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Holly is a commercial property expert, experienced in providing property law advice to both private and public sector clients. She is also our firm’s Sustainability Leader – Kaitātaki Ukauka.
Holly has a strong interest in commercial leasing and development matters (for both commercial landlords, and corporate and government tenants), along with a wealth of experience acting on property acquisition and divestment projects.
She is valued as a trusted adviser by clients, with whom she enjoys working closely to identify commercially pragmatic solutions.
Holly provides both long-term strategic and day-to-day advice to tenants on matters arising under their national property portfolios. Her expertise also extends to building compliance issues, build-to-rent and shared home ownership advisory, property aspects of mergers and acquisition (M&A) transactions, Overseas Investment Act considerations and property finance transactions.
With in-house experience as a senior legal adviser to the New Zealand Government Procurement and Property branch within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Holly has a unique insight into property matters within the public sector. She regularly advises the Ministry of Education on various regulatory and public law considerations for its school property portfolio, as well as its Te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi obligations. She also advises both public and private sector clients on the application of social and affordable housing policies and initiatives.
Holly enjoys the personal side to the projects she works on – getting to know the client and the wider project team and seeing the results of that teamwork. Her strengths include her ability to look at issues holistically across her clients’ portfolios and apply this thinking to both one-off transactions as well as more strategic portfolio advice.
Holly was recognised by NZ Lawyer as a Rising Star in 2021 for her leadership qualities and significant achievements.; Holly leads our Wellington Real Estate team, working on a wide range of commercial property transactions and developments, including significant residential developments across New Zealand. She works closely with key clients Z Energy, Argosy Property, MBIE and Department of Corrections on their property development requirements.
Holly regularly advises public and private sector clients on the application of various social and affordable housing policies and initiatives, and is currently advising Kāinga Ora on the implementation of a new shared home ownership scheme.
Career highlights
Advising Kāinga Ora on the design and structure of its new progressive home ownership scheme.
Working closely with Z Energy’s in-house legal team, property team and external lease managers on all aspects of Z Energy’s national property portfolio, including assisting with strategic management of its property portfolio, transactional advice on its development programme, and other large portfolio transactions.
Acting for Argosy Property in negotiating separate leasing arrangements with tenants at 7 Waterloo Quay, Wellington.
Assisting the Ministry of Education on various matters affecting its national school property portfolio. The Ministry of Education undertakes more property work than any other New Zealand client, often seen by the market as the exemplar Government client.
Assisting Pan Pac Forest Products to obtain a standing consent to enter into forestry transactions without going through the onerous Overseas Investment Act consent process. We have subsequently advised Pan Pac on two forestry transactions in reliance on the standing consent. Given the novelty of standing consents, we liaised closely with the Overseas Investment Office on its reporting processes and requirements.
Affiliations
- Wellington Regional Committee, Property Council New Zealand
Achievements and recognition
- Up and Coming, Real Estate, Chambers Asia-Pacific
- Tier 1 team, Real Estate, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific
- Rising Star, NZ Lawyer