New Zealand: Court addresses conflicts of interest

Abstract

A recent Court of Appeal decision (Russell McVeagh McKenzie Bartleet v. Tower Corp.) provides a useful indication to New Zealand law firms of the judiciary's approach to Chinese walls in large firms. The case reversed the High Court ruling that Russell McVeagh's corporate partners in Auckland were disqualified from acting for Guinness Peat Group in relation to a hostile takeover of Tower because of the knowledge of Tower's affairs gained from work done by a Wellington tax partner of the same firm.