+64 7 839 4771

Phil Taylor

Phil Taylor

Partner

To make an appointment, please contact Penny Milburn penny.milburn@tompkinswake.co.nz

Qualifications : BCom, LLB, University of Otago, G Cert App Fin, FINSIA.

 

  Recommended Lawyer for Bios 2040    The Legal 500 Recommended Lawyer 2042 Recommended Lawyer 2022 Legal 519


Phil is a senior corporate and commercial lawyer with more than 30 years’ experience. Phil provides clients with clear, knowledgeable, and strategic advice, specialising in technology (including energy tech), private capital raisings, mergers and acquisitions, and complex corporate transactions. He has a high level of commercial and strategic acumen and constantly seeks innovative ways to deliver value to his clients. Phil’s experience gives him an international perspective and he works with high growth businesses to help them take New Zealand innovation to the world.

Phil joined Tompkins Wake as a partner in 2006, he has international experience working for Australian law firm Gilbert + Tobin, and with Fonterra where he participated in international dealings daily.

Phil is noted as a recommended lawyer in The Legal 500 for Asia Pacific.

Areas of expertise

  • Commercial Contracts
  • Competition and Regulation
  • Construction Contracts
  • Corporate Advisory
  • Corporate Governance
  • Dairy Industry
  • Energy Sector - Oil, Gas, Electricity
  • Joint Ventures
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Securities - Private Issues
  • Telecommunications
  • Venture Capital
  • International Trade
  • Technology
  • Start Ups

Other Credentials

  • Chairman of the Board at Sport Waikato
  • Chairman (2017-2020), Tompkins Wake Board of Partners
  • Finalist for Consumer, Tech and Media Deal of the Year, New Zealand Law Awards 2017
  • Finalist for Mid-Market Deal of the Year, New Zealand Law Awards 2018
  • Recommended Lawyer, Corporate and M&A in The Legal 500 for Asia Pacific 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024

Experience

Phil has acted for and advised:

  • Numerous startups on their raises including The Kitchen Collective, Friendly Manager, Tropical Dairy, Rural Energy and Simsage
  • Raglan Food Co on the investment by Pioneer Capital
  • Optimal Workshop on its $10m injection from Pioneer Capital
  • Yabble on its $3.2m bridge round raise
  • Lead investor Hillfarrance on the $1.7m syndicated seed investment into Mobli
  • On the establishment of the Quidnet Venture Fund
  • On the establishment of the Hillfarrance Venture Fund
  • NZX-listed AFFCO on the $180 million takeover by Talley Group
  • WEL Networks on the $189 million buyout of Waikato Networks from Crown Fibre Holdings with Mark Renner
  • Maisey Group on the sale of Instrument Supplies to Riverside Private Equity (sum undisclosed)
  • Prolife Foods on the acquisition of Haddrells (sum undisclosed)
  • Open Country Cheese Company on the $104 million takeover by Dairy Trust
  • Gallagher Group on the acquisition of Australian-based Country Electronics (sum undisclosed)
  • Alpine Energy, Counties Power and WEL Networks on the establishment of the Smartco smart meter joint venture
  • WEL Networks on the sale of the Te Uku Wind Farm to Meridian Energy
  • DEC International on the sale of Dairy Automation to Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) (sum undisclosed)
  • Holdfast NZ on its sale to Soudal
  • Thermo Regulatory Genetics on its start-up capital raise
  • Company-X on its acquisition of Pepper Creative

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Expertise

Sector Knowledge