legal, PLC Which Lawyer? and Euromoney's Guide to the World's Leading Competition and Antitrust Lawyers/Economists.

Torrin co-authors the New Zealand chapter in The Handbook of Competition Enforcement Agencies, produced by Global Competition Review, and regularly comments for specialist competition law publications on competition law matters affecting New Zealand.

 

Qualifications

LLB, BCom (Economics), University of Auckland

Admitted

2001 New Zealand

Publications

Contact

Email: Torrin Crowther

DDI: +64 9 916 8621

Mobile: +64 21 867 746

Download Vcard: Vcard for Torrin Crowther

Areas of Expertise

Work Highlights

Cartel Leniency Applications
Acting on a number of successful applications for leniency under the Commission's cartel Leniency Policy.

Cartel and Market Conduct Investigations
Acting in relation to Commission investigations into alleged cartel and other market behaviour conduct.

Sector-specific regimes/exemptions
Advice in relation to the application of sector-specific competition regimes and Commerce Act exemptions.

LINPAC/Viscount
Acted for LINPAC/Viscount in relation to Pact Group Pty Limited’s application to acquire the plastic pails business of Viscount NZ. The Commission granted clearance.

Ultra-Fast Broadband Initiative
Advising Crown Fibre Holdings Limited, a Government owned investment vehicle, on the competition law aspects of New Zealand's ultra-fast broadband initiative.

Air New Zealand
Acted for Air New Zealand in relation to its Trans Tasman alliance with Virgin Australia. Authorisation gained from regulators, New Zealand's Ministry of Transport and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Air New Zealand
Acted for Air New Zealand in relation to its acquisition of a minority stake in Virgin Australia.

New Zealand Winegrowers
Acted for New Zealand Winegrowers in relation to the Commerce Commission's investigation into the conduct of New Zealand Winegrowers, as the industry body, regarding grape harvest and wine production levels. The Commission concluded there was no breach.

Frucor clearance
Acted for Frucor Beverages, New Zealand's leading fruit beverage supplier (ultimately owned by Japanese company, Suntory), in obtaining Commerce Commission clearance for Frucor to acquire 100% of the Simply Squeezed business.

Stevenson Group/Fletcher Building
Acted for Stevenson Group in relation to the Commerce Commission's clearance for Fletcher Building to acquire Stevenson's Auckland and Whangarei masonry business. The Commission granted clearance after accepting the arguments advanced by Stevenson that its masonry business should be classed as a "failing firm".