New appointments for Minter Ellison Rudd Watts

Media Release
13 October 2005 - for immediate release

Three new appointments for Minter Ellison Rudd Watts

Trans-Tasman law firm Minter Ellison Rudd Watts has further boosted its talent pool with three recent appointments - a Senior Associate and a Special Counsel in Wellington and an HR/IR Consultant in Auckland.

Scott Gallacher rejoins the Wellington office from Minter Ellison's Canberra office as Special Counsel in International Trade and Public Law. Michael Dewhirst also joins the Wellington office, as Senior Associate in the Property team. Sam Audeau has joined the Auckland office as HR/IR Consultant.

Scott Gallacher has extensive international and public law knowledge and experience, with high quality strategic and analytical skills. Through his time as a former senior legal and policy adviser for the New Zealand Government, including as a senior negotiator at the World Trade Organization (WTO), Scott has excellent communication and negotiation skills and an intimate knowledge of the international legal environment, as well as the operation of government. Scott also has extensive understanding of Australia's and New Zealand's biosecurity regimes, as well as significant international dispute settlement experience, both as counsel and arbitrator.

Michael Dewhirst is an experienced commercial property, major projects and commercial lawyer. He has prepared and negotiated a wide range of contracts relating to property, major projects, infrastructure and commercial transactions. He has also assisted with Kyoto Protocol contracting. Michael is a Public Works Act specialist, and has extensive experience with Crown property disposals. He advises agencies on their public and local authority legal obligations, and is experienced in Maori land issues and Treaty of Waitangi settlements. Michael is an experienced negotiator, and has assisted parties to resolve and settle disputes.

Sam Audeau joins the firm as HR Consultant after two years with an international insurance company, and two years in the public sector. He has practical experience dealing with a full range of human resources issues, including collective bargaining, change management, performance management, policy and procedure development and drafting, IEA and CEA development and drafting, disciplinary procedures, mediations, account management, health and safety planning and development, remuneration development and negotiation, and management workshops on best HR practices.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Minter Ellison Rudd Watts occupies a unique position among the New Zealand law firms, being part of the Minter Ellison Legal Group. Minter Ellison is one of Australia's largest law firms and the worldwide group has over 280 partners and 1,100 lawyers in 16 major financial centres worldwide.

Among New Zealand's top law firms, Minter Ellison Rudd Watts is recognised by corporate New Zealand and trans-Tasman clients for its market leading tax practice. It also has a wealth of experience in the areas of corporate and commercial, litigation, competition, intellectual property, employment, property and banking and finance.

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