Name

Russell McVeagh

Legal name

Russell McVeagh

Website

https://russellmcveagh.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1863

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Litigation & Dispute Valuation (damages, shareholder disputes) (FSAEAHAI), Trust & Fiduciary Advisory for HNW/UHNW (Trust Structuring & Trustee Oversight) (FSAAABAF)

Keywords

• Commercial legal services
• Corporate law firm
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Banking and finance law
• Litigation and dispute resolution

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Russell McVeagh is a New Zealand full-service commercial law firm providing legal advisory services to corporates, financial institutions, government entities, and high-net-worth individuals. Its core offering is partner-led legal counsel across practice areas including corporate advisory, mergers & acquisitions, banking & finance, tax, competition & antitrust, litigation, real estate, construction, infrastructure & projects, energy & renewables, employment, ESG, and public law & regulation, delivered from offices in Auckland, Wellington, and Queenstown.

Product overview

Russell McVeagh is a full-service commercial law firm providing legal services across multiple practice areas and specializations. The firm operates as a unified platform offering legal advisory services rather than a software product company. Its core offering consists of legal services organized into practice areas including Corporate Advisory, Mergers & Acquisitions, Banking & Finance, Tax, Litigation, Construction, Real Estate & Property, Energy & Renewables, Competition & Antitrust, Employment Health & Safety, Environment and Planning, and ESG & Climate Change. The firm also provides specialized services through sectors such as Agribusiness & Food, FinTech, Data Protection & Privacy, Insurance, Infrastructure & Projects, and Not-For-Profits. Russell McVeagh supplements its legal services with thought leadership publications including the Construction Survey Report (annual industry research), Pro Bono Overview, and A Guide to Investing in New Zealand. The firm has three office locations in New Zealand (Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown) and serves domestic and international corporate clients, financial institutions, and public sector entities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate Advisory Corporate law services for New Zealand corporates covering M&A transactions, private equity, joint ventures, venture capital and general corporate matters.
• Mergers & Acquisitions Legal advisory for domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, takeover schemes and corporate restructuring for listed and large private companies.
• Banking & Finance Legal services covering corporate finance, debt capital markets, structured finance, project finance and financial regulation, ranked Top Tier by IFLR1000.
• Tax Corporate tax advisory, international tax, tax disputes, tax controversy and tax aspects of transactions; ranked Top Tier for six consecutive years by ITR World Tax and winner of the ITR Asia-Pacific Tax Firm of the Year 2025.
• Competition & Antitrust Merger clearances, cartel investigations, market studies, authorisations and competition compliance; named Regional Firm of the Year (Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa) at the Global Competition Review Awards 2024, the first New Zealand firm to win.
• Dispute Resolution / Litigation Commercial litigation, class actions, arbitration and dispute resolution across all NZ courts and tribunals; ranked Top Tier by Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific 2025.
• Real Estate & Property Commercial property transactions, leasing, development, subdivisions and property financing for corporates and investors.
• Construction Legal services for construction projects, contracts, disputes, adjudications and related professional liability matters.
• Infrastructure & Projects Legal services for major infrastructure projects, public-private partnerships (PPPs) and project finance transactions; advised on the $5.4 billion City Rail Link and the $1.45 billion KiwiRail iReX project.
• Energy & Renewables Legal services for the energy sector including renewable energy projects, infrastructure, oil & gas and energy regulation.
• Employment, Health & Safety Employment law, health and safety regulations, workplace investigations and employment disputes.
• ESG, Climate Change and Sustainability Legal services addressing ESG compliance, climate change regulation, sustainability reporting and environmental obligations for corporates.
• Government & Regulation / Public Law Public law, regulatory compliance and government advisory services for departments, crown entities and state-owned enterprises.
• AI, Technology & Digital Legal services focused on technology law, digital transformation, AI regulation, data protection and privacy, and cybersecurity matters.
• Environment and Planning Environmental and resource management law, planning matters and Public Works Act advice.
• International Trade & Investment Legal services for cross-border trade, foreign investment and overseas investment screening into New Zealand.
• Private Client Estate planning, trusts, relationship property, succession planning and philanthropy services for high-net-worth individuals and families.
• Construction Survey Report 2026 Annual proprietary research publication titled 'From the ground up', covering contracting trends, construction sector challenges, digital innovation and AI adoption in the New Zealand construction industry.
• A Guide to Investing in New Zealand - 2026 Publication providing guidance for investors on New Zealand's legal and regulatory framework for investment.
