Michael Anderson

TWA Legal Limited is a corporate and commercial law firm and the only boutique restructuring and insolvency specialist law firm in New Zealand.

TWA is a small firm, but we have a broad range of experience.  Between us, we act on all general corporate and commercial aspects of New Zealand law, and also have a specialist litigation team.  In terms of corporate and commercial expertise, we have experience with capital raising, privacy and data advice and various forms of commercial contracts including joint ventures, capital raising, sale and purchase of shares or assets, partnership and limited partnership formations, trusts, procurement and franchising.  We also have extensive banking and finance expertise  - we can act in relation to property and project finance, leveraged finance, syndicated financing transactions, working capital finance and mezzanine debt structures.  We also advise on public and private debt and equity financing and other related regulatory issues.

However, TWA is best known for its expertise in insolvency and restructuring law, boasting three of the most experienced restructuring and insolvency lawyers in New Zealand.

Between us, we have acted for most of the insolvency practitioner firms in New Zealand, and for all of the major trading banks in the restructuring and insolvency space at some stage during our careers.

Each of our directors are recognized by the main legal directories for the work we have done, including Legal500, Chambers, IFLR1000, Doyles and AsiaLaw.

Our team regularly chair or speak at insolvency law conferences – Mike Whale and Jennifer spoke at a Restructuring and Insolvency Association of New Zealand (RITANZ) function in 2022 and 2023 and Jennifer was a speaker at the national RITANZ conference in 2021 (being the largest and most prominent such conference in New Zealand). She also facilitated a workshop during the national RITANZ conference in 2022.

We enjoy close relationships with most other leading law firms and have historically been engaged on conflict work by some of those firms. We are also asked by the top insolvency practitioners to provide second opinions. Such instructions demonstrate the industry sector’s recognition of our expertise.

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Michael advises on a wide range of finance, commercial and restructuring and insolvency matters.

He was the lead lawyer in two of New Zealand’s largest ever receiverships.

Michael has extensive experience in banking and finance, on both the bank and borrower sides.

Michael also provides advice to corporate trustees and public security issuers on a variety of debt and managed funds issues.  He is well versed in capital raisings and in business sales and purchases.

He has been recognised as a leading lawyer by independent legal directories Chambers Asia Pacific, Legal 500, IFLR1000, and the PLC Which Lawyer directory.

Areas of Expertise​​

• Restructuring and Insolvency
• Banking and Financial Services
• Corporate and Commercial

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Michael has acted

• As principal legal advisor on the receivership of South Canterbury Finance Limited, the largest receivership in the history of New Zealand
• As principal legal advisor for the receivers of Bridgecorp Finance Limited
• For the majority of New Zealand’s banks on a multitude of financing transactions, including syndicated facilities and acquisition financing
• For a Japanese creditor in relation to two aircraft company receiverships in New Zealand
• For a number of corporate trustee companies in relation to debt facilities and bond and note issues, including Public Trust on the Precinct Properties Limited bond and USPP issues, and the Dorchester Pacific Limited bond issue

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Qualifications and Memberships

• Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
• Member of RITANZ

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