Stephen Layburn
Commercial Barrister

Auckland, New Zealand

+64 9 300 5485
+64 22 192 4937

Practice Areas

Corporate / M & A / fundraising

Corporate advisory – compliance, governance and structuring issues, M & A transactions, advising different stakeholders (including directors, interest groups and management). Securities markets – regulatory compliance matters, equity & debt issues, waivers, rulings & exemptions from NZX, Securities Commission / FMA & Takeovers Panel, etc.

Commercial

Advice on compliance issues, new commercial and legislative developments, negotiating / documenting commercial arrangements, project management of inputs into commercial arrangements.

Venture Capital / Private Equity

Marriage of skills across a variety of corporate / commercial (legal) disciplines as well as a mentoring role. Assisting with fund raising, advising different stakeholders, partnering arrangements and advising on exit strategies.

Financial Services

Working with financial service providers / financial advisory sector – on commercial and compliance matters (including AML/CFT matters) and dealings with regulators.

Corporate Governance

Advising management, boards, individual directors (including independent directors), committees and those providing other inputs for corporate decision-making processes. Assisting other stakeholders (including shareholders, classes and interest groups), organising, chairing / conducting meetings and setting up reporting processes.

Non-Standard Entities

Establishing / advising co-operatives, industry organisations, charities and Maori groups. Sports sector work including management and governance issues, dealings with regulatory bodies / local & central government agencies and advice, negotiations and drafting inputs into commercial matters (including funding, sponsorship, licensing, events management, broadcasting and supply arrangements).

In addition to the key areas noted above, I can also assist with independent advice to individual parties, individual directors or Boards:

  • managing conflicts of interest
  • several opinions / peer review
  • negotiations
  • mediations / alternative dispute resolutions

Recent Commentary

Termination for repeated late payment – be careful what you wish for
A recent, high profile, judgment from the UK’s top court has wider application than just standard-form contracts such as those that are a feature of the construction industry. Central to the decision in Providence Building Services Limited v Hexagon Housing Association Limited (2026) was the termination mechanism in a standard...
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Companies (Address Information) Amendment Bill – passed
A private member’s bill providing a stopgap measure which allows directors to use an alternative address, and not their home address, on the Companies Register was passed last night. The stopgap measure in the Companies (Address Information) Amendment Bill seems destined to be replaced by a (full) director identification number,...
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