Chapman Tripp

What Chapman Tripp does

Chapman Tripp is New Zealand's largest commercial law firm, founded in 1875 by Martin Chapman in Wellington and now operating as a private partnership across three offices in Auckland (headquarters at PwC Tower), Wellington, and Christchurch. The firm provides a full-service legal offering with 163 lawyers and staff organised around both sector specialisations (banks and financial institutions, energy, government, infrastructure, insurance, Māori business, fintech, technology/media/telecommunications, charities, primary sector, retirement living) and practice areas (corporate and commercial, banking and finance, litigation and dispute resolution, construction and major projects, IP, privacy and cybersecurity, ESG, employment, tax, restructuring, property, international law, competition, investment funds, and digital litigation solutions). It advises corporates, financial institutions, government agencies, and not-for-profits on New Zealand's most complex transactions and disputes, including the circa $1.5b Dunedin Hospital redevelopment, Auckland Airport's multibillion-dollar Terminal Integration Programme, ANZ's $700m sale of OnePath Life NZ, and Jardine Matheson's A$3.4b acquisition of I-MED Radiology Network.

Name

Chapman Tripp

Legal name

Chapman Tripp

Website

https://chapmantripp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1875

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Chapman Tripp is New Zealand's largest commercial law firm, founded in 1875, providing full-service legal advice across corporate, finance, litigation, infrastructure, energy, and government mandates to corporates, financial institutions, and public sector clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

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

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: Professional legal services billed on fee-for-service basis including hourly rates, fixed fees for specific matters, and transaction-based fees for M&A, capital markets and other corporate transactions

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chapman Tripp is a full-service commercial law firm providing legal advice to corporate clients, financial institutions, government agencies and not-for-profits across New Zealand. The firm delivers specialist legal services across corporate and commercial, banking and finance, litigation and dispute resolution, infrastructure and construction, energy, government, intellectual property, privacy, ESG, employment, tax, restructuring, property, international law, competition, investment funds, charities, Māori business, impact investing and digital infrastructure. Services are billed on a fee-for-service basis including hourly rates, fixed fees and transaction-based fees.

Product overview

Chapman Tripp is New Zealand's largest commercial law firm offering a comprehensive suite of legal services across multiple sectors. The firm operates a unified service model with specialist teams covering corporate & commercial, banking & finance, litigation, infrastructure, energy, government, intellectual property, privacy, ESG, employment, tax, restructuring, property, international law, competition, investment funds, charities, Māori business, impact investing, and digital infrastructure. The firm complements its legal services with thought leadership through the Sound Counsel podcast series and Trends & Insights publications, pro bono community services, and a graduate recruitment programme. The service portfolio is organized by both sector expertise (financial institutions, energy, government, infrastructure, insurance, Māori business, technology/media/telecommunications, charities) and legal practice areas, enabling holistic advice on complex transactions and disputes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate and Commercial Legal Services Comprehensive corporate and commercial legal advice covering corporate governance, equity capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and private capital services for large corporates and multinational companies.
• Banking and Finance Legal Services Financial services legal advice including debt capital markets, finance and financial services regulation for banks, insurance companies, wealth managers and other financial institutions.
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution Full-service litigation and dispute resolution including corporate crime, digital litigation solutions, coronial inquests and complex commercial disputes for corporate and government clients.
• Construction and Major Projects Legal Services Construction and major projects legal services for infrastructure development across New Zealand including PPP projects, transport, health, education, utilities and digital infrastructure.
• Energy Sector Legal Services Energy sector legal advice covering upstream, midstream and downstream, traditional and renewables including oil, gas, electricity, hydro, geothermal, wind, solar and minerals.
• Government Legal Services Legal advice to government agencies including policy, commercial contracting, procurement, large-scale infrastructure, PPP projects and public law matters for ministries, Crown entities and public sector organisations.
• Intellectual Property Legal Services Intellectual property services including patents, trade marks and IP disputes, ranked in IP STARS 2026 and IAM Patent 1000 2026.
• Privacy, Data Protection and Cybersecurity Legal Services Privacy and data protection legal services for compliance with New Zealand privacy laws and cybersecurity requirements.
• Climate Change, Sustainability and ESG Legal Services Climate change, sustainability and ESG legal services including human rights, responsible business, impact investing and sustainable finance.
• Employment Legal Services Employment law services including workplace investigations and employment relations.
• Tax Legal Services Tax advisory services for corporate and commercial transactions.
• Restructuring and Insolvency Legal Services Restructuring and insolvency legal services for distressed companies.
• Property and Real Estate Legal Services Property and real estate legal services for commercial and residential transactions.
• International Law Services International law services including international trade, investment, arbitration and sanctions regimes.
• Competition and Antitrust Legal Services Competition and antitrust legal advice for merger clearances and regulatory compliance.
• Investment Funds and Superannuation Legal Services Investment funds and superannuation legal services for fund managers and investors.
• Charities and Not-for-Profit Legal Services Legal services for charities, not-for-profits and social enterprises including establishment, governance, compliance and tax concessions.
• Māori Business Legal Services Legal services for Māori business including Pakihi Māori, iwi relationships and Treaty of Waitangi considerations.
• Impact Investing Legal Services Impact investment legal services for social and environmental change including green bonds, social bonds and sustainability-linked investments.
• Digital Infrastructure Legal Services Digital infrastructure legal services including data centres, broadband networks, mobile network towers and telecommunications.
• Sound Counsel Podcast Expert insights podcast series covering legal topics and trends including The Special Conditions series on infrastructure and construction law, Capital Markets and Corporate Governance series.
• Trends and Insights Publications Legal insights publications covering banking, finance, infrastructure, energy, government and regulatory developments in New Zealand.
• Graduate Programme and Clerkships Law graduate recruitment programme including clerkships, structured training, study support and CT Academy knowledge sharing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tenth consecutive win at KangaNews Awards for NZ Law Firm of the Year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BLAKEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing environmental and leadership programmes; Chapman Tripp provides ongoing operational support including intellectual property, employment advice, constitutional changes and board secretarial services
• The Aotearoa CirclecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeadership organisation bringing 50+ public and private NZ organisations together to restore natural capital; Chapman Tripp has worked on five pro bono projects including Sustainable Finance Forum report and director duties toolkit
• Circa TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner - New Zealand's leading theatre company
• NZ OperaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner - national opera company
• Auckland City MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing social services; Chapman Tripp supports fundraising and contractual needs for life-changing projects including HomeGround facility development
• First FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner sponsoring academically talented but financially disadvantaged students through university with financial support and work experience
• Wellington City MissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing social services in Wellington region
• Māia Health FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting women's health initiatives
• Centre for Sustainable Finance: Toitū TahuacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner focused on sustainable finance initiatives in New Zealand
• Sustainable Business NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember committed to improving sustainability performance and supporting restoration of NZ waterways through Million Metres programme
• Sustainable Business CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember working on developing and implementing sustainability plan to reduce carbon footprint and drive sustainability through supply chain

