Jennifer Hambleton
Partner* - Competition and Regulation

Jennifer is a highly experienced competition and consumer lawyer, with a particular specialty in merger clearances, enforcement actions, and disputes.
Jennifer advises on the full suite of competition and consumer law issues, including:
- merger clearances;
- authorisations;
- cartels, leniency applications and collaborative activities;
- investigations and enforcement actions; and
- competition and consumer law issues arising from contractual terms and practices.
Jennifer has extensive experience as a commercial litigator and has represented commercial and government clients on competition and consumer law actions, and commercial disputes, in all levels of the New Zealand courts. She also has significant experience in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes, including expert determinations, arbitrations, and mediation.
Ranked as Rising Star by esteemed legal directory The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Jennifer is sought after for her clear thinking, commercial approach, and astute strategy setting.
Jennifer returned to MinterEllisonRuddWatts in 2016 after almost ten years in Australia where she worked in the competition teams at King & Wood Mallesons, Baker McKenzie, and Webb Henderson. During her time in Australia, Jennifer acted on many high-profile competition enforcement actions, mergers, and other regulatory matters. She was also seconded to in-house roles with Lion and Sportsbet. Jennifer draws on this in-house experience to provide commercial and pragmatic advice to her clients.
* Subject to meeting the New Zealand Law Society’s requirements.
Professional background
Recent work
Merger clearances
Acting for Assa Abloy New Zealand Limited in relation to its successful application to the Commerce Commission for clearance of its proposed acquisition of NZ Fire Doors Limited.
Acting for Tourism Holdings Limited in relation to its application to the Commerce Commission for clearance of its proposed merger with Apollo Tourism & Leisure Ltd.
Commission investigations and enforcement actions
Advising commercial clients on Commerce Commission investigations and enforcement actions, including in relation to allegations of cartel conduct and breaches of the Fair Trading Act.
Acting for Viagogo in High Court proceedings brought by the Commerce Commission under the Fair Trading Act.
Appeal against Telecommunications Development Levies
Acting for Research and Education Advanced Network New Zealand (REANNZ) in its successful appeal of an NZCC determination that REANNZ was a ‘liable person’ for the purposes of the Telecommunications Development Levy under the Telecommunications Act.
Successful strike out application
Acting for Spark in relation to its successful application to strike out a claim brought by Blue Reach alleging misleading conduct under the Fair Trading Act in an application to the Commerce Commission for clearance to acquire radio spectrum.
Appeal to the Supreme Court
Representing Synlait Milk Limited in its appeal to the Supreme Court seeking removal of restrictive land covenants on the land on which it had built its new $280 million infant formula plant.
Admitted
- 2005, New Zealand
- 2007, Australia
Qualifications
- LLB (First Class Hons)
- BMS (Economics) (First Class Hons)
Specialisations
- Competition and Commercial
- Insurance
- Technology, Media and Telecommunications
Awards
- Ranked as a Rising Star – Competition , The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific
- Recognised by Who's Who Legal for Telecommunications Media & Technology: Telecoms and Media
- Member of MinterEllisonRuddWatts’ internationally recognised Tier 1 Litigation and Dispute Resolution team, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific
Jennifer Hambleton
- Office
- Auckland
- Phone
- +64 9 353 9794
- Mobile
- +64 27 541 0994
- jennifer.hambleton@minterellison.co.nz
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-hambleton-26249368/