Bell Gully's tax team consists of three partners and 10 lawyers. The firm recently hired senior associate Jarrod Walker, who arrived from Chapman Tripp. He focuses on financing structures, investment entities and corporate taxation. Partner David Simcock ...
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Bell Gully's tax team consists of three partners and 10 lawyers. The firm recently hired senior associate
Jarrod Walker, who arrived from Chapman Tripp. He focuses on financing structures, investment entities and corporate taxation. Partner
David Simcock specialises in M&A and tax litigation. Practice leader
Niels Campbell specialises in corporate tax and M&A.
Willy Sussman is the firm's indirect tax partner. Campbell advised DNZ Property Group on the amalgamation of DNZ Income Property Fund, DNZ Foundation Property Fund, DNZ Tauranga Property with DNZ Property Fund, that created a large diversified property fund controlling 69 assets valued at about NZ$863 million ($583 million). This deal included restructuring and equalising investor unit entitlements of each fund to facilitate amalgamation. The firm had to work out how to amalgamate each of the funds, all of which had a different tax profile. Simcock advised Danone Asia on the sale of Frucor Group. This was New Zealand's largest M&A deal of 2008. There were a number of significant tax issues. A return of share capital was required and consent obtained in a tight time-frame. The Inland Revenue raised some issues about past transactions had an impact on the structure of the sale. The deal was worth in excess of $764 million. Sussman and Campbell provided tax advice to Origin Energy Resources (Kupe) on the continuing development of the Kupe petroleum mining operation. This deal involved a broad array of tax issues such as complexities around site acquisitions when dealing with pay-outs to affected individuals. This deal was worth about $650 million. The firm's clients include Woolworths Australia and Michelin Australia.
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