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DLA Piper: DLA Piper is a major global law firm active in New Zealand corporate and finance mandates; it competes with Chapman Tripp where NZ matters require multi-jurisdictional reach.
• King & Wood Mallesons: King & Wood Mallesons is a leading Asia-Pacific-headquartered global law firm that competes with Chapman Tripp on cross-border M&A, banking & finance, and major project mandates involving NZ clients.
• Dentons: Dentons is the world's largest global law firm with a New Zealand presence; it competes with Chapman Tripp on cross-border M&A, infrastructure, and government mandates while offering broader international scale that the domestic firm cannot match.

Direct peers

• Buddle Findlay: Buddle Findlay is a leading New Zealand commercial law firm competing head-to-head with Chapman Tripp in corporate, banking, infrastructure, energy, and government advisory work across Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.
• Anderson Lloyd: Anderson Lloyd is a top-tier New Zealand law firm with strong presence in Christchurch and comparable practice areas to Chapman Tripp, particularly in corporate, environment, public law, and infrastructure work.
• Russell McVeagh: Russell McVeagh is one of New Zealand's largest commercial law firms and a direct competitor in M&A, capital markets, banking & finance, and dispute resolution work, serving similar NZ corporates and government clients.
• Bell Gully: Bell Gully is another of the 'big law' New Zealand commercial law firms and Chapman Tripp's principal domestic competitor across corporate, banking, energy, and government matters in New Zealand.
• MinterEllisonRuddWatts: MinterEllisonRuddWatts is a leading New Zealand commercial law firm affiliated with the global MinterEllison network, directly competing with Chapman Tripp in corporate, infrastructure, energy, and government mandates.
• Simpson Grierson: Simpson Grierson is a long-established New Zealand commercial law firm with comparable practice coverage in corporate, banking, government, and dispute resolution work, frequently pitching on the same NZ mandates as Chapman Tripp.

Regional players

• Allens: Allens is a top-tier Australian commercial law firm that frequently advises on trans-Tasman M&A and infrastructure matters involving NZ counterparties, making it a regional peer where it intersects with Chapman Tripp on cross-border deals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chapman-tripp

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Chapman Tripp