Mark Russell
PARTNER
Mark Russell
Mark studied at Canterbury and Cambridge Universities before lecturing in company and banking law at the University of Canterbury for four years.
Mark went into legal practice in 1985 and was a partner in the Christchurch office of a prestigious national firm for 25 years before joining Canterbury Chambers in Christchurch as a commercial barrister at the beginning of 2015. Mark joined the Helmore Stewart partnership in September 2018.
Mark specialises in agribusiness, water, construction, company, trusts, banking, commercial and insolvency law, with particular emphasis on the following areas:
- Construction contracts
- Corporate structuring
- Corporate governance
- Corporate regulatory compliance, including Companies Act and Financial Markets Conduct Act;
- Shareholder disputes
- Corporate financing (including complex and bespoke structured financing)
- Banking law matters (including credit recovery)
- Commercial contract drafting
- Joint ventures
- Company and individual insolvency issues
- Public issues of securities
- Family and corporate trusts
Major examples of Mark’s work in recent years include:
- Construction contract work for Rooney Earthmoving Limited, G&T Construction Limited, Otakaro Limited and Hunter Downs Water Limited
- Structuring and governance of irrigation companies, including Central Plains Water Limited and Rangitata South Irrigation Scheme
- Structuring and governance advice for primary industry co-operative companies including Wools of New Zealand Limited
- Southland Building Society bank registration
- Advice to Nelson Building Society and other building societies on securities issues, compliance, and governance issues
- Drafting Product Disclosure Statements for share issues for various companies including Wools of New Zealand Limited, Carbonscape Limited and North Otago Irrigation Company Limited
- Advising Lyttelton Port Company Limited on the full takeover by Christchurch City Holdings Limited
- Advising Safe Kiwi (New Zealand) Limited on set up of NZ Real Estate Trust (independent escrow service for real estate transactions)
- Compliance advice to several electricity distribution companies (including Buller Electricity limited and OtagoNet Joint Venture)
Mark also holds governance appointments. He is a director of Infinity Investment Group Holdings Limited, Cookie Time Limited and he is an independent member of the Christchurch City Council Audit & Risk Management Committee. Mark also serves as a trustee of the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board.
Mark is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.
Ph: 03 311 8008
Email: mark.russell@helmores-law.co.nz