• Pro Bono Overview 2026 Annual publication documenting Russell McVeagh's pro bono legal work supporting charities, not-for-profits and social enterprises in New Zealand, including 5,765 hours of pro bono work in FY2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• One of the largest transactions in New Zealand corporate history advised by Russell McVeagh — Fonterra's NZ$4.22 billion sale to Lactalis
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Framework for Collaborative Pro Bono in AotearoacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRussell McVeagh is a founding participant in this national network aimed at enhancing access to justice for all New Zealanders by fostering collaboration and supporting pro bono culture across the country. The firm contributes to the framework's annual performance reporting and works with other leading firms and organisations to coordinate pro bono efforts.
• Wellington Charity Hospital TrustminorOthersPro bono legal assistance provided to support access to essential healthcare and medical research in Wellington.
• Cure KidsminorOthersPro bono legal support for child health research organisation in New Zealand.
• Before 16minorOthersPro bono legal assistance supporting programmes investing in children and youth (tamariki and rangatahi).
• Te Whāngai TrustminorOthersPro bono legal assistance for community organisation supporting children and rangatahi.
• Graeme Dingle FoundationminorOthersPro bono legal assistance for youth development organisation reaching thousands of young New Zealanders annually.
• Māngere Community Law CentreminorOthersThe firm provides 1,505 hours of Community Law centre work through volunteer solicitors, with dedicated support for the Māngere centre. This community law centre serves one of Auckland's most underserved communities.
• Community Law Wellington & Hutt ValleyminorOthersPro bono legal support for community law centre serving the Wellington and Hutt Valley region.
• Aotearoa Disability LawminorOthersPro bono legal assistance for organisation providing legal services to people with disabilities.
• Te Ara TureminorOthersPro bono legal support for legal access advocacy organisation.
• Wellington Pride Parade TrustminorOthersPro bono legal assistance for Rainbow community organisation in Wellington.
• RainbowYOUTHminorOthersPro bono legal assistance for New Zealand's leading Rainbow youth organisation.
• Protect Rakiura TrustminorOthersPro bono legal assistance for biodiversity and conservation trust on Rakiura (Stewart Island).
• ZealandiaminorOthersPro bono legal support for Zealandia ecosanctuary, a groundbreaking conservation project in Wellington.
• Waitaki Whitestone Geopark TrustminorOthersPro bono legal assistance for UNESCO-recognised geopark trust in the Waitaki region.
• Kiwi K.A.R.E. UkraineminorOthersPro bono legal assistance for humanitarian organisation supporting Ukraine relief efforts.
• Mahi for UkraineminorOthersPro bono legal support for Ukraine humanitarian efforts in New Zealand.
• Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts FestivalminorOthersPro bono legal assistance for major Auckland arts festival.
• Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary GalleryminorOthersPro bono legal support for contemporary art gallery in Waitakere, Auckland.
• Bridget Williams BooksminorOthersPro bono legal assistance for independent New Zealand publisher committed to accessible knowledge.
• The Arts Foundation Te Tumu ToiminorOthersPro bono legal assistance for arts foundation supporting New Zealand artists.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bell Gully: Bell Gully is one of New Zealand's leading full-service commercial law firms and Russell McVeagh's closest head-to-head competitor across corporate, banking, capital markets and litigation work in NZ.
• Buddle Findlay: Buddle Findlay is a major New Zealand full-service commercial law firm that competes directly with Russell McVeagh across corporate advisory, M&A, tax, public law and litigation.
• Chapman Tripp: Chapman Tripp is a top-tier New Zealand full-service commercial law firm that competes with Russell McVeagh in nearly every ranked practice area, particularly in corporate, banking and energy.
• Simpson Grierson: Simpson Grierson is a leading New Zealand full-service commercial law firm with a similar practice mix (corporate, litigation, public sector), competing head-to-head with Russell McVeagh in the NZ mid-market.

Regional players

• MinterEllison: MinterEllison is a leading Australia/NZ full-service commercial law firm; a regional peer operating across the trans-Tasman market and competing with Russell McVeagh for NZ-headquartered corporate mandates.
• Clayton Utz: Clayton Utz is a leading Australian commercial law firm with growing NZ deal involvement, comparable to Russell McVeagh in scale and corporate practice mix across the Tasman.

Broad incumbents

• King & Wood Mallesons: King & Wood Mallesons is the largest Asia-Pacific-headquartered global law firm and competes with Russell McVeagh on major NZ M&A, banking and capital markets mandates.
• Allens: Allens is a leading Australian commercial law firm with a strong NZ cross-border practice, frequently acting as lead or co-counsel with NZ firms on flagship transactions.
• Herbert Smith Freehills: Herbert Smith Freehills is a global law firm with a significant ANZ practice that competes for large NZ cross-border mandates in energy, infrastructure and finance.
• Ashurst: Ashurst is a global law firm with established Australia and NZ operations, competing with Russell McVeagh on cross-border M&A, banking and infrastructure deals involving NZ.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/firm/russellmcveagh
• Xx.com/RussellMcVeagh
• Facebookfacebook.com/RussellMcVeagh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Russell McVeagh